Tony Lyons - Weirdest and wackiest world records: from the absolutely bizarre to the downright shocking

Copyright 2012 by Skyhorse Publishing

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ISBN: 978-1-61608-438-7

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A s a child, you always wanted to break a record. You had dreams that you were Evil Knievel and Ted Williams. Its actually easier than you think to have your name enshrined with these greatsyou just have to think outside the box or eat the entire box in less than forty seconds.

Compiled here are some of the most incredible records in history. They are strange, improbable, and sometimes they seem completely insane, but their achievements are no less remarkable than many other great records. Their oddities are a mark of avid creativity, and their sheer improbability is a mark of just how exceptional and strong-willed humans can be in pursuit of a goaland record-breaking glory.

What kind of person chases glory to the strangest corners of the earth? Great explorers like Columbus and Magellan sought mystery in new lands, Neil Armstrong took to the moon, and every four years records are broken at the Olympic Games. For expanding the boundaries of human potential, we idolize these people as heroes. But what if there were heroes all around us, quietly doing what has never been done? Neighbors, friends, strangers in the check-out line or waiting for the trainthey, too, could be explorers of the unknown. They might become strange heroes out to defy the impossible and discover just what can be done in the world. All you need is the will to succeed (and maybe a genetic anomaly).

The people honored in these pages have that will: fiery ambition to beat their competitors, to achieve what no soul has ever done. They take adventure to quirky and dangerous places, battling the limits of whats believable and sensible. And its fun! Everyone remembers the awe and joy of exploring a neighborhood as a kid. The world seemed endless and magical, where anything was possible. Every climb up a tree or trip to the store became an adventure to discover what might happen if you took one step further, or looked around the next corner. These men and women take this adventurous spirit down the strangest paths, combining their personal passions with the iron ambition of athletes. The unexpected always awaits them, and theres always room to improve and succeed. There are always new possibilities to discover, rivals to defeat, and ways to fulfill that curious joy of accomplishing something totally new.

Of course, new frontiers can be both bizarre and dangerous. Exploring the possibilities of human potential is not for the faint of heart. Magellan didnt make it past the Philippines, and Olympic athletes train their whole lifetimes to excel at one sport. But the thrill of achieving something new drives people oneven if it means enduring unbelievable conditions. The record-holders of this book are no slouches. They have planned and trained to reach their goals. To follow their dreams, they cope with the brutal chores of preparation. How else do you walk across coals, or endure full-contact ice? Making history isnt easy.

Everybody has quirks. You might have an unearthly love of Mars Bars, or be able to bend your elbow in all kinds of weird positions, creeping out your friends. Maybe you really enjoy kitchen chemistry. Or you love cats a lot. But when one of these quirks becomes an idea, and the idea takes hold of the right personsomething remarkable happens. After inhaling a bag of candy, your friend makes a crack: How much could you eat, seriously? Your microwave explodes with little grape fires. The cats begin to breed. An idea sparks ambition, and creativity takes over. Someone will build a remarkable device and they will think up the perfect situation. Passions take time and energy, but these people will do whatever it takes. There could be record-holders all around you, excelling at something strange and hard, but never impossible.

Whether or not they set out for glory at the startits waiting at the end. Just like the many heroes and villains we read about in school, these men and women deserve their fame. Napoleon may have built himself monuments to be remembered, but he doesnt have a record to his name. And his ability to run hurdles in flippers would have been minimal, at best. Traditional history will always be recorded, but its the nooks and crannies of culture where we find real people and incredible accomplishments. These not-so-ordinary people have won their glory with natural talent, hard work, and ingenuity. Theyve seen the potential just waiting in daily life taken to extreme proportions. Theyre weird and wacky, but they deserve glory for their exploitsand they have the records to prove theyre exceptional.

The world is a vast, strange place, and its ready for history to be rewritten. So what better way to honor its remarkable oddness than by recording all its bizarre and brilliant records? You might laugh, be awed, or even feel the impulse to set a record yourself. Records were made to be broken, so if you dare, go out there and do something extremely weird and wacky. Hey, it might even get you into our next edition!

S ometimes the pursuit of glory just cant be done alone. Alexander the Great wasnt so great without his armies, and Magellan was never sailing alone. The 1972 Miami Dolphins didnt go undefeated playing singles tennis. These epic figures counted on the people around them day after daya crew to man the sails, or a team to block the rush.

Bringing things back down from the lofty heights of historyyou cant have a 100 yard egg toss with yourself. You need a partner, a friend, even a whole team to accomplish something great and unprecedented. You need someone who is willing to get their clothing covered in egg yolk (being able to catch helps, too).

And those people who set out to find greatness together can not only realize their goals, but also gain something valuable (besides the glory, of course). Most of us have experienced it too, whether we realize it or not. If youve ever been on a team, in a band, or even just paired up with someone for work or school, youve probably felt it. Whether your little league team was terrible or you played D1 soccer, whether you played the trumpet with the band or performed a Brahms sonataif youve ever played Capture the Flag and been rescued from the jail by a friendyouve felt it. Teamwork in all its forms creates a bond among the participants. All those afternoons catching pop flies start to do something to a team. We manage to become closer through all that practice, success, and failureand when you do succeed beyond all your hopes, you get the glory