A lot of world records set in Boston are related to sports but, on the whole, those aren’t particularly wacky. However, our city has seen its share of weird achievements. Check out these 8 records that prove if you can dream up something weird enough, then you too might be able to break a world record!
- The largest toast.
Flickr/Chase Elliott Clark The largest toast you’ve ever participated in likely involved a wedding or possibly a work event. However, on April 20, 2012 a whopping 32,904 person crowd celebrated Fenway’s 100th birthday with a toast of Welch’s sparkling grape juice.
- Tightrope skipping.
Flickr/Alan If you suspect that the only way you’d make it across a tightrope is via zip-line, then this feat is impressive! On April 26, 2004 Juan Pedro Carrillo created a new record for jumping rope while on a tightrope. He managed 1323 consecutive skips.
- First intelligible phone call.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives Most of us are familiar with this record set by Alexander Graham Bell and Watson, but it must have seemed really weird to people hearing about it at the time - in 1876. Bell called Watson when the two men were in different rooms and neither had to shout: “can you hear me now?”
- Least valuable collection of artwork in a public museum.
Facebook/Museum of Bad Art All art has value to society- and its creator - however, not all art fetches a high price at galleries and sales. The price tags on the fixtures and pieces at the Museum of Bad Art, located in the basement of the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, broke a record… for least monetary value. Each individual work has an average value of $2.09!
- Largest crowd of people clad in tie dye
Flickr/Steven Falconer Once again, this record was set at Fenway Park. On May 7, 2016 a crowd of 1500 people congregated while clad in tie dye clothing.
- Longest time standing on a Swiss ball.
Flickr/Chrissy Hunt On September 18, 2016, Harvard-student Garrett Lam stood on an exercise ball for 5 hours 25 minutes and 38 seconds. His goal was to raise money for four charities. He was inspired by a campus group called Effective Altruism that strives to do good in the world. Initially this record sounds pretty random, but it’s actually motivational. What unexpected record could you break as a fundraiser?
- Fastest marathon dressed as a videogame character.
Flickr/makoenergy Running a marathon is impressive. Running a marathon while dressed in costume takes the challenge to a whole new level! A man named John Kelly ran the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 57 minutes while dressed as Link from the Zelda series.
- Longest serving ice cream man.
Flickr/Emily Burnett Let’s end on a lovely - rather than quirky - note. Allan Ganz has been selling ice cream for longer than anyone else! He started working on his father’s ice cream van in 1947, when he was ten years old and (aside from 22 months in the military) he is still going strong today. His ice cream van now operates in Peabody, further north than his old stomping ground of Everett and Malden.
Are there any bizarre records that you might be able to smash? Let us know in the comments, then check out some of the weirdest events that ever took place in Boston. Some pretty strange things have happened here!
Flickr/Chase Elliott Clark
The largest toast you’ve ever participated in likely involved a wedding or possibly a work event. However, on April 20, 2012 a whopping 32,904 person crowd celebrated Fenway’s 100th birthday with a toast of Welch’s sparkling grape juice.
Flickr/Alan
If you suspect that the only way you’d make it across a tightrope is via zip-line, then this feat is impressive! On April 26, 2004 Juan Pedro Carrillo created a new record for jumping rope while on a tightrope. He managed 1323 consecutive skips.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
Most of us are familiar with this record set by Alexander Graham Bell and Watson, but it must have seemed really weird to people hearing about it at the time - in 1876. Bell called Watson when the two men were in different rooms and neither had to shout: “can you hear me now?”
Facebook/Museum of Bad Art
All art has value to society- and its creator - however, not all art fetches a high price at galleries and sales. The price tags on the fixtures and pieces at the Museum of Bad Art, located in the basement of the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, broke a record… for least monetary value. Each individual work has an average value of $2.09!
Flickr/Steven Falconer
Once again, this record was set at Fenway Park. On May 7, 2016 a crowd of 1500 people congregated while clad in tie dye clothing.
Flickr/Chrissy Hunt
On September 18, 2016, Harvard-student Garrett Lam stood on an exercise ball for 5 hours 25 minutes and 38 seconds. His goal was to raise money for four charities. He was inspired by a campus group called Effective Altruism that strives to do good in the world. Initially this record sounds pretty random, but it’s actually motivational. What unexpected record could you break as a fundraiser?
Flickr/makoenergy
Running a marathon is impressive. Running a marathon while dressed in costume takes the challenge to a whole new level! A man named John Kelly ran the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 57 minutes while dressed as Link from the Zelda series.
Flickr/Emily Burnett
Let’s end on a lovely - rather than quirky - note. Allan Ganz has been selling ice cream for longer than anyone else! He started working on his father’s ice cream van in 1947, when he was ten years old and (aside from 22 months in the military) he is still going strong today. His ice cream van now operates in Peabody, further north than his old stomping ground of Everett and Malden.
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