Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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June 10, 2012

Inside the record books

By JAMIE PARSELL Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BLUEFIELD — The world’s longest nose resides on the face of a man in Turkey. The largest rubber duck collection belongs to a woman in California. But the record for the most people sent on a zip-line belongs to West Virginia. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant said the ACE Adventure Resort in Fayette County broke the previous record by sending 148 zip-liners in an hour. The old record was set in Germany in 2010.

When I was a young girl, I was constantly trying to figure out a way to get my name in the Guinness Book of World Records. I found a book in our school library about the various records set by individuals all across the world. My record had to be something cool, like jump roping for 24 hours without stopping for a snack or being the girl with the largest collection of crayons. Or the biggest collection of Barbies. Two things hindered the dream: My allowance in the fifth grade didn’t support large collections and I swapped the jump rope for a basketball. Dream aborted, until now.

I didn’t have a book anymore; I have something better, the Internet. The Guinness Book of World Records’ online site is even more entertaining than the book. However, it is also slightly disturbing. The world’s longest fingernails? Or how about 4,225 piercings? Not to mention the man who squirted milk out of his eye. Where are the jump rope champions? The online site is pretty cool, even with the strange records. Users can explore records by type and find out how to set a record. There is also a search engine. Because of ACE Adventure’s recent zip-line adventure, I wanted to see what other records could be linked to the Mountain State. Here are a few West Virginia records:



Largest family reunion — The Lilly family had the largest family reunion in August of 2009, in Flat Top. The reunion included 2,585 people.



 The largest bird feeder was created by William Green. The feeder was presented and measured in Sulphur Springs on Jan.7, 2012.



 Zachary George  held six baseballs in his hand, palm down, on March 20, 2011, in Elkins. He broke three other records that day, including most clothes pegs clipping on one hand in one minute, most eggs held in the hand and most golf balls in one hand.



 The 1929 class of Miss Blanche Miller’s Kindergarten and Continuation School in Bluefield, held their first reunion after 70 years. Only 10 members had passed away. Fifty-five percent of the students from the class attended the class. It broke the record for the longest elapsed time for a reunion.



 Using a Caterpillar 485 Lexion Combine, James C. Justice III harvested 19,196.59 bushels of corn at Catfish Bay Farm in Beckley.



I searched for records involving jump ropes. The good news is no one has attempted to jump rope for 24 hours. I don’t blame them. When I was in the fifth grade, it sounded like a good idea. I mean, I spent all recess jumping rope with my friends. Twenty-four hours would be like an extended recess. Sadly, I have no special talents to entice the folks at the Guinness Book of World records. I am average. I can’t even do fun things like roll my tongue.

I discovered this in high school biology class. Out of all my classmates, I was one of the few who wasn’t a tongue-curler. Thanks, genetics. And yes, I went around the newsroom and asked other reporters about their abilities. I am still the odd-female out. My only hope is to organize a journalism-themed record-breaking event like fastest typist in the newsroom. My co-workers better be up for the challenge. The zip-lines, I mean keyboards, are waiting.

— Jamie Parsell is the Lifestyle editor of the Daily Telegraph. Contact her at jparsell@bdtonline.com.

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