The Guinness World Records, or The Guinness Book of World Records, is a book compiled of any possible record in the world from holding one's breath to the tallest man in the world. Human feats are featured as are natural wonders. Many people vie for a new record or to break an old one.
How did this book, which apparently holds a record of its own for the "best-selling copyrighted book series of all time," come to be? As far as I can find the idea came to the managing director of the Guinness Breweries at the time, Sir Hugh Beaver, in 1951. A question of which bird in Europe was the fastest developed between his friends and Beaver. There was ultimately no way to confirm the correct answer.
Beaver is said to have thought this over and realized there were questions constantly being discussed, which held the same problem of not knowing the actual answer. There was no database to search for the answers and Beaver thought a book compiling different records that could answer the questions people had would prove to be popular.
At this time Norris and Ross McWhirter, twins, were working in London. The McWhirter twins were conducting fact-finding efforts when they were approached to create the very first book in August of 1954. There were 1,000 books printed and distributed. They became popular and the next year The Guinness Book of Records was bound and soared to the top of the best selling list in the United Kingdom in a few short months.
Certificates are issued to those who make or break records to celebrate the event. Only events that can be recreated are included in the book and it continues to be a popular item.
I also remember they had a television show when I was younger. We watched as people attempted to break records and many succeeded in completing feats I had thought were impossible. There was a person who swallowed swords, a man who held his breath for an amazing length of time, and even a man who set a record for how far he could spit.
Absolutely everything and anything you can think of there is probably something recorded in this wonderful book.
The reason I bring this up is because Saskatchewan recently set their own! My sister sent me a photo off of the internet, which consisted of 245 combines. Located north of Saskatoon over the Thanksgiving weekend just off of Highway 12 was the collection of combines.
The harvesters worked on a patch of land at the same time, cleaning off a crop in a very quick time. It has been reported that the previous record had been set in Ireland a mere two months ago with 208 combines.
The world record was set for Children's Camps International. The intention from the day was to be able to raise enough money to send 50,000 youth to camp.
I wish I could share the photo with you in the paper, but I honestly have no idea who took the picture, it was just something my sister sent me because it was quite interesting. The picture must have been taken from an airplane and the line-up of combines seems to stretch to the horizon. A line of individuals stood along the grid road next to the field watching the record being set.
It is a truly fantastic photo and I can only imagine what it would have been like to stand there watching 245 combines side by side moving down the field as a single unit.
They had apparently been planning the event for a couple of years already and it just so happened that on Oct. 6, 2012, they managed to set this record. It's always nice to see Saskatchewan put on the map as I do love this province, which enjoys rallying together as one.
