The Guinness Book of Records debuts
On August 27 1955 the first edition of The Guinness Book of Records is published in Great Britain it quickly proves to be a hit.Now known as the Guinness World Records book the annual publication features a wide range of feats related to humans and animals. The inspiration for the record book can be traced to November 1951 when Sir Hugh Beaver managing director of the Guinness Brewery (founded in Dublin in 1759) was on a hunting trip in Ireland.After failing to shoot a golden plover Beaver and the members of his hunting party debated whether the creature was Europes fastest game bird but were unable to locate a book with the answer.Thinking that patrons of Britains pubs would enjoy a record book which could be used to settle friendly disagreements Beaver decided to have one produced.
He hired twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter the founders of a London-based agency that provided facts and statistics to newspapers and advertisers.The book was intended to be given away for free in pubs to promote the Guinness brand however it turned out to be so popular the company started selling it that fall and it became a best-seller.An American edition debuted in 1956 and was soon followed by editions in a number of other countries.
The McWhirters traveled the globe to research and verify records.Ross McWhirter was involved in compiling the book until his death in 1975 at the hands of Irish Republican Army gunmen his brother Norris continued to serve as the books editor until 1986.Today the thousands of official Guinness records include the oldest person ever (Jeanne Louise Calment of France who died in 1997 at 122 years and 164 days old) the tallest dog ever (a now-deceased Great Dane from Michigan named Zeus who in 2011 measured 44 inches from foot to withers) and the largest underwater human pyramid (62 people in 2013 in Thailand).
