Finally!
Nov 7, 2007
NASHVILLE, TN - The Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) announced today that it has set another official Guinness World RecordTM in sword swallowing. The record was set when nine sword swallowers, eight men and one woman, simultaneously swallowed a total of 52 swords at one time on September 2, 2005 at the 4th Annual Sideshow Gathering and SSAI "Big Swallow" in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The SSAI World Record has now been certified as an official Guinness World RecordTM.
According to SSAI Executive Director Dan Meyer, the original Guinness World RecordTM for mass sword swallowing had initially been set in 2002 during SSAI's first “Big Swallow” when 19 sword swallowers simultaneously swallowed 50 swords before an audience of sideshow industry experts, historians, fans and media at the first Sideshow Gathering and Sword Swallowers Convention. The new 2005 record is considered even more of an accomplishment due to the fact that there were fewer sword swallowers participating than in previous years.
“The 2002 world record was awarded for 19 sword swallowers swallowing 50 swords at once,” Meyer explained. “But this new record is even more incredible when you realize that we broke the old record with less than half the number of sword swallowers -- This time only 9 sword swallowers managed to gulp down a total of 52 swords at once -- 2 swords more, but with 10 sword swallowers less than we had in 2002!”
Some of the record breakers were veteran sword swallowers, while others had been swallowing swords only a few months. “I'm proud to have been part of this historical record-breaking event" explained Travis Fessler of the Pickled Brothers Sideshow of Florence KY. "Just being on stage with legends like Natasha Veruschka, Red Stuart and Keith Nelson was very humbling. To actually be part of helping break a world record was the event of a lifetime,” beamed Fessler who set his personal best by swallowing two swords during the event. “The old record that I wasn't part of was 50 swords; the new record I am part of is 52. Even though I only swallowed two swords, I feel like my participation really helped put us over the top!”
During the event, Meyer set his own personal record by swallowing 7 swords at once, with blades measuring 16 to 24 inches (40-61 cm) in length and 3/4 to 1 inch (1.9-2.5 cm) in width. New York Belly dancer Natasha Veruschka swallowed a whopping 11 swords, and was ready to add two more to match her own 2004 Guinness World RecordTM of swallowing 13 swords at once. But sideshow veteran Red Stuart of Philadelphia, PA topped everyone and set his own personal record by swallowing 25 swords at once -- a 32 inch (81.28 cm) broadsword along with 24 other swords measuring at least 18 inches (45.7 cm) long by one half inch (1.27 cm) in width. SSAI regulations require the blades to be at least 15 inches (38.1 cm) in length and at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width, with all swords being measured and verified by officials as being in compliance.
Certification of the SSAI group record by GuinnessTM indicates that Stuart's feat was recognized by Guinness as an individual world record. "The closest any one person has come to swallowing that many swords at once was when Edith Clifford was reported to have swallowed 20 swords in 1900..." explains SSAI Director and historian Dan Meyer. "What an honor it was to be standing next to Red and watch him make history by breaking a 105-year-old record!"
The sword swallowers who set the new world record were Red Stuart of Philadelphia, PA who swallowed 25 swords at once, Natasha Veruschka of New York city (11 swords), Dan Meyer of Hartselle, AL (7 swords), Keith Nelson of New York (3 swords), Travis Fessler of Florence, KY (2 swords), Roderick Russell from Vermont (1 sword), Matt "the Knife" Cassiere of Rhode Island (1 sword), John Metz from Iowa (1 sword), and Charles "Crispy" Knight who swallowed one sword after making the long drive from Denver, Colorado. The number of swords and swallowers was audited by a local accounting firm, witnessed and verified by veteran sideshow owners and former sword swallowers Chris Christ and the late Slim Price, and confirmed by sideshow historian James Taylor.
Oh yeah!
NASHVILLE, TN - The Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) announced today that it has set another official Guinness World RecordTM in sword swallowing. The record was set when nine sword swallowers, eight men and one woman, simultaneously swallowed a total of 52 swords at one time on September 2, 2005 at the 4th Annual Sideshow Gathering and SSAI "Big Swallow" in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The SSAI World Record has now been certified as an official Guinness World RecordTM.
According to SSAI Executive Director Dan Meyer, the original Guinness World RecordTM for mass sword swallowing had initially been set in 2002 during SSAI's first “Big Swallow” when 19 sword swallowers simultaneously swallowed 50 swords before an audience of sideshow industry experts, historians, fans and media at the first Sideshow Gathering and Sword Swallowers Convention. The new 2005 record is considered even more of an accomplishment due to the fact that there were fewer sword swallowers participating than in previous years.
“The 2002 world record was awarded for 19 sword swallowers swallowing 50 swords at once,” Meyer explained. “But this new record is even more incredible when you realize that we broke the old record with less than half the number of sword swallowers -- This time only 9 sword swallowers managed to gulp down a total of 52 swords at once -- 2 swords more, but with 10 sword swallowers less than we had in 2002!”
Some of the record breakers were veteran sword swallowers, while others had been swallowing swords only a few months. “I'm proud to have been part of this historical record-breaking event" explained Travis Fessler of the Pickled Brothers Sideshow of Florence KY. "Just being on stage with legends like Natasha Veruschka, Red Stuart and Keith Nelson was very humbling. To actually be part of helping break a world record was the event of a lifetime,” beamed Fessler who set his personal best by swallowing two swords during the event. “The old record that I wasn't part of was 50 swords; the new record I am part of is 52. Even though I only swallowed two swords, I feel like my participation really helped put us over the top!”
During the event, Meyer set his own personal record by swallowing 7 swords at once, with blades measuring 16 to 24 inches (40-61 cm) in length and 3/4 to 1 inch (1.9-2.5 cm) in width. New York Belly dancer Natasha Veruschka swallowed a whopping 11 swords, and was ready to add two more to match her own 2004 Guinness World RecordTM of swallowing 13 swords at once. But sideshow veteran Red Stuart of Philadelphia, PA topped everyone and set his own personal record by swallowing 25 swords at once -- a 32 inch (81.28 cm) broadsword along with 24 other swords measuring at least 18 inches (45.7 cm) long by one half inch (1.27 cm) in width. SSAI regulations require the blades to be at least 15 inches (38.1 cm) in length and at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width, with all swords being measured and verified by officials as being in compliance.
Certification of the SSAI group record by GuinnessTM indicates that Stuart's feat was recognized by Guinness as an individual world record. "The closest any one person has come to swallowing that many swords at once was when Edith Clifford was reported to have swallowed 20 swords in 1900..." explains SSAI Director and historian Dan Meyer. "What an honor it was to be standing next to Red and watch him make history by breaking a 105-year-old record!"
The sword swallowers who set the new world record were Red Stuart of Philadelphia, PA who swallowed 25 swords at once, Natasha Veruschka of New York city (11 swords), Dan Meyer of Hartselle, AL (7 swords), Keith Nelson of New York (3 swords), Travis Fessler of Florence, KY (2 swords), Roderick Russell from Vermont (1 sword), Matt "the Knife" Cassiere of Rhode Island (1 sword), John Metz from Iowa (1 sword), and Charles "Crispy" Knight who swallowed one sword after making the long drive from Denver, Colorado. The number of swords and swallowers was audited by a local accounting firm, witnessed and verified by veteran sideshow owners and former sword swallowers Chris Christ and the late Slim Price, and confirmed by sideshow historian James Taylor.
Oh yeah!