You Can Look It Up in ’91 Guinness : Publishing: The newest edition of the popular record book lists a man who lost nearly 700 pounds and another who holds a record 25 records.
NEW YORK — A man who lost almost 700 pounds and the holder of a record number of records were among the winners who joined to promote the newest edition of the Guinness Book of Records.
The 1991 U.S. edition of the book lists U.S. records along with world records for the first time. The record-holders gathered Tuesday at the Guinness World of Records, a museum, to promote the book.
Michael Hebranko, 37, is listed in the “Super Heavyweights†category for having reduced from 905 pounds to 215 pounds. He is shooting for 180 pounds.
The 6-foot New Yorker said he lost the weight through surgery, severe dieting and help from exercise guru Richard Simmons.
“Taking off the 700 pounds was easy--keeping it off is the killer,†Hebranko said. “It’s not like balancing 200 cigar boxes and then it’s over.â€
Bruce Block of St. Joseph, Mich., balanced a world-record 212 cigar boxes on his chin for 13.5 seconds at Rock Island, Ill., in February. The boxes, without stogies, weighed about 90 pounds.
On Tuesday, just for fun, Block hoisted 102 boxes. The ceiling at the museum was not high enough for 212.
Ashrita Furman, who holds a record 25 records, bounced on a pogo stick and juggled three rubber balls.
For an encore, he yodeled while walking on his hands.
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