Alastair Galpin
took to world record-breaking in
2004 after being inspired by a record-setting rally
driver in Kenya. What began as a hobby soon escalated
into an active publicity pursuit. Today, he promotes the
work of social and environmental causes. For these
purposes, the most fitting game plans are chosen; then
world titles are attempted and frequently created.
Sustaining sponsor
If you would like regular exposure from Alastair's activities, become his Sustaining Sponsor:
- A range of attempts annually
- Your brand in multiple media
- Distribute your own media releases
- Receive product endorsements
More details about sponsorship opportunities
Special thanks
|
Behind every world record attempt is the expertise of professionals in their field. Their success underpins Alastair's. |
| They are listed here |
Most baseballs held in a baseball glove: 14
This is the story behind my Guinness World Record™ for the Most baseballs held in a baseball glove.
Ah yes, baseballs. We had seen each other before, I recalled, as I lay
them out under a tree in the front garden of a community centre
together with a large leather baseball glove. These were probably the
same balls and glove I'd borrowed from the local supply company in the
past. I liked baseballs by then, since I already had a world record for
holding them. But that day, I was going to try and get myself an even
better world record.
As always, I had practised. But this time, I'd
not done much of it. Why should I have? In the recent past I'd
successfully done what I was about to repeat then. A world record
adjudicator was with me that day. He was due to step out of the
building any minute. This made for an easy world record attempt because
I would not need to complete the admin I was so accustomed to. If I
were successful, I'd be told right there. Now, let me tell you, that's
worth performing for.
I wanted to be as ready as I could be when this
all-important man came walking toward me. Having read the rules – in
fact, having remembered them too – I confidently went about shuffling
all the balls together in a triangle that had been formed by spreading
surface tree roots. I laid the heavy but floppy glove to one side and
waited. The adjudicator soon came trotting down the steps with a
stopwatch in hand. He knelt in front of me and indicated he was ready
to begin the timing when I was.
A
small group of inquisitive children stood
round. I spoke briefly about what I was going to do, then watched as
they looked on eagerly. After a brief final check, the adjudicator
clicked his stopwatch and the pressure was on. Baseball after baseball,
I plucked them from the collection to my left and rested them in the
glove, as fast as I could. Yes, I had to take care to position each in
a way that was going to facilitate my goal: to fit in the most. So this
became a compromise between speed and accuracy. Some balls wobbled as I
placed them, but thankfully they didn't drop out of the gaping glove
and roll away. I was extending my fingers and thumb away from each
other as forcefully as I could, but the thick glove material was
restricting how much of that I could do. The duration of this effort
wasn't long; it seemed I'd hardly started when I was told to stop.
Next, the adjudicator and I counted the balls together. I waited
without saying a word. The adjudicator looked me in the eye and
congratulated me on achieving another one of those world records I live
for.
Well, that was quick and easy. I was smiling broadly. Hastily, I packed away all the balls and the glove, because I had other things on my mind... more world records. Satisfied and feeling smug, I left the venue, knowing that as a person, I was one world record better than when I'd awoken that morning. Great!