Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan undefeated world record-holder for longest gum wrapper chain
A 70-year-old man from Hamilton stands undefeated 25 years since he chewed his way to the world record for the longest chain of gum wrappers.
Spanning the length of 59 CN Towers, 366 football fields, and 534 hockey rinks, Gary Duschl's chain made of 2,583,335 wrappers - and counting - is featured in the latest Guinness World Records."
I've been in the book a number of times, but never like this," said Duschl, speaking from Virginia where he now lives, while wearing a yellow Juicy Fruit" shirt. He's featured as the centrefold.
The Ticats fan has spent 42,000 hours making the chain, often folding wrappers while watching games.
Duschl first broke the record in 1994, when his chain - then 3,690 metres long - nearly doubled the existing record. He's been expanding the same chain for the last 55 years, adding to it every month.
It all started in Grade 9, when Duschl says making gum wrapper chains was a fad. Some of the kids were folding up gum wrappers and making a chain, and I said, That looks neat. Show me how to do it,'" he said.
I decided that I was going to make a long one, longer than anyone in the class, then anyone in the school, then anyone in the town, and now anyone in the world."
He credits his schoolmates for motivating him. They saved their gum wrappers to help make his chain longer.
Enthusiasts have since sent their gum wrappers to Duschl from around the world. Eventually, Wrigley Company donated a lifetime supply of wrappers to him.
He has a website charting the length of the chain, along with a video and instructions on how others can create their own.
Duschl uses only Wrigley wrappers for his chain, and says while he's an occasional gum chewer," Juicy Fruit is his favourite.
Duschl has appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show" in the U.S. and had the host autograph the chain, along with Ripley Entertainment president Jim Pattison Jr., actor Butch Patrick, and William Wrigley Jr.
He plans to continue building his chain for the rest of his life - his goal is to reach 42,195 meters.
That is the length of a marathon," he said. It's going to take me probably another 10 years."
He's also resubmitted his chain to Guinness for a possible new record for most folds in a single piece of origami. He's still waiting to hear back on that one.
Maria Iqbal's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories focused on aging issues. Reach her via email: miqbal@thespec.com