12 World Records From Essex County: Space, Film, Flight, Hockey

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — What do the first humans on the moon, the first-ever film studio and the longest contract in National Hockey League history have in common? Essex County, according to Guinness World Records.

The New Jersey county has been involved in several world records over the past years. Some of them are well-known, such as Montclair hometown hero Buzz Aldrin’s historic moon walk. Others are more obscure, such as the record for “most football rolls across the forehead,” which was set in West Orange.

Catch up on some inspiring true feats from Essex County below.

• See related article: 9 Amazing World Records From New Jersey (VIDEOS)

MOON VISIT

When Neil Armstrong and Montclair native Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon in July of 1969, they etched their names into history and earned a place in the Guinness archives.

However, Aldrin also has two other, lesser-known records, according to Guinness: “first person to urinate on the moon” and “first person take a selfie photo in open space.”

According to Guinness, Alrdrin's record-setting selfie took place in 1966 during the Gemini 12 mission.

"I just opened the hatch and looked around," Aldrin recalled. "Just like a sightseeing tourist would. I saw the camera and thought, 'I wonder what would happen if I took a picture of me', not knowing whether it would turn out at all! The lighting was not too well-selected, but you could tell who it was."

Aldrin's record-setting bladder movement came three years later during the Apollo 11 mission in front of millions of TV viewers when the astronaut relieved himself a tube fitted inside his space suit.

• See related article: Montclair's Buzz Aldrin Is 1st Man To Pee On Moon, Take Selfie In Space

MAKING MOVIES

Legendary inventor Thomas Edison has left a heavy footprint in West Orange, where his eponymous Edison Laboratories has spawned several world records.

According to Guinness, Edison's “Black Maria” – a frame building covered in black roofing paper – was built in 1893, making it the “first film studio.” The cost of the endeavor? About $637.

Another world record was set when “the first screen kiss” took place between May Irwin and John C. Rice for a short film entitled “The Kiss,” directed and photographed by William Heise in April 1896 for Edison Studios at their Black Maria studio, Guinness states.

“They get ready to kiss, begin to kiss, and kiss and kiss and kiss in a way that brings down the house every time,” reads the description in the Edison film catalogue.

Yet another – and much creepier – record was set in 1895, when a silent, minute-long film called “Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots” was shot at the Edison Laboratories. The mock beheading was the first piece of film footage to use stop-action, giving it the distinction of being the “first shot using special effects,” according to Guinness.

• See related article: Visit Thomas Edison's Creepy Talking Dolls In New Jersey (VIDEOS)

LONGEST FLIGHT

According to Guinness, the “longest duration non-stop scheduled flight” is Singapore Airlines SQ21, which flies between Newark Liberty International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.

Guinness says the route taken by SQ21 (and its outbound partner, SQ22) vary “according to wind and weather conditions.” The straight-line distance from Singapore to Newark is 9,534 miles and passes over the north pole, but the flights typically follow longer routes in order to take advantage of strong tailwinds.

The scheduled duration of the flight is 18 hours and 30 minutes. The first scheduled flight took place in October 2018.

• See related article: World's Longest Non-Stop Flight Returns To NJ Airport

HOCKEY HISTORY

The Prudential Center in Newark – home to the NHL’s New Jersey Devils – is also the home for a pair of hockey-related world records.

Ilya Kovalchuk matched the record for “longest contract in NHL ice hockey” when he inked a $100 million, 15-year deal with the Devils in 2010. The controversial contract tied the length of the $67.5 million deal between Rick DiPietro and the New York Islanders in 2006.

The record for “most goaltenders used by a NHL team in a season” was also set at the Prudential Center, when Cam Talbot made 30 saves to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 6-3 win over the Devils on March 1, 2019.

Talbot became the eighth goalie to play for Philadelphia during the 2018-2019 season, an NHL record, Guinness states.

ROLLING RECORDS

Soccer standout Nathan Davies has set three world records in West Orange, bouncing a “football” thousands of times in his effort to attain sports glory, according to Guinness.

Davies – who frequently puts on displays of his eye-popping skills in the Essex County area –holds three separate records, each set between 2018 and 2019:

• “Most consecutive football touches with the shoulders” (5,897)
• “Most consecutive football touches with the knees” (6,539)
• “Most football rolls across the forehead” (2,048)

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