Abington brothers set world record for longest hot dog catch, unofficially
ABINGTON, Pa. (WPVI) -- Two brothers unofficially set a weird world record today.
One of them, Matt MacMillan has always had an appetite for competition.
"Nine years ago, I wanted to break a Guinness World Record for throwing a grape in the air, running as far as I can, and catching it in my mouth," the 33-year-old from Abington said.
"Someone else broke the record and now I'm nine years older and I'm so much slower," he added.
In the meantime, he's continued his hobby of making videos and entering radio contests. But when the COVID-19 pandemic began, he feasted his eyes on a new goal.
"We're going to see if we can actually break a Guinness World Record with just one day of training," Matt said.
He called up his youngest brother, Ian, and scoured the books for a record they could break together. They settled on tackling the world's longest throw and catch of a hot dog into a bun.
"Even if getting dressed up as a hot dog is a requirement, I'll do it," Ian said. "I'm always kind of along for all his projects."
The brothers made a formal request to Guinness, which resulted in a lengthy process to set all the right conditions. They hired a land surveyor to mark the distance, while calling on friends and family for extra manpower. With six cameras, two witnesses, and about twenty hot dogs, they locked eyes on the prize.
It took five tries for the duo to successfully toss and catch a hot dog for a total distance of 143 feet, breaking the former record of 120 feet. The catch was deemed legal by several witnesses but awaits official confirmation from Guinness.
The MacMillan parents were there to cheer on their children.
"It warms our heart when you do see them together and having fun," said Vickie MacMillan. "They did fight quite a bit when they were younger, but all of a sudden, they just started getting together."
Matt thinks he was just preparing his brother for the real world.
"Now he's older, and these days, we haven't been closer," he said.
The brothers will compile their video and witness evidence and formally submit them to Guinness, which will take about 12 weeks to review. Upon official confirmation, they will receive a certificate.
"All this is about glory," Matt joked. "Glory and a little certificate that says we have a world record."
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