Oldest solo pilot helicopter flight
The oldest helicopter pilot is Donald Hinkel (USA) who completed a solo flight at the age of 86 years, 6 months and 23 days, over Ocsoda County Airport, in Mio, Michigan, USA, on 28 June 2012.
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Oldest soldier to enlist in WWI
The oldest soldier to enlist in the Great War was William John Paxton (b. London, UK, 23 April 1846, d. London, UK, 29 April 1927), a bricklayer who enlisted with the London Regiment on 21 October 1914 at the age of 68 and was discharged on 19 July 1916 for health reasons. Having declared on his application that he was 48 years old and that his next of kin was his brother, he in fact had four children and lived a few streets away from Continue reading →
Oldest singer to debut with a symphony orchestra
The oldest singer to debut with a symphony orchestra is Polly Roesch (USA, b. 06 Decmber 1910) who at the age of 97 years, performed a solo with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in the Sangamon Auditorium, Illinois, USA, on 15 December 2007. Pauline ‘Polly’ Roesch sang Silver bells. She sang again in the ‘Holiday Pops’ programme again with the same orchestra on 20 Decemeber 2008 when she was 98, and then again on 18 December 2010-to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Oldest share certificate
The oldest share certificate was issued by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) chamber of Enkhuizen (Netherlands) on 9 September 1606 and made out to the Enkhuizen inhabitant ‘Pieter Hermanszoon boode’ (Pieter Harmensz). The certificate was accidentally unearthed by Ruben Schalk (Netherlands), a history student from Utrecht University, in 2010, while researching for his master’s thesis. The date printed on the certificate is the day on which Pieter Harmensz paid the last installment of his 150 guilders investment in the VOC, Continue reading →
Oldest seawater
The seawater at the bottom of the 3,800 m-deep (12,400 ft) Canada Basin has remained unstirred for perhaps several thousand years. The Basin, which is north of Canada and Alaska, USA, is connected to the Pacific Ocean only by the 70 m-deep (230 ft) Bering Strait and is protected from the influence of the Atlantic Ocean by tall submarine ridges. Many species of life in the depths of the basin are thought to have been isolated from the rest of the oceans for perhaps millions Continue reading →
Oldest school crossing guard (or lollipop lady)
The oldest lollipop lady (or crossing guard) in the world is Bridie Dillon who was born on 16 July 1920 and who works as a lollipop lady in Camden, London, UK. She has been awarded the Good Citizen Award from Camden Council, London in 2001.
Oldest Rugby League Player
The oldest rugby league player is Dennis Gleeson (Australia, b.17 August 1936), who was 70 years and 9 days old when he played for the State Rail Apprentice RLFC in the NSW Tertiary Student Rugby League Competition, at the Peter Hislop Oval, Auburn, Australia, on 26 August 2006. Dennis wore the number 12 jersey and played as a forward. He has been playing for the State Rail Apprentice tertiary team since the 1998 season. Dennis was registered for the whole 2006 season and played on Continue reading →
Oldest rotary club
Chicago, USA, lawyer Paul Harris, together with three friends, started the first Rotary Club on 23 Feb 1905. The club had a total of 30 members by the end of the year. Rotary International consists of 29,500 clubs in 162 countries. Country with the most rotary clubs is USA with 7,485 and next Japan with 2,280.
Oldest rookie to start an NFL season on the active roster
Ben Graham (USA), playing for the New York Jets, is the oldest rookie to start an NFL season on an active roster. Graham, a punter, was 31 years old, at the start of the 2005 season. Ola Kimrin (Sweden), a placekicker, played in five games at 32 years old for the Washington Redskins, during the 2004 season, becoming the oldest rookie ever to play in an NFL game.
Oldest road race
The oldest road race is the Red Hose 5 Mile Race which has been held annually in Carnwath, South Lanarkshire, UK since 1508. The requirement to hold the race is laid down by charter. Permission must be obtained from the Crown in order to not hold the race. This has only been done during the two World Wars, in 1926 (due to the General Strike, in 1952 and 2001 due to foot and mouth disease. The race is so called because the winner’s prize was Continue reading →