Madison sets record for World's Largest Calzone (19-feet, 4-inches)

On Saturday morning, as Badger fans tried to find somewhere in town with the Big Ten Network so they could watch the game, Madison triumphantly set the record for biggest calzone in the world at 19-feet 4-inches in length, 29-inches in width and more than 100 pounds. The feat was accomplished at the newly opened Lovshack on State Street, Madison's second calzone joint to open in less than 30 days. On hand to make sure the calzone met the standards of Guinness World Records were Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Madison Weights and Measures Inspector Cindy Lease. The calzone took roughly 35 minutes to pass through the oven typically suited for one small calzone at a time (we have photos of the process below).

I'll be honest, I had my doubts. Prior to entering the oven the uncooked calzone had already measured just under 12-feet and the oven had less than 12-feet of space on each side. They also forgot to factor in that dough expands when cooked...oops. However, with the help of the staff on hand and pretty much everyone who walked into the restaurant to find out what was going on (including myself), they managed to land the finished product without it tearing in half.

While Lovshack Director of Development TJ O'Malley is proud of the accomplishment he did say he was a little nervous that they set the bar too high for when they open their next franchise, "we'll have to plan the space just so we can break the record again."

The previous record of 10-inches was already set by Lovshack's first restaurant at Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana. Lovshack made the right choice in pulling the record away from the Boilermakers and passing it on to the Badgers.

As for Cieslewicz, he was proud that such a record could be set under his watch, but he couldn't recall if Madison had any other Guinness Records. So we did some checking and are sad to report that we could only find one other. In 1998, Madison's Danny Capps spit a dead cricket 30 feet and 1.2 inches.

But don't mourn for Madison, our state as a whole has a decent showing when it comes to Guinness Records (this text was altered after I did some more research. Originally I only located four or five Wisconsin world records, now I have located many, many more). What we were able to find:

* 1955: Baraboo set the record for most elephants in a circus (55)

* 1998: David Kremer of Waukesha stacked 10 bowling balls without adhesive.

* 2001: In Kenosha 20 men pulled a 36,620 pound semi-trailer 3.42 miles.

* 2004: Dodgeville held the largest pillow fight in history with 2,773 fighters.

* 2005: In Milwaukee MUSA (Midwestern Unconventional Sports Association set the record for the longest ever kickball game - 24 hours.

* 2006: Charlie Keyes of Burlington spun a rope loop measuring 107-feet and 2 inches.

* 2007: Fond du Lac set the record for largest working fondue pot and fork. The eight foot in diameter pot (weighing 2000 pounds) used 1,250 pounds of cheese and 12 kegs of beer.

* I can't find the year this next record was set, but Ken Solis of Beaver Dam apparently holds the world's jump rope record for most consecutive double unders with an arm cross - 2,411.