For at least 12 hours last weekend, I held a world record.
The journey was two years in the making, more or less, beginning when I read “The Anthropocene Reviewed” by Indiana author John Green. The memoir is a compilation of “reviews” of seemingly unrelated and everyday items as they relate to Green’s personal stories or beliefs about life.
Indianapolis receives four stars by Green’s ranking, tying with Diet Dr. Pepper the World’s Largest Ball of Paint. I’m familiar with the first two, but the latter caught my attention.
The World’s Largest Ball of Paint weighs over 10,000 lbs. The surrounding walls are signed by visitors who’ve added their own layer.
The World’s Largest Ball of Paint is located in the small town of Alexandria, Indiana — roughly an hour’s drive from Bluffton. At its core is a baseball, painted by Mike Carmichael and his three-year-old son, Mike Jr., in 1977. The original goal was 1,000 layers of paint, with intentions to cut it in half and see what the cross-section would look like. However, the ball grew into a point of curiosity for the Carmichael family and their friends, and they continued.
As word spread about the oddity, strangers began stopping by and were invited to add their own layers of paint. The ball was officially certified as the Guinness World Record holder at approximately 17,944 layers.
I mentally bookmarked the roadside attraction for a rainy day at the time. Last Saturday, the forecast called for rain.
As my friend Allyson and I pulled up to the rural address, we came upon two buildings — one for the Carmichaels, and one for the Ball (which only feels appropriate to capitalize due to its size). The heaving mass of dried paint was immediately visible through the paned window — and none of the photos did it justice. I immediately laughed and snapped my own picture from the parking lot.
We were greeted at the door by Mike Jr. and his two Great Danes. A family from Wisconsin had just finished adding a layer, and their two young kids were giddily picking out t-shirts. The mom indicated they were on a roadside attraction road trip, and the site was the first they could interact with.
After they left, Mike took out a permanent marker and wrote “29,182” on the Ball — our new layer.
We picked out purple paint and got to work with rollers, Mike helping us get the top and bottom. I suppose nearly 50 years and 30,000 layers make someone a professional, and I certainly appreciated the expertise — measuring more than 14 ft. around and 10,377 lbs., painting a layer on the World’s Largest Ball of Paint was no small task.
“Which came first — the building or the Ball?” I asked. Mike laughed, “The ball.” It stands suspended on a hook, held up by a metal frame, inside the building. They used to weigh it annually, but the most recent addition was a constant scale. By Mike’s observations, each layer of paint adds roughly 1 lb.
Mike said his dad and daughter — now the third generation — man the building during the week, and he comes in on weekends. An average Saturday sees 5-6 groups, but the summer gets more unpredictable.
Mike told me he adds the occasional layer here or there, but said he mostly enjoys helping others and hearing about people’s trips and the many reasons they stop by. The family doesn’t exactly advertise beyond a sign in their yard and the occasional news headline, but thousands come every year.
The whole experience felt a little bit like magic. Painting a giant blob is unabashedly silly, and Mike’s generosity is simply infectious. As we signed our certificates and the wall, I’m sure Allyson and I looked no different than those giggling kids from Wisconsin. In “The Anthropocene Reviewed”, Green described it as a “beautiful foolishness,” which I find quite appropriate.
Mike then told us we were likely the last visitors of the day, and we were the world record holders for the night.
Multiple times in the following hours, Allyson and I returned to the same astonishment — for decades, the Carmichaels have freely given their time and resources for the World’s Largest Ball of Paint, yes, but also for the joy of every person who has added their layer. For a world record that really doesn’t mean much, their kindness means the world.
I don’t necessarily recommend every person should start painting a baseball, but I do hope to share in that same generosity and joy.
The World’s Largest Ball of Paint is located at 10686N 200W in Alexandria. Guests are asked to call ahead at 765-724-4088 to ensure someone is around. Should you visit, whether next weekend or on a rainy day in two years, I’d love to hear what layer you add.
holly@news-banner.com
