Elephant-sized rubber band ball built over 11 years breaks record as largest ever

When Claude P. Moore (USA) was a child, he spent many of his early days in hospital waiting rooms and doctors' offices, occupying his time by fiddling with the rubber bands so commonly found in the workplace.

Diagnosed with hemophilia, a rare and severe blood disorder, he needed regular check ups – but despite his challenging life, he could find some solace in the way that he could always play with the rubber bands, methodically twisting them into a giant bouncing ball. 

Over time, Claude grew into an accomplished individual in his own right, later documenting his journey with the condition in the book My Life with Hemophilia (2021). Yet as he turned into a man, his passion for rubber band balls continued to grow… eventually reaching record-breaking proportions.

All his hard work paid off this August, when the Detroit resident finally took the record for the largest rubber band ball in history, as measured at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan, USA. 

Weighing a whopping 11,578 lbs (5,251.69 kg) – that’s as heavy as an elephant – it took an entire team of volunteers to shift the ball out of a storage container and on to a crane for the official ceremony.

Claude started building the record-breaking ball in 2015, after some coworkers encouraged him to make a massive version of the childhood toy. 

This was hardly his first exploit in making giant creations – he said he built one “as large as a chair” in middle school before it was stolen by a classmate – but the idea had taken hold in his head, and got him thinking that maybe he could make the biggest one the world has ever seen.

“[I broke the record] because I said I would,” said Claude to GWR. “If I say I’m going to do something, consider it done – my word is everything. 

“And why not? With everything I've been through, and everything going on… why not?” he added. “The only excuse for failure is the lack of effort.”

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With over a decade of work on the ball, Claude eventually had to move it out of his garage and into a dedicated storage container, where he could work like Frankenstein on his rubber monster.

The previous record for the largest ball was 9,032 lbs (4,097 kg) – made by Joel Waul (USA) in Florida in 2008 – so Claude had a lofty goal to aspire to. 

Luckily, he had help from “countless” family and friends, who first thought he was “crazy” but nonetheless supported him with achieving his dream. 

Finally, the two tiny rubber bands that started it all had swollen into a colossal, car-sized ball that nearly touched the walls of the storage container – and Claude knew he was ready to weigh-in and take the title. 

Thanks to help from dozens of his family and friends, they rolled it out of the box and attached it to a crane, where it was then taken to Belle Isle for the official ceremony.

Guinness World Records Adjudicator Chloe McCarthy was present at the park to make sure that all measurement guidelines were being followed, and she said she had a blast talking to all of Claude’s friends, family, and coworkers who turned up to celebrate this long-awaited feat.

During the event, Claude shared some words about his experiences about making the ball and battling hemophilia, and passed out signed copies of his book for those who wanted to learn more about his life.

Then, it was time to measure the massive ball – and as the crane lifted it into the air, Chloe hopped into the cab and confirmed the weight of the rubber bands as a record-breaking 11,578 lbs (5,251.69 kg). 

The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts of “Alright, Claudey!” as the new title holder approached the Adjudicator with a massive grin, accepting the certificate proudly in front of all his loved ones.

“It’s one thing to see the ball in pictures, but standing in its massive shadow is another! It’s huge!” said Chloe. 

“It’s really cool to think Claude and his friends and family stayed dedicated to this ball for 11 YEARS of their lives,” she added. “How many people would give up along the way? Probably most! 

“Claude’s dedication, effort, and passion for advocacy are truly commendable.”

In the future, we’re sure that Claude will continue to conquer his dreams, approaching them with the same resiliency and tenacity that he did with his hemophilia diagnosis and his rubber band ball record.

Achieving this title, he says, is the first step towards a bigger vision – ending world hunger – and he wants to continue to achieve great things on his path towards this larger goal. 

And we’re absolutely rooting for him.

So congratulations to this rubber band master – Claude, you are Officially Amazing!