Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Knights' mascot to attempt world record

Charlotte Knights mascot Homer the Dragon will be attempting to set the world record for “Most Hugs Given in a 24-hour Span” this week. The current world record is 8,709.

The project, called “Homer’s Hugs for Hope,” will begin at 9 p.m. Thursday at Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, during the Knights' game against the Toledo Mud Hens. Over the next 24 hours, Homer will hug his way through various places in Charlotte, including the EpiCentre, on the LYNX Light Rail, at Bank of America Plaza, and in local elementary schools. He will wrap up his journey at 8:59 p.m. Friday, during another Knights game.

The Knights are suggesting a $1 donation per hug, with all proceeds being distributed among the following charities: local schools, Community Blood Center of the Carolinas, and the Disaster Relief Initiative.

First pitch for the Thursday and Friday Knights games is 7:15 p.m. A portion of ticket sales on Friday will also go to the charities.

Here's the tentative schedule for "Homer's Hugs for Hope":

Thursday, May 19
9-10 p.m.: Knights Stadium
10:30 p.m.-1 a.m.: EpiCentre

Friday, May 20
6:30-8:45 a.m.: Local elementary schools
9:15-10 a.m.: LYNX Light Rail
10-11 a.m.: Visit Charlotte offices
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Bank of America Plaza
1:45-2:30 p.m.: Horizon Eye Care
3-4 p.m.: Local elementary schools
5:30-8:59 p.m.: Knights Stadium

For more info on the Knights, or to buy tickets: Click here.

4 comments:

Dr. Horrible said...

Are we sure it's the same person in the costume the whole time? It's an endurance challenge, after all?

Anonymous said...

Let me guess, you knew the $64,000 question was bogus too, right? Scrooge!

Anonymous said...

I am sure a lot of people at Horizon Eye Care and going to be anxious to hug a dragon.

Anonymous said...

Out of 24 hours, it looks like he's going to be in transit or asleep (and NOT hugging) for 8.75 hours -- that means he'll be hugging for 15.25 hours. He's going to have to AVERAGE 600 hugs per hour during that time -- that's 10 hugs a minute, or six seconds per hug.

This is not a good formula for success.