Cricket-spitting is a sport wherein contestants place a dead cricket in their mouth, and then spit it as far as they can. The contestant who can spit the cricket the farthest is declared the winner.
Cricket-spitting was developed in 1996 by entomologist Tom Turpin at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, as a competition for their annual Bug Bowl event, which brings over 30,000 people per year to their campus for a series of insect-related events and competitions. Since its creation, other universities have begun their own competitions, such as Pennsylvania State University who have hosted their own 'spit-off' since 1998. A Scottish spin off of Cricket-Spitting is Wasp Waving, where contestants throw frozen wasps at a target while blind folded.
The Guinness World Record for cricket-spitting is 32inchesft0.5inchesin (ftin) and is held by Dan Capps, from Madison, Wisconsin, and was set in June 1998 in front of a live television audience. Robert Tony Ferrell, from Hoopeston, Illinois, held the title/record in the 1997 Bug Bowl Games until upset by Dan Capps. Unofficial records of over 38 feet have been noted at competitions.[1]
Note: The ruleset is not fixed, and is subject to change or modification by organizations hosting their own competitions.