Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 244
October 16, 2019
The Armed And Armless Archer: Matt Stutzman
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Matt Stutzman of Iowa just happens to be one of the best archers in the world. And, get this, he does it all with no arms! Born armless, Stutzman has created a seemingly normal life for himself. He uses his feet for everything from archery, to getting his sons ready for school, to driving an unmodified car—Stutzman has never let his lack of limbs hold him back from experiencing the world.
In 2010, Stutzman stepped into a sport seemingly impossible for those without the use of opposable thumbs. But, with his undeniable drive and perseverance, he entered his first archery tournament and two years later represented the United States at the Paralympics, earning the silver medal.
To no surprise, there is a method to his madness. Sitting in a chair, Stutzman rests the bow against his left leg, while the right is used to grab and mount the arrow. He uses a special belt around his chest to hold the arrow until he’s ready to release it. In fact, his many hours of practice and perfection have earned him a world record for the farthest accurate shot in archery—he hit a four-foot diameter target from more than 930 feet away!
There’s no telling just how far the Armless Archer will go.
October 15, 2019
Entering The Weird World – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 19
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
When Pauline Dakin was seven years old her family went on vacation in Winnipeg, Canada. When they got there, her mother said they could never go back home.
This week on the Notcast, Brent and Ryan are back with season two! They delve deep into the mysteries surrounding Dakin’s family. This was a family where food was thrown out without explanation, vacations turned into new homes, and family movements were a secret from everybody.
For more weird news and strange stories, visit our homepage, and be sure to rate and share this episode of the Notcast!
Source: Entering The Weird World – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 19
October 14, 2019
October 13, 2019
October 12, 2019
Unleashing OuijaZilla: The World’s Largest Ouija Board
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Constructed of 99 individual sheets of plywood, clocking in at approximately 9,000 pounds, and measuring 3,168 square feet, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! would like to introduce you to OuijaZilla and its curious creator, Rick “Ormortis” Schreck!
The Man Behind the Madness
Rick “Ormortis” Schreck, Vice President of the Talking Board Historical Society and New Jersey-based tattoo artist, has been laboring for the past year, working to surpass the 2016 record holder—the Grand Midway Hotel in Windber, Pennsylvania—for the World’s Largest Ouija Board.
Aptly named OuijaZilla, this gargantuan board was unveiled on October 12, 2019, in the heart of the Salem Common. The hand-painted wooden board and accompanying planchette are modeled after the original Parker Brother’s glow-in-the-dark Ouija board—minus a few of Rick’s personal embellishments. Rick even got the blessing of Hasbro, Inc. to construct this enormous version of their game!
Rick Schreck, creator of OuijaZilla, Karen Dahlman, Talking Board Historical Society Director, and Kate Schreck, wife of Rick and co-builder of OuijaZilla
Rick’s History
In 1985, at just 15 years old, Rick bought his first Ouija board. Infatuated with the idea and history of witchcraft, he turned to the library at Cedar Ridge High School for more information—because what high school doesn’t have a Satanism and Witchcraft section? As he continued to expand his knowledge of the subject, Rick’s social circle grew to include other like-minded individuals.
Contrary to popular belief, Rick didn’t start off as an avid talking board collector. In 1992, he visited Massachusetts during the 300th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials. While exploring the spellbound city, he discovered that there were many different styles, shapes, sizes, and spirits of talking boards. To no surprise, Rick began his mission to collect them all.
An Unusual Craftsman
When collecting just wasn’t enough, Rick began creating his own talking boards. To increase his chances of communicating with the other side, he made planchettes out of unconventional materials like animal and human bone, human hair, and even human ashes.
Taking it to the next level, Rick revealed to us that “real” witches used boards crafted from the lids of coffins. Unable to find a true talking board made from this material, he has taken matters into his own hands. Inside the walls of his New Jersey tattoo shop, lives a vintage black coffin that Rick plans to dismantle to create his dream talking board.
Quite the collection, Rick now has about 300 boards in total. But, even all those boards put together don’t stack up to OuijaZilla.
A Board of Monumental Proportions
Construction of OuijaZilla began in June 2018. Through wind, snow, rain, and extreme heat Rick was the sole handyman on this monstrous project. Fueled with perseverance and guided with the help of his hand-drawn blueprints, Rick painted, designed, and assembled each individual OuijaZilla panel.
The board is constructed of 99 individual sheets of plywood and weighs approximately 9,000 pounds—without the weight of over 20 gallons of wood stain alone. With the face of the board measuring 3,168 square feet, you can park five full-size 18-wheelers on top of OuijaZilla. The planchette itself is 15.5 feet in length, 10 feet at its widest point, weighing roughly 400 pounds. However, due to Rick’s clever craftsmanship, the planchette can be effortlessly maneuvered by one person across the board’s surface.
Assembling OuijaZilla was no easy task. OuijaZilla was transported by truck from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Covering the heart of the Salem Common, this beast required a team of close family, friends, and gracious volunteers to assemble the board in the chilling wind and rain of Witch City.
OuijaZilla truly captured the attention of Salem and will continue to live on in history as the World’s Largest Ouija Board. As for Rick, only time will tell what project he decides to tackle next!
By Briana Posner, Junior Editor at Ripley Entertainment
Source: Unleashing OuijaZilla: The World’s Largest Ouija Board
Unleashing Ouijazilla: The World’s Largest Ouija Board
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Constructed of 99 individual sheets of plywood, clocking in at approximately 9,000 pounds, and measuring 3,168 square feet, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! would like to introduce you to Ouijazilla and its curious creator, Rick “Ormortis” Schreck!
The Man Behind the Madness
Rick “Ormortis” Schreck, Vice President of the Talking Board Historical Society and New Jersey-based tattoo artist, has been laboring for the past year, working to surpass the 2016 record holder—the Grand Midway Hotel in Windber, Pennsylvania—for the World’s Largest Ouija Board.
Aptly named Ouijazilla, this gargantuan board was unveiled on October 12, 2019, in the heart of the Salem Common. The hand-painted wooden board and accompanying planchette are modeled after the original Parker Brother’s glow-in-the-dark Ouija board—minus a few of Rick’s personal embellishments. Rick even got the blessing of Hasbro, Inc. to construct this enormous version of their game!
Rick Schreck, creator of Ouijazilla, Karen Dahlman, Talking Board Historical Society Director, and Kate Schreck, wife of Rick and co-builder of Ouijazilla
Rick’s History
In 1985, at just 15 years old, Rick bought his first Ouija board. Infatuated with the idea and history of witchcraft, he turned to the library at Cedar Ridge High School for more information—because what high school doesn’t have a Satanism and Witchcraft section? As he continued to expand his knowledge of the subject, Rick’s social circle grew to include other like-minded individuals.
Contrary to popular belief, Rick didn’t start off as an avid talking board collector. In 1992, he visited Massachusetts during the 300th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials. While exploring the spellbound city, he discovered that there were many different styles, shapes, sizes, and spirits of talking boards. To no surprise, Rick began his mission to collect them all.
An Unusual Craftsman
When collecting just wasn’t enough, Rick began creating his own talking boards. To increase his chances of communicating with the other side, he made planchettes out of unconventional materials like animal and human bone, human hair, and even human ashes.
Taking it to the next level, Rick revealed to us that “real” witches used boards crafted from the lids of coffins. Unable to find a true talking board made from this material, he has taken matters into his own hands. Inside the walls of his New Jersey tattoo shop, lives a vintage black coffin that Rick plans to dismantle to create his dream talking board.Quite the collection, Rick now has about 300 boards in total. But, even all those boards put together don’t stack up to Ouijazilla.
A Board of Monumental Proportions
Construction of Ouijazilla began in June 2018. Through wind, snow, rain, and extreme heat Rick was the sole handyman on this monstrous project. Fueled with perseverance and guided with the help of his hand-drawn blueprints, Rick painted, designed, and assembled each individual Ouijazilla panel.
The board is constructed of 99 individual sheets of plywood and weighs approximately 9,000 pounds—without the weight of over 20 gallons of wood stain alone. With the face of the board measuring 3,168 square feet, you can park five full-size 18-wheelers on top of Ouijazilla. The planchette itself is 15.5 feet in length, 10 feet at its widest point, weighing roughly 400 pounds. However, due to Rick’s clever craftsmanship, the planchette can be effortlessly maneuvered by one person across the board’s surface.
Assembling Ouijazilla was no easy task. Ouijazilla was transported by truck from New Jersey to Massachusetts. Covering the heart of the Salem Common, this beast required a team of close family, friends, and gracious volunteers to assemble the board in the chilling wind and rain of Witch City.
Ouijazilla truly captured the attention of Salem and will continue to live on in history as the World’s Largest Ouija Board. As for Rick, only time will tell what project he decides to tackle next!
By Briana Posner, Junior Editor at Ripley Entertainment
Source: Unleashing Ouijazilla: The World’s Largest Ouija Board
October 11, 2019
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