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The Man Who Set A Record By Drinking 157 Cups Of Coffee In 6 Hours

In 1927, a salesman named Albert Baker set a nearly unbelievable world record in San Francisco

Andrew Martin
3 min readJan 4, 2023

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There are few things in the world that have more fans than coffee. Hot or cold, those who enjoy the beverage usually are willing to drink it as often as they can, with caffeine and the effect it can have on the body usually limiting intake. Such regulation went out the window a century ago when a salesman set a world record by downing 157 cups of coffee in just a little over six hours.

The February 25, 1927 issue of The Times reported on the exploits of Albert Baker, a salesman who set an amazing record in San Francisco. Described as a major coffee fan, Baker participated in a coffee drinking face-off against 11 other opponents, each dedicated to quaffing the most java in a set amount of time.

After six hours and 20 minutes, Baker had finished off a staggering 157 eight-ounce cups of coffee, winning the championship and setting a world record in the process. For his trouble, the 28-year-old (also reported as being 25) won the $50 prize that had been offered. His most serious competition was comprised of two other serious drinkers, who finished behind him with varying results.

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Andrew Martin
Andrew Martin

Written by Andrew Martin

Dabbler in soccer, history, investing & writing. Master’s degree in baseball history. Passionate about history, diversity, culture, sports, film and investing .

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