Norris McWhirter, 78; cofounder of the Guinness Book of Records

LONDON -- Norris McWhirter, cofounder of the Guinness Book of Records, final arbiter on everything from the fastest climb of Mount Everest to the world's longest hot dog, has died. He was 78.

Mr. McWhirter suffered a heart attack Monday after playing tennis at his home in Wiltshire, southern England, a family spokeswoman said yesterday.

The first Guinness book appeared in 1954, edited and compiled by McWhirter and his twin brother, Ross, both noted British athletes and journalists. At first, the book was published by the Guinness brewery as a book for settling trivia disputes in pubs.

Ross McWhirter was murdered by the Irish Republican Army in 1975, but Norris McWhirter continued to edit the Guinness Book of Records until 1986, remaining as advisory editor until 1996.

By 1964, the books were selling 1 million copies a year. Sales topped 40 million in 1981.

The 2004 edition, nearly 300 pages long, lists world records regarding everything from war, peace, and politics to astonishing feats of food consumption.

The book says the world's longest hot dog, made by an American company, measured 15 feet, 3 inches. It lists an American who blew the world's largest bubble gum bubble, the world's oldest male stripper (an American who began his career at the age of 60), and the oldest woman to make a solo parachute jump (a Briton who jumped at 80).

Mr. McWhirter, who was born in London, earned a master's degree from Oxford University in 1948.

The following year, he became the sports correspondent for London's Observer newspaper and later worked briefly for a tabloid before going into publishing himself.

Mr. McWhirter retained his love of athletics, and from 1951 worked as a sports commentator for the British Broadcasting Corp., including as a broadcaster of Olympic track and field events from 1952-72.

In 1954, he announced the time after Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4 minute mile -- his announcement drowned out by the roars of the crowd as soon as he said "3." Bannister's time was 3:59.4.

On Tuesday, Sir Bannister, 75, a close friend of Mr. McWhirter's, said the man had "kept his courage" through personal tragedies and "never lost his total conviction in the greatness of Britain."

"The two things he attached most importance to were the freedom of the individual and the sovereignty of the United Kingdom," the family said in a statement.

With others, Mr. McWhirter produced volumes such as "The Guinness Book of Amazing Animals" (1981) and "Guinness: The Stories Behind the Records" (1982).

He contributed items on athletics to the Encyclopedia Britannica, edited the magazine Athletics World from 1952-57 and appeared regularly on the BBC's "Record Breakers," a children's show that explained world records.

McWhirter leaves his wife, Tessa; a daughter, Jane; and a son, Alasdair. Funeral details were not immediately announced.