Diamond Jim

Our first hero is the surprisingly slim fellow above one "Diamond" Jim Brady. The slim photo is a surprise because it seems Mr. Brady was a man with a legendary appetite. Seems that his breakfast consisted of enough food to feed a family of four for about a week. For dessert, he enjoyed pastries and a two pound box of candy. This is after main course of two whole ducks, six or seven lobsters, a sirloin steak and all sorts of other goodies. Any man that can eat a two pound box of candy is a hero of mine. It seems that he did balloon up a bit in later years, I mean who wouldn't after meals like that? I would gain five pounds just watching the fat bastard eat all of that candy. After his death it was discovered that his stomach was six times larger than an average person's stomach, so at least there is a good explanation for his appetite. He also pulled himself up by the bootstraps to amass a fortune valued at around $12 million dollars, and this was in 1912! He was that rare breed, a generous rich man, who gave away large portions of his fortunes to Johns Hopkins University. All things considered quite the hero, and quite the bon vivant. I can only hope one day to manage to get two whole pounds of candy down one day. "Diamond" Jim Brady (August 12th 1856-April 13th 1917), you are my hero of the day.