O.C. in Record Book for Freeways, Burritos

For living up to its nickname, the Orange Crush has earned a place in the soon-to-be-released 1998 Guinness Book of World Records.

Noted for being the “most complex interchange,” the Crush is where the Orange, Santa Ana and Garden Grove freeways meet. About 629,000 vehicles a day uses its 66 lanes, 13 bridges and other ramps.

The Crush is only the latest local Guinness record setter.

Take the San Diego Freeway between Seal Beach Boulevard and the Garden Grove Freeway, listed in Guinness for having the highest traffic volume. During rush hour, 25,500 vehicles travel the 0.9-mile stretch of road.

On a lighter note, Orange County holds honors for the biggest burrito, a 4,217-pound concoction of beans, rice, cheese, sauce and tortillas assembled by El Pollo Loco in 1995 at the Pond of Anaheim.

Tom Amberry, a retired podiatrist, was 71 in 1993 when he secured his place in the records book--by sinking 2,750 consecutive free throws. He practiced his form at a park in Seal Beach.

The most well-known local record-holder is Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Janet B. Evans, who grew up in Placentia. She holds record times for the 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter races. Owen Morse of Tustin holds world records for juggling balls and running at the same time, while Gary Stewart, formerly of Huntington Beach, broke his own pogo-stick record when he jumped 177,737 times over two consecutive days.

Mark Landsberg of Laguna Hills is noted for scoring the most points in a single Scrabble tournament game in the United States--a whopping 770, about double the average score among expert players.

Landsberg, a retired game investor, said he didn’t set out to break any records, but now that he is the undisputed champ, he’s having fun with his title.

“People are interested in the unusual, the offbeat and the rare things that happen,” he said. “It’s fun.”