Everyday basis: Joe Jones, former Indianapolis Colts professional football player. 6’5". He goes to my church, and is currently a high-school football coach. I didn’t play for him, but I affectionately call him “Coach”.
Ever, in a social setting: Jonathan Bender, then-current Indiana Pacers professional basketball player. 6’11". He came into my Blockbuster once to rent some movies. I also met former Piston, then-Pacers head coach Isiah Thomas in this fashion; I remember him as quite shy and polite. I met Larry Bird at a bar nearby. (I lived in a neighborhood near Carmel, where all the rich people lived).
When I was in the Navy, I knew two guys - one was 6’8" and the other was 6’10". I’m all of 5’5", and they thought it was hilarious to stand next to me, rest an elbow on top of my head and ask (innocently) "Where’s <my name here>?
I do know that when he was a teenager he didn’t expect to live to the age he is now (over 50) so he takes each day as one to be lived to the fullest until his body gives up.
I expect his last words to be “Hey, hold my beer…”
Hm, number of the guys in my EVE Online corp are very tall, polling them I get a 2 meter Norwegian, 2 Danes at 1,95 and 1,98, and in real life a friend of the family was also 2 meters and could easily lean on the beams at my grandparents summer house.
I on the other hand am shrinking, I went from 5’7/1.44 to 5’5/1.39 dammit
Hmm, it’s hard to say. I used to work with Lawrence Tanter (PA guy for the Los Angeles Lakers) when he had a jazz radio station here in Sacramento in the mid-90’s. He’s really tall, but I don’t know how tall. Additionally, we met a lot of NBA players during that time and they are all very tall. Some used to come and hang around the station.
Right now, in my life, I think about 6’4" is the tallest person I know.
I worked in collegiate and professional basketball for years. I’ve known a significant number of individuals who are 7’ or better. In my own personal life, my husband was 6’5" and my two sons are 6’6" and 6’7".
I went to high school with a kid who was 6’8", due to a glandular disorder. He was completely uncoordinated, much to the BB coach’s dismay. I ran into him again after a 40 year hiatus; his life hadn’t gone so well.
I come from tall people. My dad, at nearly 80, is still 6’4". Both of my brothers were that tall or taller, I have two sisters and a couple of double first cousins (women) who top six feet, my 17 year old niece is 6’3".
A former boyfriend’s youngest son is 6’7" with a 28 inch waist. He was a PITA to buy pants for.
The drummer in my last band in Indiana was an even seven feet. He used to joke on stage that he was 5’24".
All three of my sister’s kids are tall - the niece is 6’1’, the two boys are both 6’8". One nephew on my wife’s side of the family is also 6’8". He played in the NFL for a couple of years as well as nephew #1.
One of my best friends is 6’8." He’s lost about a hundred pounds to get down to 350 and just ran his first half marathon.
I was involved with the NBA for a stint and met Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton for a handshake, who’s conservatively listed as 7-4, but I can’t say I know him. I can’t remember if I actually met/shook the paw of George Muresan at a party, but he’s 7-8. Aforementioned best friend took a picture next him and was predictably dwarfed.
I saw Bol at Chicago Midway airport, a year or two before he died. He was checking in for a flight on Southwest Airlines; I can’t even imagine how he would have folded into a coach-class airline seat. He walked up to the podium at the gate, and leaned down to talk to the gate agent. He was bent over at a nearly 90 degree angle, forearms on the podium, just to be able to look the agent in the eyes.
The tallest person I know personally is a friend who’s been in my D&D group since the early 80s; he’s 6’9". His wife is only 4’11".
My cousin’s two sons are the tallest people I know personally. They are 6’ 8" or maybe an inch more. My cousin’s father was a very tall man, and so was her first husband, so the guys got tall genes from both sides of the family. My cousin is about 5’9" or so. When she walked down the aisle to her second husband, her boys escorted her, and they were already taller than she.
Two of my co-workers are 6’8". There’s a wall that separates my desk from one of the break room areas and they’re the only two I can see over the wall.
One of my friends has a college-age son who’s 7’2". He’s too thin to be any good at basketball. He’s kind of shy; I think it’s tough having an appearance where people almost instinctively gawk at you.
Had biology class in college with the BB team center. He was my 6’9" roommates lab partner and was about 7’2". Had a different roommate the following year that was 5’20" as he said it. Currently there is a young man in church that played BB in Europe a few years back that is 6’10". Really funny watching him walk his toddler around as she is holding his fingers.
Somebody I knew in high school nearly 30 years ago was 6’ 10". He’s now six feet underground. When reconnecting with him via Facebook before his unfortunate and early demise, I gradually learned that he was the most interesting collection of contradictions: normal suburban white guy turned right-wing vegetarian gun nut and convert to Islam.
A father and son who were 6’10" and 6’8" respectively used to come to my local pub. I’m 6’5" and when we’d stand chatting at the bar we’d get some strange looks.
