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Fact-checking Wikipedia: John W. Boyer
Did Dean Boyer really participate in the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships?
By Carrie Golus, AB'91, AM'93
Boyer holds a Chicago record of dubious distinction: the most times almost run over by College students on his tiny bicycle, with 1,378 near misses.
FALSE
Boyer: "I've never been hit by a car, luckily. It could happen. I do have to say, my bicycle is not tiny. It's actually a tall man's bike. I'm 6’4”. Most bikes are sized for people who are shorter."
Born October 17, 1946, in Chicago
TRUE
Dean of the College; Martin A. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor of History; Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
TRUE
In 2009 John Boyer participated in the World Beard and Moustache Championships. His participation ... made 2009 one of the Championship's most successful seasons.
FALSE
Boyer: "The funny thing about having any kind of moustache or beard is it grows on you—in two ways. I mean, it grows on you. It also becomes part of your identity. I've had it for 40 years. I don't think I would recognize the person in the mirror without it."
