From Houghtaling's Handbook ©1887
There appeared at the London Pavillion in January, 1887, the tallest man whose height has been recorded in modern times.
The new giant is an Austrain named Winkelmeier, and his height is 8 feet 9 inches, which is over one foot more that of Chang, the Chinese giant. Winkelmeier was born at Freidburg, near Salsburg, upper Austria, in 1865, his parents being in a humble station in life. He is the youngest of a family of five children, none of whom are of abnormal stature, nor are his parents or grandparents unusually tall. His fingerss span two octaves on a piano, an the stretch of his arms are enormous.
He showed no development of this extra ordinary growth up to the age of fourteen, but since then he has been growing rapidly, and medical authorities in Berlin and Paris have expressed the opinion that he is likely to increase till he is twenty-five. The young man is healthy, strong and intelligent. Beyond doubt he is one of the greatest curiositites of the day.
End quote from Houghtalings.
And no this is not an April Fool's joke. Franz Winkelmeier was 27 when he died of TB. You can read more and see Franz's pictures at Franz Winkelmeyer - The tallest man
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