Thank you from the Keeler family
An email sent by Russ Keeler thanking several IFOCE members for helping with his daughter’s report follows after the jump.
Fire destroys Chris Abatsas’ building & business
(From competitiveeatingnews) Cleveland.com reports that a fire on November 8 destroyed a building owned by Chris Abatsas which housed his adult entertainment club, Monroe’s Cabaret, and a dry cleaners. No injuries were reported but a witness believed someone was trapped in the fire. Two other fires have destroyed buildings in Cleveland this month, one started several hours after Abatsas’ building burned and one the week before. Abatsas did not have insurance. The cause of the conflagration is unknown, but police will investigate it as if it was arson.
A 1999 article in the Cleveland Scene reports efforts by the police to shut down Monroe’s Cabaret due to alleged drug transactions and safety inspection violations.
Fox TV article & video
Seaver Miller update from Paul Barlow
Many people have wondered why Seaver Miller has not appeared in any IFOCE events since the pretzel contest on the Tyra Banks show after making a strong run at the IFOCE rookie of the year in 2006. Paul Barlow has solved this mystery and sent the following email reprinted below with Seaver’s permission. It is too bad that Seaver will not be able to compete in another eating contest, but fortunately the condition which has led to his retirement appears to be under control.
I have been in contact with Seaver Miller a few times over the last several months, and with his blessing, can now reveal what happened to our favorite foraging fireman.
Initially, I thought maybe he was going to be on a reality show, and was secluded somewhere outside the U.S.A. Visions of him “stealing my spot” on Survivor filled my head, and after I’ve sent in 13 videos, I thought maybe the producers called IFOCE headquarters looking for a young, handsome substitute great eater, instead of being stuck with an old, handsome, mediocre eater to put on their show. Was this to be yet another TV appearance denied???
Turns out, I was once again, extremely wrong….a pattern that repeats throughout my life (just ask my wife). Seaver told me, around April, that he had a mysterious-possibly deadly aliment that would keep him out of action indefinetly. He didn’t want to tell me what it was, fearing the worst. I still wasn’t quite sure if this was true, and that he said this just to avoid my jealous reality contestant wanna-be wrath. It was true, and Seaver has gone through a lot this year.
It turns out that he went to the doctor, and they found pollups(sp?) on his lymph nodes – which, at the time, caused him to be worried about cancer, among other terrors. The scond time we talked, he was still figuring out what was going on, and I was worried, he sounded like a man who was really playing survivor – for his life, not for TV. He swore me to secrecy, and I kept my word, only “hinting” to Hall Hunt – who I know has a direct connection upstairs – so Hall could put Seaver in his prayers. My upstairs connections are pretty much destroyed after 38 years of being an insane bachelor, who has since been “shackled”, and forced to be a good father, and wanna-be good eater.
My next calls to Seaver resulted in answering machines, which scared me more. Either he blocked me out, or maybe he was in some hospital, or some cemetary plot, or on some island getting voted out. Finally this week, I heard from the hydrant harraser, and now the mystery has been solved with both good news, and sad news for all faithful fireman followers.
It turns out, Seaver has what is called a “lazy intestine”. This basically means the thing doesn’t process food like it should, so it keeps him messed up – stomach wise. He does not have cancer, but is on a lot of medication, so competitve eating is out of the question. He informed me this also eliminates him from any reality shows, so my spot on Survivor is still open. I am certainly glad he is as OK as possible, and hope he can at least attend some of our events – Seaver is a great guy with a nice family, and in his brief, but star-studded role, in our galaxy of gluttony, he was a welcome addition.to any contest….even though his presence meant I would finish eighth instead of seventh. Hurrah for Seaver “The Acheiver” Miller, may his life torch stay lit for a long time!
Link Buffet, November 8, 2007
Short article about Juris Shibayama, no quotes or other new information.
Former NFL star Herschel Walker sponsors a hamburger eating contest to promote his line of food products.
Crystal Light eating contest video
Soft taco eating contest between teams of cheerleaders.
Another eating contest for cheerleaders, this one involving tater tots.
Beautiful Brian’s tribute to Krazy Kevin
BeautifulBrian.com has a tribute to “Krazy” Kevin Lipsitz.
Kevin also makes an appearance in the Harper’s article about Dale Boone when he travels to Chattanooga to take on Boone in a 2003 Nathan’s qualifier.
Krazy Kevin Lipsitz retires from competitive eating
“Krazy” Kevin Lipsitz sent out the following retirement statement. MosesNews.com has a lot of pictures of Krazy Kevin.
update Kobayashi also has a tribute to Kevin Lipsitz
Dear George and Rich and all my friends in the Competitive Eating Community,
The time has come for me to retire from Competive Eating, after a long run of 10 years. I have enjoyed all the years I have been part of the eating contests and more important than all the trophies, TV shows, movies and prizes that I have won, are the friendships and memories I am taking away with me.
I have truly enjoyed every contest from my first Nathan’s contest in 1997, through all the years after that. During that time I got to travel all over the country, putting thousands of miles in the air and on the road, under my belt. Hundreds of memories will always be with me.
As one of the original pioneers of the sport, as it started to take shape and eventually became the IFOCE and MLE, I was proud to be there at the very beginning, when some of the legends such as Ed Kratchie and Curtis Sliwa, Mike Devito and Hirofumi Nakajima were still active and at the top of their game. I remember very vividly when I sent Curtis Sliwa into permanent retirement at the 2000 Carnegie Deli- United Pickle International Championship. Fortunately, Curtis took it in stride and it was not awkward everytime I ran into him in later years.
Read the rest of this entry »
Juris Shibayama in Nashville Medical News
(From Dr Big Time) An article on Dr. Juris Shibayama appears in the Nashville Medical News:
Throughout medical school, Shibayama competed in body building. While he doesn’t have the time for that anymore, he’s up at 5 a.m. for an elliptical workout daily and lifts three or four times a week. His best bench press was an impressive 500 pounds when he was 22. “I got it on videotape, because I knew I’d never be able to do it again,†he said.
Shibayama approaches competitive eating with a similar drive, preparing for last month’s competition by expanding his stomach. When training first began, he could drink a gallon of water in about six minutes, “and I felt terrible for like an hour. But now I’m to the point where I can drink it in 45 seconds, and I feel pretty good after about two or three minutes,†he said. Once he mastered that, he would drink a gallon of water in the parking lot of an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, and then head inside to eat all he could eat.
Chicago eaters in the Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune has an article about Pat Bertoletti’s victory in last week’s jalapeno contest. Bertoletti will compete in the grits contest in Louisiana next week.
The Tribune also did an article about Tim Brown’s preparation for the jalapeno contest.
Another Juris Shibayama article
DNJ.com has another article about Juris Shibayama’s second place finish in the Nashville Krystal qualifier.
Dr. Big Time article in the Tennessean
The Tennessean has an article on Dr. Juris Shibayama’s second place finish in the Nashville Krystal qualifier:
Shibayama brought a cheering squad that included Linda Sykes, a patient he operated on in July.
She said she never thought she’d see the muscular doctor scarf down hamburgers so fast, but she expected him to do well in the contest.
As for herself, she expects to remain in the crowd watching.
“I like Krystals, but I don’t think I could do that,” she laughed.
The article also has video from the qualifier.
Juris Shibayama profiled in DNJ.com
DNJ.com has an article about Juris “Dr. Big Time” Shibayama, who will compete in the Nashville Krystal qualifier.
Last year, he ate 33 burgers. On Sunday, the surgeon is shooting for 40 burgers in eight minutes.
The strategy, Shibayama says, is to chew as little as possible: “Big bites.”
His mother isn’t as excited about the new competitive hobby than his friends.
“She just doesn’t think it is very healthy,” Shibayama said. “Everyone else thinks its pretty cool though, and if I get on ESPN, they’re going to love it.”
Leon Feingold completes IBL season
Former IFOCE member Leon Feingold has completed his season pitching for the Netanya Tigers of the Israel Baseball League with a 3-2 record and a 3.63 ERA. Leon has a blog about his experiences in Israel at http://leonfeingold.blogspot.com/
Atlanta La Costena jalapeno peppers results
From a Bubba Yarbrough email:
Here are the results of the La Costena pepper eating
contest held in Atlanta 8-26-07 3:00 pm.
The contest was supposed to be 1 minute but in reality
it was the first to 20 large jalepeno Peppers.The Prize was $500.00 dollars.
1st Loren “Bubba” Yarbrough
2nd Super Paul Barlow
3rd Larry “The Legend” McNeil
Dale Boone DQ for disorderly conduct after loss
beautifulbrian.com has a report about the contest which says Boone attempted to recruit the IFOCE members into AICE after the contest.
Report from Chinook Winds amateur competitor
Barton Grover Howe, an entrant in the rib eating contest for amateurs at the Chinook Winds casino last Saturday, wrote an article for the Newport (OR) News Times about his experience.
It’s been several days since my non-epic moments as a “gustatory gladiator,” as the announcer put it. I’m still vaguely nauseous, and as to that same announcer’s statement that competitive eating is part of the, “evolution of sport,” all I can say is Darwin would probably not put this on his resume.
But given America’s – ahem – appetite for competition, I see why this appeals to people. Indeed, if you were to combine speed eating and NASCAR you could end up with someone throwing up on Jeff Gordon.
That would makes millions of fans in both sports ecstatic.
Shoo Fly Pie amateur profile
The York Daily Record has an article about Eric Detweiler, who finished 3rd in the amateur Shoo Fly Pie contest last month.
New Poll: 2007 IFOCE rookie of the year
Liz reports that Arturo Rios, Jr. was named the 2007 IFOCE rookie of the year. The new poll asks who you believe should have been awarded that honor. I am defining 2007 rookie as someone who first entered an IFOCE contest in 2006.
Jim Hamrick profile on SJ-R.com
The Springfield Journal review has an article about Jim Hamrick.
Hall Hunt Tim Brown July 3 contest
(from Tim Brown) A video of a half minute contest held on July 3 between Hall Hunt and Tim Brown on MyFoxNY.com is available.
Hall Hunt also has a blog entry about his experience at the contest with pictures from an competitors party.
Andrew “Skinnyboy” Lane article
CanonCityDailyRecord.com has a profile of Andrew “Skinnyboy” Lane.
Tim Brown article in Chicago Sun-Times
(from Carey Poehlmann) Suntimes.com has an article about Tim Brown. Like Crazy Legs Conti, Brown works for a gentlemen’s club.
The Hangman in the Brunswick News
From a Bruce “the Hangman” Pobanz email:
“The Hangman” Bruce Pobanz has agreed to a Hot Dog Eating Exhibition in Brunswick, Georgia on Monday July 2. The event will be a one minute contest being filmed for the Brunswick News and will be aired at www.thebrunswicknews.com on Friday July 6. The webcast will be available all weekend.
Also the Brunswick News will be doing a story on “The Hangman” and the upcoming “Science of Speed Eating” Documentary. The news article will be published in the July 7 and 8 weekend edition of the Brunswick News.
Arturo Rios provides content for his employer
Arturo Rios Jr., a truck driver for the New York Daily News, appears in an article in the paper he delivers.
Tim Brown receives 2nd wild card slot
CompetitiveEatingNews reports that Tim Brown will receive a slot in the Nathan’s finals:
Gravy Brown, the most promising eater Chicago’s produced since the great Bertoletti, will also compete.
Much buzz has surrounded the Wild Card win of Shredder since he would have won the Civil Service qualifier outright had Rios Grande not competed. Investigative reports have suggested that Rios is not a civil servant and neither is Goldstein.
Tim Brown profile
Tim Brown did an interview with the Boothbay Register on a trip back to his father’s restaurant in Maine.
Brown says that this is the first year that he has taken competitive eating seriously. He is now in training for the primo event of competitive eating, Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Championship on the 4 th of July in Coney Island. “Right now, I’ve been on the circuit trying to qualify for Nathan’s. It’s like the Super Bowl of competitive eating. There’s no prize money, but it’s the one event every year that everyone tries to get into,” says Brown. Brown has been traveling the qualifying circuit for Nathan’s and thinks he is likely to get into the competition as a wildcard entry. To prepare himself, each morning and evening, he drinks a gallon of water as fast as he can, usually under five minutes. A couple of times a week he will go to a buffet. He shovels downs 10 pounds of zucchini or tofu. Brown also runs five miles a day, six days a week. Despite all this hard work, progress is slow. A year ago Brown could down 21 hot dogs, now he is up to 25.
Concord Mills: Hall Hunt defeats Juliet Lee by .75 hot dog
Charlotte (Concord Mills) results from IFOCE.com:
Hall Hunt 28.75 HDBs
Juliet Lee 28 (best ever debut by a woman)
Tim Brown 25
Pat Bruss 23.5
Super Paul Barlow 10
Kevin Carr ?
Juris Shibayama ?
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