Competitive eating, pickle style

Comments (0) By Michael J. Mooney Thursday, Oct 21 2010

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Antolini begins another countdown at the ten-second mark. At the end, he yells, "Put down those pickles, lady and gentlemen!" A three-judge team counts empty bowls and weighs what's left in the others. The competitors wait anxiously for the results, each breathing heavily as they chew their final bits of pickle.

With four pounds, Hoover beat the old pickle record by a full pound, but that was good enough only for a three-way tie for third place. He gets $416.66 for his troubles.

Tara Nieuwesteeg

Fellow Floridians Sean "Wrecking Ball" Brockert and Hall "Hoover" Hunt each trained for weeks before the pickle-eating contest.

Tara Nieuwesteeg

Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti and Sonya "the Black Widow" Thomas are among the world's top-ranked eaters.

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The Black Widow and Notorious B-O-B tie for second place, each having eaten exactly five pounds five ounces and each receiving a check for $1,125.

Deep Dish, his face and shirt stained red from his drink, is declared the winner. His total: five pounds 11.2 ounces of pickles consumed, nearly twice the previous world record. He gets a small trophy, a check for $1,500, and his 28th world record.

Wrecking Ball comes in ninth with two and a half pounds. He shakes hands and poses for photos with the other competitors. When all the pictures are taken, Kim and the kids have a hug waiting for him at the top of the stairs. He's feeling a little down, but he also knows something that might make him feel better.

He looks at his family. "Anyone wanna try the buffet?"