April 13, 2008
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS -- Patrick ''Deep Dish'' Bertoletti looked down at the litter of empty oyster shells in front of him and savored the sweet taste of victory. For Crazy Legs Conti, the bitter taste of defeat could be washed away only by beer.
The Acme World Oyster Eating championship belt -- leather, with a silver dish featuring an oyster on the half-shell -- hung on Bertoletti's skinny hips. The 22-year-old Chicago resident took the title Saturday by slurping 35 dozen of the big bivalves in eight minutes.
''I could probably do a couple dozen more, especially if they were charbroiled,'' said Bertoletti, who holds the endurance oyster-eating record, having downed 53½ dozen in 2007 before calling it quits. ''Although they're great raw.''
Conti, the defending champion, tied for third, sucking down 24 dozen.
The French Quarter Festival was a Major League Eaters event; many contestants were professional eaters.
2 comments:
Willie - You can beat that
I presume he was leaving room for beer. (Shades of Buster's in Destin, Florida)
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