Takeru Kobayashi, still banned from the world of Major League Eating, appeared at a minor league baseball game this week and sported a new look before starting a new dust-up.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats brought the pride of Nagano, Japan, to Indiana for a Hamburger Eating Contest that ended in controversy. Showing up at U.S. Steel Yard with a pink top -- not to be confused with the more popular flat top -- Kobayashi took on four fans. After a delayed start because of a last-second request for warm water, Kobayashi was able to eat six burgers in :47. The team of four ate nine burgers in 1:17.
But officials from the RailCats shocked fans when they named Kobayashi the winner, based on his average of a burger every 7.83 seconds, rather than the group of fans, who ate a burger every 8.55 seconds.
While Joey Chestnut is the golden boy of competitive eating these days, Kobayashi holds the unofficial record for most dog dogs downed in 10 minutes with 69. He also holds the Guinness Record for hot dogs, meatballs, hamburgers and pasta.
In addition to his burger-eating brouhaha, Kobayashi threw out the first pitch, greeted fans, signed autographed and even coached and judged a wing eating contest in the third inning.
