NATHAN’S MULLING BOT DOGS
Digital judging eyed
They just couldn’t cut the mustard.
Human judges at the Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot-dog-eating contest might be replaced by a digital system — after a miscount at the annual Coney Island event Wednesday caused an uproar.
Major League Eating president Rich Shea told ESPN Thursday that there would likely be changes in the overall judging process after this year’s officials lost count early on.
Joey Chestnut downed a world-record 74 franks en route to his eleventh championship, but judges had initially counted just 64.
Runner-up Carmen Cincotti’s official tally of 45 shot up to 64 after the recount.
“We were embarrassed,” Shea told ESPN. “And while even NFL referees make mistakes at the highest level, we have to show an effort to change the old way.”
Since 1916, the hot-dog con- test has been judged by one or two people — including some former winners — or a small panel of judges. And there have been controversies in the past.
In 2007, legendary former champ Takeru Kobayashi was the subject of a TV review after he appeared to vomit in the final seconds of competition.
The judges initially missed the regurgitation — dubbed a “reversal of fortune” by pro eaters — and were forced to go back and review the footage.
Shea said that next year’s judges may not be able to relish in the competition at all.
“This isn’t your father’s hotdog-eating contest,” he said, warning “yesterday’s incident might be the impetus to bring competitive eating into the digital age.”
The MLE chief admitted that whatever tech the league adopts, it won’t be too advanced.
“I doubt we can put the microchip on the tongue or in the esophagus,” he joked. “Some sort of monitoring associated with plate weight would be more practical.”