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South Dakota man dies after choking during hot-dog eating contest | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Fourth of July hot-dog eating contest in western South Dakota turned tragic when a contestant choked to death. | |
Walter Eagle Tail, 47, of Custer, died at a hospital Thursday after attempts to save him at the scene failed, Custer County sheriff Rick Wheeler told the Rapid City Journal. | |
"There was someone doing CPR when we arrived," Wheeler said. "He probably just suffocated. It got lodged in his throat and they (paramedics) couldn't get it out. | "There was someone doing CPR when we arrived," Wheeler said. "He probably just suffocated. It got lodged in his throat and they (paramedics) couldn't get it out. |
"It all happened within minutes," the sheriff said. | "It all happened within minutes," the sheriff said. |
The Custer chamber of commerce, which sponsored the contest, canceled a pie-eating contest scheduled for Friday. | |
"We are at a loss for words," chamber executive director Dave Ressler said. "We are mourning for Walter and his family right now." | |
Speed-eating competitions are popular over the Fourth of July weekend. Eight-time champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut managed to eat 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes at an annual contest in Coney Island, New York, on Friday — eight short of the record 69 he swallowed in the 2013 competition. | Speed-eating competitions are popular over the Fourth of July weekend. Eight-time champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut managed to eat 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes at an annual contest in Coney Island, New York, on Friday — eight short of the record 69 he swallowed in the 2013 competition. |
George Shea, the chairman of Major League Eating, a competitive eating organization based in New York, said organizers do all they can to prevent casualties during contests. | |
"We always make sure it's in a controlled environment," Shea said. "We organize the entire thing around safety. (Just as) if it's football or hockey or auto racing, we approach it as a top priority." | "We always make sure it's in a controlled environment," Shea said. "We organize the entire thing around safety. (Just as) if it's football or hockey or auto racing, we approach it as a top priority." |
Funeral arrangements were pending for Eagle Tail, whom friends described as a fun-loving, kind and caring man. | Funeral arrangements were pending for Eagle Tail, whom friends described as a fun-loving, kind and caring man. |
"Walter was just being Walter, having fun when he entered this contest," said Ardis McRae. "He was just having a good time." | "Walter was just being Walter, having fun when he entered this contest," said Ardis McRae. "He was just having a good time." |
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