Spectator Sports

The story about the oil tank truck crash in the Congo was on page eleven of the morning paper, sandwiched between the Wal-Mart ad and a story about American teenage girls risking eye damage as they use imported contact lenses to make their eyes look bigger.

A tank truck carrying fuel oil crashed while trying to pass a minivan in a remote village in the Congo. As the tanker started leaking oil the villagers rushed in with buckets to scoop up the precious oil. In the Congo desperately poor people often descend upon disabled oil trucks and cart the fuel away. It’s hard to find firewood for cooking and heating following years of war in which more than five million people have been killed. Fuel oil is precious.

As I am reading about the tank truck crash the CBS Sunday Morning comes on with a feature story about “new American Hero” Joey Chestnut. I’m transfixed. I’ve never heard of this guy, but it happens that this Fourth of July he is defending his world record eating 68 hot dogs in ten minutes.

There’s Joey, holed up in his Manhattan hotel room talking strategy as he prepares for the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest today. He’s won the past four years in a row. Joey talks about standards for his sport. He won't eat just anything. Cow tongues are out. But he admits he might compete in a mayonnaise eating contest depending upon the prize money.

Apparently food eating has become a spectator sport. There are rules and a regular circuit of competitions throughout the year. And Joey Chestnut is the reigning champion. There’s even a sports book where you can bet on the outcome. Joey is favored.

Meanwhile, back at the village in the Congo it’s getting dark. A villager, hoping to scoop up some more fuel oil so she can cook a hot meal for her family approaches with a kerosene lantern. The spilled fuel catches fire and the tanker explodes burning at least 220 people to death.

The death toll, which includes 61 children, was particularly high because the village was unusually crowded yesterday. One of the few places in the region where there are televisions that can receive satellite signals, soccer fans had jammed into town to watch the World Cup.

Today, it's ready, set, eat for Joey Chestnut

220 die in Congo after wrecked tanker explodes