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In Jan. of 1998 I met Allan Schwartz an interfaith nutrition network volunteer he had urged me to enter the Ben’s Matzo Ball contest. Allan had known me when I was 289lbs and saw the transformation to a svelte and muscular 142lbs, It didn’t interest me .Again the next year he nudged me to enter still no interest. In late 1999 my nephew said look / all your life your bragging how great an eater you were , show me what you can do put up or shut up. I went to the Bens express in Huntington mall , there I met Kevin Lipsitz and his then future wife Lorraine for the first time . there were many heats as the stage only accommodated 4 people at a time . the first heat my nephew was in with a Steve “‘the Matzo man “”Morrison who ate a whopping 10 to take on an early lead. My group went next , I never competed before I stumbled in the beginning on my third Matzo ball, got my composer back and continued on , I remember so one yelling from the crowd look he’s like a machine , then someones creamed from the crowd ”he’s an animal” as I went past the second bowl of 5on to uncharted territory of 12 matzo balls in 2 minutes 25 seconds. I went on to the finals having only 3hrs of sleep in 48 hrs to win with a world record of 12 in 5min 25 sec. Then Mayor Rudy Giuliani presented me with the 1st place trophy it was the greatest moment of my life…Next being crapped on by Public relation firm hired by Bens Deli