Contestant dives in for win
Akron resident overthrows champ of bobbing event, who can't ketchup
By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer

Mike Datsko had a game plan for the hamburger-bobbing competition. And it worked for the Akron rubber company employee as he plucked 10 foam mini burgers into his mouth in less than 25 seconds, all to the cheers of an adoring Lock 3 crowd.

Defending champ Emilee Welfley of New Philadelphia couldn't ''ketchup,'' as she grabbed just nine.

For his lip-wrenching effort, Datsko took home a medal and T-shirt from the National Hamburger Festival.

''I figured if I took the champ's burgers first, I could beat her,'' Datsko said, wiping the remnants of ketchup from his head dives into a child's swimming pool filled with the red stuff. ''It's sweet.''

This afternoon, the third annual National Hamburger Festival in downtown Akron will continue to offer helpings of hamburgers and veggie burgers from more than 20 area out lets, along with live music, a kids play area and other attractions.

Saturday, hundreds of folks braved the sweltering heat to grab the burgers wafting from vendors. Visitors from North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana were among the crowd.

''It seems like people are coming from all over the country, which shows we're reaching more of a national audience,'' said Drew Cerza, festival founder and organizer.

While some will dispute history, including claims that Genghis Khan did it 800 years ago, the Menches brothers of Akron take credit for inventing the burger while at a county fair in Hamburg, N.Y., in 1885.

The Akron festival was first held in 2005 to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the ground-beef patty favorite, of which about 14 billion are eaten every year in the United States, according to SYSCO Corp.

Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.