'BB Gun' wins cherry-pit spitting contest in Mich.

[July 08, 2013]  EAU CLAIRE, Mich. (AP) -- Matt "BB Gun" Krause has won his first-ever International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship in southwestern Michigan.

Krause was crowned the most "spit-tacular" competitor at the event held Saturday at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm, just north of the Indiana border.

Krause's father, Rick, and older brother, Brian, had won 24 of the 39 previous championships.

Matt's win makes it 25 of 40 for the Krauses since owner Herb Teichman launched the tournament in 1974 as a lark. It marks the region's tart cherry harvest.

Teichman's daughter-in-law, Monica Teichman, says spitters braved a serious headwind Saturday, causing them not to "get any serious length" to their attempts.

She says the Krause family is "really excited" Matt won.

Matt Krause received the championship belt from last year's winner, Ron Matt of Chicago.

[Associated Press]

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