The 16th Annual Lexington Market Crab Derby took place yesterday, and the crab legs were flying as local celebrities raced crabs for $500 for their favorite charity and a free bushel of (cooked) crabs. The winning crabwill be placed in the aquarium to live out its natural life.
Some participants employed certain strategies in order to better their chances. Fox 45’s Steve Fertig came dressed in a teal running suit and did jumping jacks before the event.
WBAL’s Jerry Coleman had a strategy for picking his crab. “I wanted the one on the bottom, because he would be the angriest. But I let the Faidley’s guy pick it,” he said.
Other participants included WHFS’s Downtown Diane, WSMJ’s Randy Dennis, WWIN’s Jammer, WPOC’s Jen, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore’s Kirby Fowler, WMAR TV’s Sherrie Johnson, Baltimore Magazine’s Max Weiss and Fox 45’s Patrice Harris.
Hosted by comedian Koli Tengella, the derby consisted of four heats and a “championship” final to determine the overall winner. Each crab jockey received a spray bottle of water and a wooden stick with a long string with a ball attached in order to coax their crab over the line.
WSMJ’s Randy Dennis said of his first heat win, “When I said ‘Old Bay’ and [the crab] didn’t move, I attempted to drop kick him.” The second heat winner was WLIF’s Greg Carpenter, who won “by a claw.” Baltimore Magazine’s Max Weiss won the third heat, nicknaming her crab “Crazy Legs.” Weiss said that she thought a missing claw would put her crab at a disadvantage, but instead it made him crazy. “He was completely insane!” she said. “I had a rogue crab!”
The fourth race was won by Westside Renaissance’s Ron Kreitner, who said in a loving, parental tone, “I just loved my crab. She ran her own race.”
The championship race was also won by Kreitner, sparking rumors that his crab was illegally using special enhancements. Weiss finally accused Kreitner’s crab of being “on the juice.” In response, Kreitner said, “You know, I saw Max’s crab before the race, and trust me, that crab was crazy.”
Were the crabs crazy? Or were the contestants?
