Last week, we were excited about Steve Connolly (of Sharon, Mass.) and his giant pumpkin. Estimated to weigh over 1800 pounds, the fine specimen of Cucurbita maxima seemed perfectly poised to break the record for largest pumpkin. Though Connolly's giant gourd tipped the scales at 1568 pounds (300 pounds less than last week's size-based estimate of its weight), it was disqualified due to a gash. It's not clear why a hole would disqualify a pumpkin; perhaps Connolly could have secreted Pumpkin Growth Hormone into the plant through the hole, making him in cahoots with Clemens. Regardless of the reason, a poked pumpkin is a no-no, so world record holder Joe Jutras of Rhode Island held on to his title and won the contest again this year, with a 1507-pound pumpkin (still shy of the 1689-pound world record). Connolly can always try again next year, perhaps this time taking extra pains to insure the intactness of his entry. And he can get started eating the estimated 5000 pumpkin pies his big gourd will make.