Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

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Nathan's Wall of Fame of contest winners, 2006.

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual American competitive eating competition, which is run as a publicity gathering event by Shea Communications. It is held each year on July 4 at Nathan's Famous Corporation's original, and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. In 2011 over 40,000 spectators attended the event, and nearly 2 million viewers watched it live on television.

The contest has gained public attention in recent years due to the sudden stardom of Takeru Kobayashi and later, his rival American Joey Chestnut. In the 2012 contest, Chestnut won his sixth consecutive title by consuming a record-tying 68 hot dogs and buns (HDBs) in ten minutes.[1][2]

Contents

History[edit]

Contestants and audience

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held at the original location on Coney Island every year since about 1972 in conjunction with Independence Day.[3] According to legend, on July 4, 1916, four immigrants held a hot dog eating contest at Nathan's Famous stand on Coney Island to settle an argument about who was the most patriotic. A man by the name of Jim Mullen is said to have won, although accounts vary. In 2010, however, promoter Mortimer Matz, admitted to having fabricated this legend with a man named Max Rosey in the early 1970s as part of a publicity stunt.[4] The legend grew over the years, to the point where The New York Times and other publications were known to have repeatedly listed 1916 as the inaugural year, although no evidence of the contest exists prior to 1972.[4] The 1978 annual contest was held on Memorial Day rather than July 4.[5] In 1993, a one-time, one-on-one contest under the Brooklyn Bridge was held between Michael DeVito and Orio Ito.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the competition was dominated by Japanese contestants, particularly Takeru Kobayashi, who won six consecutive from 2001-2006. The Japanese competitors introduced advanced eating and training techniques that shattered previous competitive eating world records. The rise in popularity of the event coincided with the surge in popularity of the worldwide competitive eating circuit.

In recent years, a considerable amount of pomp and circumstance surround the days leading up to the event, which has become an annual spectacle of competitive entertainment. The event is presented on an extravagant stage complete with colorful live announcers and an overall party atmosphere. The day before the contest is a public weigh-in with the mayor of New York City. Some competitors don flamboyant costumes while others may promote themselves with eating-related nicknames. On the morning of the event, they have a heralded arrival to Coney Island on the "bus of champions".

The competition draws many spectators and worldwide press coverage. In 2007, an estimated 50,000 came out to witness the event. In 2004 a three-story-high "Hot Dog Eating Wall of Fame" was erected at the site of the annual contest. The walls lists past winner, and a digital clock which countd down the minutes until the next contest.

Rules[edit]

The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) has sanctioned the event since 1997. Today, only entrants currently under contract by the IFOCE can compete in the contest.

The field of about 20 contestants typically includes the following:

  • The defending champion
  • Winners of a regional qualifying contest for that season
  • Qualifying as one of two wildcards (highest two average qualifier scores without winning a single qualifier)
  • Special invitation by IFOCE (see "Controversies" below)

The competitors stand on a raised platform behind a long table with drinks and Nathan's Famous hot dogs in buns. Most contestants have water on hand, but other kinds of drinks can and have been used. Condiments are allowed, but are usually not used. The hot dogs are allowed to cool slightly after grilling to prevent possible mouth burns. The contestant that consumes (and keeps down) the most hot dogs and buns (HDB) in ten minutes is declared the winner. The length of the contest has changed over the years, previously 12 minutes, and in some years, only three and a half minutes.

Spectators watch and the cheer the eaters on from close proximity. A designated scorekeeper is paired with each contestant, flipping a number board counting each hot dog consumed. Partially eaten hot dogs count and the granularity of measurement is eighths of a length. Hot dogs still in the mouth at the end of regulation count if they are swallowed. Yellow penalty cards can be issued for "messy eating,"[1] and disqualification can occur for "reversal of fortune."[1]

After the winner is declared, a plate showing the number of hot dogs eaten by the winner is brought out for photo opportunities.

Awards[edit]

The winner of the men's competition is given possession of the coveted international "bejeweled" mustard-yellow belt. The belt is of "unknown age and value" according to IFOCE co-founder George Shea and rests in the country of its owner. In 2011, Sonya Thomas won the inaugural women's competition and its "bejeweled" pink belt.

Various other prizes have been awarded over the years. For example, in 2004 Orbitz donated a travel package to the winner. Starting in 2007, cash prizes have been awarded to the top finishers.[6]

Controversy[edit]

Controversies usually revolve around supposed breaches of rules that are missed by the judges. For example, NY1 television news reporter Quinn O'Malley reviewed taped footage of the 1999 contest and noticed that Steve Keiner ate half of a hot dog before the contest had officially begun. The judge missed it – otherwise Keiner would have been disqualified.

Another controversy occurred in 2003 when former NFL Player William "The Refrigerator" Perry competed as a celebrity contestant. Though he had won a qualifier by eating twelve hot dogs, he ate only four at the contest, stopping after just five minutes. George Shea stated that the celebrity contestant experiment will likely not be repeated.

At the 2007 contest, the results were delayed to review whether defending champion Takeru Kobayashi had vomited (also known as a "Roman method incident" or "reversal of fortune") in the final seconds of regulation. Such an incident results in the disqualification of the competitor under the rules of the IFOCE. The judges ruled in Kobayashi's favor. A similar incident occurred involving Kobayashi in 2002.[7] in a victory over Eric "Badlands" Booker.

Takeru Kobayashi has not competed in the contest since 2009 due to his refusal to sign an exclusive contract with the event's organizers. In 2010, he was arrested by police after attempting to jump on the stage after the contest was over and disrupt the proceedings.[8][9][10] In 2011, Kobayashi again refused to compete, but instead conducted his own hot dog eating exhibition, claiming to have consumed 69 HDB, seven more that Joey Chestnut accomplished in the official contest.[11] The claim to the record was not recognized.[12]

Results[edit]

Year Winner Hot dogs
(HDB)		 Notes
2013 TBA (Men's)
TBA (Women's)
2012 United States Joey Chestnut (Men's) 68 Chestnut tied his previous record, previously set in 2009. He also became the third person to win six consecutive titles. Thomas set a new women's record. Tim “Eater X” Janus (52.25) and Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti (51) finish second and third once again, this time with Janus edging out for second place. (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
United States Sonya Thomas (Women's) 45
2011 United States Joey Chestnut (Men's) 62 Separate competitions are held for women and men for the first time. Chestnut dominates on his way to his fifth straight title. Sonya Thomas (40 HDB) won the inaugural women's event. Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti (53) and Tim “Eater X” Janus (45) finish 2nd and 3rd for the second year in a row. (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
United States Sonya Thomas (Women's) 40
2010 United States Joey Chestnut 54 Six-time former champion, Takeru Kobayashi, was present but had refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating and did not compete. After the contest, Kobayashi was involved in a scuffle with police and was led away in handcuffs. Chestnut (54), Tim “Eater X” Janus (45), and Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti (37) round out the top three. (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
2009 United States Joey Chestnut 68 Chestnut (68 HDB) beat his previous record in ten minutes, setting new event, U.S., and world records. Kobayashi (64½ HDB) set a Japanese record. Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finshed third with an impressive 55 HDB. Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas (41) broke the female record.
2008 United States Joey Chestnut 59 Event, Japanese, U.S., and world records set (59 HDB). First event using new ten-minute time limit and first tie and eat-off since 1980. Chestnut & Kobayashi tied for first with 59 in regulation. In overtime Chestnut is the first to finish a plate of five. Kobayashi, losing by a bite, finishes second. Tim “Eater X” Janus finished third with 42.
2007 United States Joey Chestnut 66 Having broken the world and U.S. records with 59½ HDB at a qualifier contest on June 2, 2007, Chestnut (66 HDB) finishes first, setting new event, U.S. and world records. Defeating Kobayashi for the first time. Fifth place Sonya Thomas (39 HDB) sets female record. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2006 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 53¾ Winner Kobayashi sets event, Japanese and world records. Second place Joey Chestnut (52 HDB), sets U.S. record. Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas (37) finishes third. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2005 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 49 2nd: Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas (37) sets U.S. record, Women's record. Future winner Joey "Jaws" Chestnut finishes third with 32. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2004 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 53½ Event, Japanese and world records set. 2nd: Nobuyuki Shirota (38), Sonya Thomas (32 HDB) sets the female and U.S. records. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2003 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 44½ Sonya Thomas (25 HDB) sets the female record. 2nd: Ed "Cookie" Jarvis (30½, American record), 3rd: Eric "Badlands" Booker (29). Twenty competitors and 3,000 spectators in attendance. William "The Refrigerator" Perry competes, but eats only four HDB and drops out after five minutes.[13](Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2002 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 50½ Event, Japanese and world records set. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2001 Japan Takeru Kobayashi 50 20 competitors total. All-time world records set.[14] 2nd: Eric "Badlands" Booker (26), 3rd: Oleg Zhornitskiy (25). (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
2000 Japan Kazutoyo Arai 25⅛ Event, Japanese and world records set. Second place: Misao "Beast" Fujita (24). Third place Takako Akasaka (22¼ HDB) set the women's record
1999 United States Steve Keiner 20¼ Before the contest Keiner is alleged to have eaten half of a hot dog, but judges missed it. He would have been disqualified had the judges seen it.[15]
1998 Japan Hirofumi Nakajima 19
1997 Japan Hirofumi Nakajima 24½ Event, Japanese and world records set; First time that intergovernmental qualifiers were used
1996 United States Ed Krachie 22¼ Event, U.S. and world records set.[16] World record was later broken December 4, 1996, by Hirofumi Nakajima (23¼) in a hot dog eating contest in Central Park, also setting the Japanese record.[17]
1995 United States Ed Krachie [18]
1994 United States Mike Devito 20
1993 United States Mike Devito 17 First time that qualifying events were used to choose contestants
1992 United States Frank Dellarosa 19
1991 United States Frank Dellarosa 21½ 1991 event was the reported as 75th annual contest. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
1990 United States Mike Devito 16  
1989 United States Jay Green 15½ Event advertised as the 73rd annual contest. Green beat 23 other contestants.[19]
1988 United States Jay Green 10 Green, who finished second the previous year, defeated 12 other contestants.[20][19]
1987 United States Don Wolfman 13½ Events reported to be the 71st annual contest.[21] Jay Green (13 HDB) finished second.[19] (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
1986 United States Mark Heller 15½ 245-pount Mark Heller won the contest of 24 men. Second place Robert Gerber ate 13 hot dogs. (Contest duration: 10 minutes)[22]
1985 United States Oscar Rodriguez 11¾ Rodriguez later lost a one-on-one challenge by Japanese student Hiroaki Tominaga.[23]
1984 Germany Birgit Felden 9½ Female champion from Cologne, West Germany.[24] (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
1983 United States Emil Gomez 10½ The winner was a 25-year-old, 210-pound accountant from the Bronx.[25] (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
1982 United States Steven Abrams 11+ Independence Day was on a Sunday, and therefore held July 5; Winner ate one bite of a twelfth hot dog.
1981 United States Thomas DeBerry 11 Winner stopped eating after five minutes to attend a family barbecue.
1980 United States Paul Siederman
United States Joe Baldini		 9+ Siederman and Baldini both ate nine hot dogs plus part of a tenth in ten minutes. Both ate 3½ hot dogs in an eat-off, and were declared co-winners. An article on p. 5A of the July 5, 1980 Miami News lists this as the 64th annual contest. (Contest duration: 10 minutes)
1979 United States Thomas Stash 19 Stash won by downing 19 wieners in a matter of 12 minutes. Impressive by the standards of the day. (Contest duration: 12 minutes)
1978 United States Manel Hollenback
United States Kevin Sinclair		 10 The contest was held on Memorial Day. A field of 28 contestants saw 18-year old Hollenback and 10 year old Sinclair tied for first after devouring 10 hot dogs and buns in 6½ minutes.[5]
1974 United States Roberto Muriel 10 The 3 ½ minute contest was won by a twenty-two-year-old Brooklyn resident [26][27] (Contest duration: 3½ minutes)
1972 United States Jason Schechter 14 The contest lasted for 3½ minutes and was won by a Brooklyn collegiate student. The prize was a certificate for forty more hot dogs.[28] (Contest duration: 3½ minutes)

Media coverage[edit]

Television coverage[edit]

In 2003, ESPN aired the contest on a tape-delayed basis. Starting in 2004, ESPN began covering the contest live. It was hosted by Gary Miller and Richard Shea and was carried live in Times Square on the ABC "Jumbotron". Since 2005, Paul Page has been ESPN's play-by-play announcer for the event, accompanied by color commentator Richard Shea, live at the contest location. In 2011, the women's competition was carried live on ESPN3, followed by the men's competition on ESPN.

Television history
Year Network Announcers Viewers
2003 ESPN
2004 ESPN Gary Miller, Richard Shea 926,000 viewers[29]
2005 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea 860,000 viewers[29]
2006 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea 1.46 million viewers[29][30]
2007 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea 1.632 million viewers
2008 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea
2009 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea 1.340 million viewers[31]
2010 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea, Todd Harris 1.677 million viewers[31]
2011 ESPN Paul Page, Richard Shea, Rene Herlocker 1.949 million viewers[32]

Film and television[edit]

The Nathan's contest has been featured in these documentaries and televisual programs:

  • "A Different Story" (July 4, 1996) - Jeannie Moos covers the contest on CNN
  • "Red, White, and Yellow" (1998)
  • "A Hot Dog Program: An All-American, Culinary Cruise Through Hot Dog History" (1999)
  • "Gut Busters" (2002) Made for TV - Discovery Channel
  • "Footlong" (2002) - not the 2003 short film of the same name
  • "The Tsunami - Takeru Kobayashi" (2003) Japanese
  • "Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating" (2004)
  • "The Most Extreme", "Big Mouths" episode (2004) (Animal Planet)
  • Cheap Seats, (2004)
  • "True Life" (2006) MTV documentary series

Newspapers[edit]

News sources typically use puns in head-lines and copy referring to the contest, such as "'Tsunami' is eating contest's top dog again," "couldn't cut the mustard" (A.P.), "Nathan's King ready, with relish" (Daily News) and "To be frank, Fridge faces a real hot-dog consumer" (ESPN).

Reporter Gersh Kuntzman of the New York Post has been covering the event since the early 1990s and has been a judge at the competition since 2000. Darren Rovell, formerly of ESPN, has competed in a qualifier.[33]

Tactics and training[edit]

Each contestant has his or her own eating method. Takeru Kobayashi pioneered the "Solomon Method" at his first competition in 2001. The method is to break each hot dog in half, eat the two halves at once, then eat the bun.

"Dunking" is the most prominent method used today. Because buns absorb water, many contestants dunk the buns in water and squeeze them to make them easier to swallow, and slide down the throat more efficiently.[1]

Other methods used include the "Carlene Pop," where the competitor jumps up and down while eating, to force the food down to the stomach.[1] "Buns & Roses" is a similar trick, but the eater sways from side to side instead.[1] "Juliet-ing" is a cheating method in which players simply throw the HDBs over their shoulders.[1]

Contestants train and prepare for the event in different ways. Some fast, others prefer liquid-only diets before the event. Takeru Kobayashi meditates, drinks water and eats cabbage, then fasts before the event. Several contestants, such as Ed "Cookie" Jarvis, aim to be "hungry, but not too hungry" and have a light breakfast the morning of the event.

Notes[edit]

See also[edit]

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Works cited[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "2011 Hot Dog Eating Contest (Live Television Broadcast)". 2011-07-04. ESPN.
  2. ^ Steve Penhollow. "journalgazette.net, 3RF contest could be a wiener". Journalgazette.net. Retrieved 2012-02-24.  Text " The Journal Gazette " ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Famous Facts". Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2006. 
  4. ^ a b "No, He Did Not Invent the Publicity Stunt" by Sam Roberts, New York Times, August 18, 2010". The New York Times. August 18, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b Two Share Prize
  6. ^ Whitney Holtzman (2008-01-01). "Nathan's evens playing field". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  7. ^ "ESPN.com - Page2 - Accusations hurled at hot dog contest". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  8. ^ "Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2010: Joey Chestnut Wins for Fourth Year". Bleacher Report. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  9. ^ "Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut Wins Nathan's July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest". Daily News. July 4, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Kobayashi Arrested After Chestnut’s Hot Dog Win". NBC Sports. July 4, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Takeru Kobayashi Sets World Record With 69 Hot Dogs, Joey Chestnut Wins 2011 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest". Weirdnews.aol.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  12. ^ "It’s weiner war! Major League Eating president calls Kobayashi’s win ‘a farce’ (video) | Off the Bench". Offthebench.nbcsports.com. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  13. ^ 2003 ESPN.com report
  14. ^ "Horsemen of the Esophagus". Theatlantic.com. 2006-05-01. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  15. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (July 5, 1999). "Holiday Parades March By, But the Heat Is Just Settling In". The New York Times. Retrieved May 19, 2010. 
  16. ^ "Man downs 22 hot dogs to win contest 07-04-1996". Cnn.com. 1996-07-04. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  17. ^ "A Record Snack: 23¼ Hot Dogs". The New York Times. December 5, 1996. 
  18. ^ Stout, David (July 5, 1995). "New Jersey Daily Briefing; A Coup in Hot Dog Land". The New York Times. Retrieved May 19, 2010. 
  19. ^ a b c Green Claims 2nd Victory in Hot Dog Contest
  20. ^ 1987 Runner-up is hot dog king
  21. ^ American mark July 4 with parades, fireworks
  22. ^ Winner a hot dog
  23. ^ Hot dog champion relishes his victory but craves suchi
  24. ^ U.S. Aglow with Patriotic Pride
  25. ^ America waves flag to celebrate Fourth
  26. ^ Frank, Lucinda (May 28, 1974). "Yesterday Was for Traveling, Strolling, Eating and Relaxing". The New York Times. 
  27. ^ Still Hungry
  28. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (July 5, 1972). "Beach Throngs Seek Relief in 95' Heat". The New York Times. 
  29. ^ a b c Sandomir, Richard (July 6, 2007). "The Hideous Masters of Gluttony: July 6, 2007". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2010. 
  30. ^ "Everything But the Game: 2007-07-08". Retrieved June 26, 2008. 
  31. ^ a b "Potpourri Friday, July 9, 2010". Retrieved July 9, 2010. 
  32. ^ "More Ratings: Hot Dog Contest, Formula 1, Track & Field". Sportsmediawatch.com. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2012-02-24. 
  33. ^ [1] ESPN.

External links[edit]

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