# Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378 "2007-07-03T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/61 "2007-07-05T01:06:15Z")
Contrary to what most people would imagine the best eaters are small people. Many years ago there were 400 pounders but they are mostly gone. The federation shows a great sense of humor and the event is fun to watch. ESPN will play it over a few times. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/62 "2007-07-05T02:25:32Z")
Official MLE/IFOCE results: Joey Chestnut: 66 Takeru Kobayashi: 63 Pat Bertoletti: 49 Tim “Eater X” Janus: 43.5 Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas: 39 Bob Shoudt: 35 Chip Simpson: 35 Rich LeFevre: 31 Hall Hunt: 29 Juliet Lee: 26 Dale Boone: 25 Pat Philbin: 24 Crazy Legs Conti: 23.5 Erik “the Red” Denmark: 23 Tim Brown: 22.5 Arturo Rios, Jr.: 21 Allen Goldstein: 21 Hermione dies ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/63 "2007-07-05T02:43:40Z")
I loved that spoiler. I giggled maniacally for a couple minutes after seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/64 "2007-07-05T02:55:11Z")
Well, since Eater X had it on his sign, I had to put it there. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/65 "2007-07-05T02:59:48Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] Well, since Eater X had it on his sign, I had to put it there. [/QUOTE] And I love you for it. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/66 "2007-07-05T03:14:07Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] I always think of the pie eating contest scene from \*Stand By Me \* when this thing rolls around every year… [/QUOTE] Later this month, MLE/IFOCE is sponsoring the first ever [_Stand by Me_ Blueberry Pie Eating Contest](http://www.majorleagueeating.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119) in the city where the movie was filmed. Interestingly, the IFOCE doesn’t have any blueberry pie records. This will be part of a special screening of the film which also features a “find the body” scavenger hunt. Unfortunately, no match-up between Mighty Mouse and Superman, though. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/67 "2007-07-05T04:07:08Z")
> **[Records](https://majorleagueeating.com/records/)** > > Major League Eating Get ready here are your targets. ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/68 "2007-07-05T13:09:55Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] They’re sea spiders. Crabs exist along the East Coast of the United States. The Mid-Atlantic states are the home of the Blue Crab. I _might_ allow some FL. residents to say that stone crabs are pretty good. They are. But, West Coast stuff masquerading as crab meat?—give me a break. [/QUOTE] Ha. Don’t worry, Samclem, I’ve been in the midwest long enough to know that nothing called a “crab” (or especially “crab cake”…don’t get me started on that) around here will replicate the “Barrel full of freshly steamed blue crab smothered in Old Bay” experience of back home. But every now and then a guy just has to have crab. Even if it’s…gasp…from the Pacific 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/69 "2007-07-05T13:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=Malodorous] My guess is that its Kobsyashi’s influence, and the fact that before him competitive eating was more or less a lark for those involved . His first few years he was the only person that would break out of the ~20 dog range. He inspired a few other people to take it more seriously, and it turns out that when people put their minds to it, they can scarf down a lot more hotdogs. Looking at the results, even now theirs a fair gap between the winners and the rest. More then half come in under 30, and the next highest after Kobayashi didn’t break 50. [/QUOTE] You can see this change in the TV coverage, too. I heard the announcers’ repeatedly call the eaters “trained athletes”… I doubt you would have heard that phrase in the '80s in reference to professional hot dog eaters… ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/70 "2007-07-05T13:18:48Z")
The AP story on this had a funny line: > [@](#): > > Once the contest ended, the runner-up suffered a reversal – competitive eating-speak for barfing – leading to a deduction from his final total. Kobayashi finished with 63 HDBs (hot dogs and buns eaten) in his best performance ever. > > Competitors receive credit for anything in their mouths at the 12-minute mark, provided they can swallow it. > > ‘‘Obviously, the last bit exited his mouth quite dramatically,’’ said Rich Shea of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. Kobayashi’s gastric distress was the only sour note in the **tube-steak** tussle, which aired nationally on ESPN. (bolding mine) I have never had of the term “tubesteak” being used as a euphenism for anything but a penis. I wonder if it was intetnional or not. ---
**Author:** ![deadeyesdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@deadeyesdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadeyesdad)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/71 "2007-07-05T20:36:04Z")
And now Joey Chestnut enters the pantheon of American heroes with Abraham Lincoln Neil Armstrong and Taylor Hicks. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/72 "2007-07-05T20:42:05Z")
Not with Daniel Boone’s kin in the eating race!! ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/73 "2007-07-05T20:55:04Z")
[QUOTE=deadeyesdad] And now Joey Chestnut enters the pantheon of American heroes with Abraham Lincoln Neil Armstrong and Taylor Hicks. [/QUOTE] Hell, Hicks looks like he could hide 66 hot dogs in his cheeks. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378/74 "2007-07-05T21:03:22Z")
Dizzy Gillespie just found his new calling, then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest/410378.md?page=3)