1st - Erik the Red Denmark(26) - 22 HDB's
2nd - Arturo Rios(NR) - 18 HDB's
3rd - Wild Bill Myers(NR) - 16 HDB's
4th - Russ Keeler (NR) - 15.5 HDB's
5th - Don "Moses" Lerman(24) - 14.75 HDB's
6th - Jammin' Joe LaRue(21) - 14.5 HDB's
7th - Krazy Kevin Lipsitz(32) - 13.5 HDB's
I never imagined I would have such a strong bond with the country of Thailand. But, I do. Thailand is my new favorite country and I want to thank them for their genoristy in accepting me as their hot dog champion.
Although this was the "Thailand Qualifier", I do not believe there were any Thai citizens involved in the contest that was held on the grass behind homeplate before a minor league baseball game (America's pastime) between the Broklyn Cyclones (NY Mets affiliate)and the Hudson Valley Renegades (TB Devil Rays affiliate). The venue for this contest was awesome, I am not just saying this because I won the contest but we were perfoming on the field before the class A baseball game with a relatively good size crowd of 3 - 4,000 people.
I felt great during this contest, many of the eaters who were already qualified came out to cheer us on which was inspiring. Earlier in the day I had attended the weigh-in for the contest on the 4th, and I just knew I had to win this contest to be an official part of it all.
I got in to a great rhythm early in the contest, it was pretty tight between myself and Joe LaRue through the first two plates but LaRue who was out of practice, began to slow down considerably. I kept a steady pace and had finished 18 hot dogs with about 4 minutes remaining in the contest. I shoved in the remains of hot dog #22 with about 10 seconds left and I knew the contest was mine. I felt a rush of emotion and excitement as the contest ended, that feeling of victory had alluded me so narrowly just one week earlier. I had finally made it!
After the contest results were announced, a Cyclones representative handed me a ball and said wait here you are going to throw out the first pitch. What, are you serious? I said to myself. I hadn't thrown a pitch from an elevated mound since little league but I decided I would throw a fast ball from the windup. I was so excited and filled with adrenaline when I got to the mound that when I released the ball it sailed way right and over the catchers head and in to the backstop. Ha! Great! Who cares, I had just won a hot dog eating contest and I was going to compete in the Superbowl, the World series, the World Cup of competitive eating the next day. Oh shit, that's right I had to do it all again the next day.
Liz from UrbanHonking.com has a Flikr album of the contest here
4 comments:
Erik,
Congrats on your win at Keyspan Park. Not that it matters, but Arturo Rios completed 18, and the ?????? competitor was Russ Keeler, who had 15.5. I was competitor number 7, William Myers, the guy all the way at the left end in the green button-down shirt. I had 16, which you can verify with Crazy Legs if you wish.
Once again, congratulations.
Bill
Hey Bill. Thanks. I wasn't trying to stiff you, I just went off of what Rich announced for Arturo, which was 15.5, and I knew what Keeler and LaRue had because they were standing next to me. Looks like you may have either finished 2nd or 3rd with 16 - nice work.
Your are Nice. And so is your site! Maybe you need some more pictures. Will return in the near future.
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Very pretty site! Keep working. thnx!
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