The pinnacle of competitive eating in America is the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest held each year on Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y. The man to beat at Coney Island is Joey Chestnut, who devoured 68 hot dogs and buns in a 10 minute span in 2009, shattering his own world record. In fact, that was good enough for a 6.8 HDBPM (hot dogs and buns per minute rating), a feat witnessed by millions on ESPN.
On Friday afternoon in Hirst Lounge, UR discovered its own ‘Joey Chestnut” in the form of junior Andrew Katz. Although URTV wasn’t there to bring the feat home to hundreds of dorm rooms on campus, Katz downed eight and a half dogs and two buns in the span of three minutes in front of an in-your-face crowd . Those numbers, which translate to a 3.5 HDBPM rating, blew out a field that included red-faced Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jonathan Burdick, a team of Kappa Delta girls who looked like they had enjoyed better meals and gutsy sophomore Eric Yeh, who downed a late night garbage plate roughly 12 hours before chowing in Hirst Lounge.
The contest for charity, hosted by the Sigma Nu Fraternity, had a similar structure to the Coney Island classic. Contestants were given 3 minutes to down as many dogs as they could, with the help of condiments and water. A bun had to be downed with each of the first two hot dogs, as well, which turned into a roadblock for many in the competition. But of course, in light of Passover, Sigma Nu had matzo on hand to replace the buns.
Willis is a member of the class of 2011
