Last year over 40,000 spectators and an additional 1.677 million viewers watched on TV as three-time defending champion Joey Chestnut consumed 54 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
Chestnut holds the record of 68 hot dogs and buns.
According to legend, back in 1916 four immigrants had a hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s to settle an argument about who was the most patriotic.
This year, for the first time ever, top-ranking female hot dog eaters will have the table to themselves in a women-only competition - now both men and women have a chance at their own coveted Mustard Belt.
Talk about equal rights.
With my wedding anniversary on Monday, I doubt I can get away with just buying her a few hot dogs.
But the hot-dog eating contest got me thinking about what folks in South Louisiana love: boudin.
The sausage is served everywhere from the restaurants in our cities to gas stations in the country and everywhere in between.
A new exhibit at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center tells the story of boudin and the traveling exhibit will be at the center until Saturday, July 23.
The exhibit draws on the nearly 50 oral histories on that site to tell the tale of one of Cajun country’s iconic foods.
When we first moved to Eunice three years ago, we asked who had the best boudin in town.
Some people like one place because it has more meat than rice, while the other place is popular because of the exact opposite.
I need your help to settle this discussion - email me at tom.dodge@eunicetoday.com with your choice of where to buy the best boudin around Eunice and why you like that particular place.
Maybe the city officials can help start a boudin eating contest next Fourth of July, and who knows? Maybe it will one day become a favorite event for visitors and residents of our great city.
Then I can contact Major League Eating - the organization that oversees all professional eating contests.
MLE conducts approximately 80 events annually, including the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, The Krystal Square-Off and the Pizza Hut Chow-lenge.
But until we can get boudin eating into the sport of competitive eating, I will enjoy visiting all of the local places you tell me about and try their boudin.
Have a great Fourth of July as we celebrate our nation’s birthday and to my wife - Happy Anniversary.
She has survived the fast-paced meals together before I rushed out the door to head to a ball game. She has waited patiently as readers stopped me in the store to say either kind words or to bash my writings.
While the life of a coach may be tough on his family, so is the career of a sports editor.
I am grateful that she is understanding, supportive and both my biggest fan and toughest critic.
So today, I want to say thanks to her for all these years together.
As a bonus, she likes both hot dogs and boudin - what a lady!
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