A staple of summer celebrations
Here is something you may not have exactly expected the team at Generation Iron would be covering – Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. With the Fourth of July comes a few extra calories, and they sometimes come in the form of everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure, which is hot dogs. That’s right, even our team at Generation Iron takes a break from our protein shakes and pre-workout to enjoy some of those wieners. A cheat meal here and there is good for you. When it comes to hot dog loving, there are some people that take it to the next level, at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which was first documented all the way back in 1967, is an annual tradition that is exactly how it sounds, it is the art of consuming an outrageous amount of processed meat in a very short amount of time. The people that compete in this have to have stomachs of steel, with insane digestion abilities.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has risen to notoriety through the big names in the competition, which include Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, who have each won the event multiple times.
Origins of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Where did Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest even come from? Well, the legend says the first one took place on July 4, 1916. As the story goes, four immigrants gathered at the very first Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand in Coney Island, and wanted to see who was the most patriotic. The winner was determined by who could eat the most hot dogs.
However, it was not until later on, (1967) when Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest became a legitimate annual, competitive event. Nowadays, it attracts over 40,000 fans in person and draws in around 2 million viewers on ESPN.
The 2023 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest will take place on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, from 11am to right around 1pm. The location it will take place is 1310 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. You can view it on ESPN this year starting at 10:45am to the conclusion of the event, expected to be at 1:05 pm ET.
Every Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Winner
We have compiled a list of every winner of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, starting all the way from the beginning. Throughout the long standing event has seen many different competitors come in and win the whole thing, so let’s dive in.
Walter Paul (1967)
The first documented Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on June 30 1967, which was designated as the 100th anniversary of the invention of the hot dog. Paul Walter, a 400-pound, 32 year old truck driver, won the contest. His prize was a trophy proclaiming him the “world’s champion hot dog eater.” It was unclear if he ate the hot dogs with the buns or not, those extra carbs make a big difference, but it was done in a time period of “one hour flat”, and he ate 127 hot dogs.
Jason Schechter and Melody Andorfer (1972)
There were no Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests documented from 1968 to 1971, but in 1972 the first contest was held on Memorial Day and was won by Brooklyn College student, Jason Schechter, who ate 14 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes. His prize “was a book of certificates for forty more hot dogs.”
The second 1972 contest was held on Labor Day and was won by a 105-pound, 18-year-old female community activist from Astoria, Queens, Melody Andorfer, who ate 12 hot dogs in 5 minutes. Her prize was a just paper crown, but on July 2, 2021, however, she was presented a belt similar to that awarded to recent winners.
John Connolley and Roberto Muriel (1974)
The first 1974 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on April 7, which was opening day for Coney Island’s summer season activities. The first one was won by John Connolly, a 22 year old Manhattan Community College student from Astoria, Queens, who ate 9 hot dogs in 2 and a half minutes. He was granted a trophy.
The second 1974 contest was held on Independence Day and was won by Roberto Muriel, a 185-pound, 24 year old from Brooklyn, who ate 10 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes. The prize was “a trophy with an emblazoned hot dog on it.”
Walter Paul and Paul Sirop (1974)
The third 1974 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Labor Day and was tied by the original winner, Walter Paul, who at that point became the event’s first two-time winner—and Paul Sirop. They did not have a tie breaking contest. Their amount of hot dogs eaten is not documented.
Lonnie Brown and Sharlene Smith (1975)
An all-female Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was originally scheduled to be held on Memorial Day. The winner was to be declared “Miss Coney Island;” the contest was won by Sharlene Smith, a 30 year old market researcher from Manhattan. She ate 8 and a half hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes.
However, sources indicate that when the contest was held it was ultimately decided to allow men to participate as well. The top-finishing male, Lonnie Brown, was awarded a plaque. He was a 28 year old National Guardsman from Far Rockaway, Queens. Lonnie ate 8 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes.
Kevin Sinclair and Manel Hollenback (1978)
The 1978 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Memorial Day and was tied by Manel Hollenback, a 180-pound, 18 year old basketball player from Newark, New Jersey, and Kevin Sinclair, a 75-pound, 10-year-old student. There was apparently no tie-breaking event.
Jim Mather and Luther Frazier (1979)
The contest was tied by a 172-pound 17-year-old boy from Brooklyn, Luther Frazier, and a 205-pound, 35 year old bond dealer from Ozone Park, Queens Jim Mather. The two ate 10 hot dogs in 6 and a half minutes Then, during the tie-breaking contest, they tied again.
Joe Baldini and Paul Siderman (1980)
The 1981 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was tied by Joe Baldini, a 190-pound, 25 year old unemployed pharmacist, and Paul Siderman, a 260-pound, 21 year old unemployed actor. They ate 9 and ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes, and when the tie-breaking contest was held each tied again with 3 and a half hot dogs in 3 minutes.
Thomas Deberry (1981)
The contest was won by Thomas Deberry, a 35 year old Housing Authority gardener from Coney Island, Brooklyn. Reports state that Thomas “downed 11 hot dogs in five minutes and then rushed off with his family to attend a barbecue”.
Steve Abrams (1982)
The 1982 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Monday, July 5, which was the observed date of Independence Day, because July 4 fell on a Sunday that year. It was won by Steve Abrams, a 26 year old from Flushing, Queens, who ate 11 hot dogs in 5 minutes, and even took a bite of twelfth.
Emil Gomez (1983)
Emil Gomez was a 210-pound, 25 year old accountant from the Bronx, who ate 10 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes, beating his brother by half a hot dog.
Birgit Felden (1984)
The contest was won by Birgit Felden, a 130-pound, 17 year old West German women’s judo team member from Cologne. She had actually never eaten a hot dog before the competition, and she ate 9 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Oscar Rodriguez (1985)
Oscar Rodriguez was 21 years old when he won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by consuming 11 ¾ hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Mark Heller (1986)
The contest was won by Mark Heller, a 245-pound man who managed to eat 15 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes. The prizes were a plaque and a year supply of hot dogs.
Don Wolfman (1987)
Don Wolfman consumed 13 and a half hot dogs in ten minutes at the 1987 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Jay Green (1988-1989)
30 year old limousine service manager from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Jay Green won in 1988 consuming 10 hot dogs in 12 minutes, and then again in 1989 consuming 15 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Jay Green and Mike DeVito (1990)
Reigning champ Jay Green tied with Mike DeVito, consuming 15 hot dogs in just 12 minutes.
Frankie Dellarosa (1991-1992)
At the 1991 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Frankie, 270-pound, 23 year old engineer and part-time Hofstra University football coach, consumed 21 hot dogs in just 12 minutes. The following year he returned to eat 19 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Mike DeVito (1993-1994)
Mike DeVito returned as the champ in 1993, but didn’t tie this time. He consumed 17 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Then, in October of that same year he went head to head with Japan and consumed 18 hot dogs in 30 minutes, taking the crown there as well.
In 1994, DeVito won by consuming 20 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Ed Krachie (1995-1996)
Ed Krachie, 350-pound NYNEX engineer from Queens, won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 1995 consuming 19 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes. He then won again in 1996 by consuming 22 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Hirofumi Nakajima (1997-1998)
The contest was won by Hirofumi Nakajima, who was actually the reigning champion because he won a December contest in 1996. He was a 135-pound, 22 year old furniture delivery worker from Kōfu, Japan and in 1997 at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest he consumed 24 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Then in 1998 he consumed 19 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Steve Keiner (1999)
The 1999 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was won by Steve Keiner, a 317-pound, 50-year-old man from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. He consumed 21 and a half hot dogs in just 12 minutes.
Kazutoyo Arai (2000)
Kazutoyo Arai was a 100-pound 32 year old mattress salesman from Saitama, Japan, who consumed 25 and ⅛ hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Takeru Kobayashi (2001-2006)
Takeru Kobayashi hit the scene in 2001 at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and went on to win 5 years in a row. Here are his numbers:
- 2001: 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2002: 20 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2003: 44 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2004: 53 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2005: 49 hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2006: 53 and ¾ hot dogs in 12 minutes
Joey Chestnut (2007-2014)
Joey Chestnut took the crown from Takeru Kobayashi in 2007, and stayed on top all the way through 2014. Here are his numbers:
- 2007: 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes
- 2008: 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes (tied with Takeru Kobayashi) then 5 hot dogs in 50 seconds to take the prize
- 2009: 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2010: 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2011: 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2012: 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2013: 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2014: 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes
Sonya Thomas (Women’s 2011-2013)
Some of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests are unisex events, so there are both male and female winners. Sonya Thomas was on top from 2011 through 2013. Here are her numbers:
- 2011: 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2012: 45 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2013: 36 ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes
Matt Stonie (2015)
Matt Stonie came to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and ended the 8 year winning streak of Joey Chestnut by eating 62 hot dogs to Joey’s 60.
Mikki Sudo (Women’s 2014-2020)
The women’s champ from 2014 through 2020 was Mikki Sudo. Her numbers were as follows:
- 2014: 34 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2015: 38 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2016: 38 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2017: 41 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2018: 37 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2019: 31 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2020: 48 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes
Michelle Lesco (Women’s 2021)
Staying on the topic of the women’s division of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Michelle Lesco took the crown in 2021 with 30 ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Joey Chestnut (2016-2022)
Back onto the men’s, Joey Chestnut took back his throne from 2016 through 2022, eating even more some years than he ever has. His numbers are:
- 2016: 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2017: 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2018: 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2019: 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2020: 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes
- 2021: 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes (record)
- 2022: 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes
Mikki Sudo (Women’s 2022)
Mikki Sudo took back her throne for the women’s division of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2022, consuming 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Wrap Up
Overall, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a fun way to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods, and a staple of summertime. Though it certainly is a fun contest, these competitors are no joke and they diet and train for these events, just like bodybuilders or powerlifters train for their shows and meets.
Would you ever enter Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Header image courtesy of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Facebook Group
