Nathan's 4th of July Contest to Air Live on ESPN
6/26/2007

Since 2004, ESPN has covered the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at 12:00 noon on July 4th. This year’s contest may well be the most highly anticipated matchup in the event’s storied 92-year history. Takeru Kobayashi, the Japanese eating sensation who has won the contest for the past six years, has finally met his match. Joey Chestnut, a baby-faced boy-next-door from San Jose, California, has accomplished the impossible – not just breaking Kobayashi’s record of 53.75 hot dogs and buns (HDBs), but shattering it, downing 59.5. American competitive eating fans sense that the coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt will finally return to American shores.

Also competing on the Fourth are Chip Simpson, Pat Bertoletti, Tim "Eater X" Janus, Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, Erik "the Red" Denmark, Hall Hunt, Crazy Legs Conti, Juliet Lee, Pat Philbin, Dale Boone, Rich LeFevre, Arturo Rios, Jr., and Allen Goldstein.

The contest will appear on ESPN at 12:00pm on July 4. Those planning to be live spectators should arrive early (10:00am is suggested to get a good view)at 1310 Surf Avenue (at the corner of Stillwell Avenue) in Coney Island, Brooklyn. By subway, take the D, F, N or Q train to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stop.

The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest is sanctioned by the Major League Eating (MLE), the world governing body of all stomach-centric sport. The 2007 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating circuit is making stops in San Francisco, Tempe, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Hartford, Norfolk, Minneapolis, Manhattan and other cities.

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