Joey "Jaws" Chestnut Defends Title at Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest by Eating 54 Hot Dogs in Ten Minutes at Coney Island, Brooklyn Yesterday

Joey Chestnut had no real competition yesterday as his nemesis Kobayashi sat this one out due to contractual issues. Instead Kobayashi decided to charge the stage and get himself arrested after the contest was over. His ploy worked to perfection and he was arrested then released from the 60 Precinct a few hours later. In the noontime 95 degree heat Joey decided to take it easy and was 14 hot dogs off his record of 68 set in 2009. I grew up in Brooklyn and my friends and I would take the N train to the end of the line to Coney Island. We’d walk across the street to Nathan’s for hot dogs and walk over a few blocks to ice skate at the Abe Stark Rink. When I was even younger I’d take the drive with my Dad to Coney Island for Nathan’s. The past number of years my Cousin hosted a shindig for family and friends at a Brooklyn Cyclone game. As a matter of fact the game is this Saturday! There is of course the customary ride on the Cyclone roller coaster and Nathan’s hot dogs before the game. The crowd was estimated to be 75,000 in attendance, all packed within a few blocks.