Hot dog eating

Nathan’s hot dog eating contest every July 4th has been going on since the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until 2001 when things got serious. Takeru Kobayashi from Japan raised the bar, more than doubling the previous world record. Highlighted bars indicate new records.

Frank Dellarose sets a new world record with 21 and a half HDBs.

In 2001, Takeru Kobayashi gets his first win in the competition. He went on to win five more years in a row.

For the first time since 1999, an American reclaims the title when Joey Chestnut consumes 66 HDBs.