‘Boomstick’ and ‘Giant Slugger’ hot dog center of eating contests
BUFFALO, N.Y. (Aug. 7, 2012) – National Hot Dog Month (July) took new meaning this year for Delaware North Companies Sportservice, a global leader in hospitality and food service.
Among the highlights, a series of eating contests involving a 2-foot-long, 1-pound hot dog were held at several ballparks at which Sportservice handles food and beverage services. In the end, it was a Texas Rangers fan who posted the time to beat: 3 minutes and 44 seconds.
Prior to Opening Day, the Sportservice team at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington introduced the 2-foot-long, 1-pound “Boomstick” hot dog to Rangers fans. The hot dog became an instant hit with fans – more than 13,500 sold through July – and caught the attention of media throughout the world.
As a result, Sportservice President Rick Abramson tasked his management team with featuring the Boomstick as the “Giant Slugger” throughout July in a number of the ballparks at which Sportservice provides food and beverage services. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago), Busch Stadium (St. Louis), PETCO Park (San Diego), Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati), Miller Park (Milwaukee) and Target Field (Minnesota) all participated.
As for the eating contests, claiming bragging rights proved to be a down-to-the-wire battle.
The initial record-time for eating the 2-foot-long hot dog was 19 minutes – a mark set in April by a Texas Rangers groundskeeper. July 4, however, hot-dog eating contest-goers in St. Louis and Chicago eclipsed the mark by consuming the beast in less than 9 minutes. Texas returned fire, July 25, when a Rangers season-ticket holder posted a time of 4 minutes and 58 seconds. On July 27, Sportservice management at Target Field thought a Twins fan rewrote the record for good, when a contestant at one of the venue’s three Giant Slugger-eating competitions finished it in 3 minutes and 56 seconds. But as the month of the hot dog neared the end, the record returned to the Lone Star state – where it all began – on July 30, at which time a Houston resident set the bar beyond reach.
“What a fun month,” said Casey Rapp, Sportservice’s operations manager at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. “It was great to see our creation in the various ballparks. I’m just glad the record ended up at home, once it was all said and done.”
Sportservice at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will continue to sell the Boomstick.
