NEW YORK -- With Independence Day celebrations canceled around the country, one distinctly American tradition continued Saturday despite the pandemic: the annual pilgrimage of competitive eaters to Coney Island for the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
But with cheering crowds turned away to promote social distancing, contestants instead chowed down amid a chorus of gulping and chewing from their fellow competitors.
Held without fail every Fourth of July since 1942, the event ordinarily draws thousands to the original Nathan's location in Brooklyn, N.Y. Spectators sweat beneath foam hot dog hats, cheering as they watch a panel of competitors dunk the sausages into water -- to soften the buns -- all in the name of America.
"The Nathan's Famous contest is synonymous with July Fourth, America and the celebration of freedom," said the event's host, George Shea, who is known for his patriotic commentary. He introduced the winner of the 2019 men's competition as "the very vessel of our freedom" and "the champion of the Fourth of July."
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But there was no crowd this year to cheer, and the competitive eaters, who usually hover over their piles of hot dogs shoulder to shoulder, were spaced apart. The contest was limited to five women and six men to allow for adequate social distancing. One woman was unable to attend because of restrictions on travel to New York from Arizona, where coronavirus cases are surging.
Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., who won his 13th title Saturday after eating a record 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes, said in an interview Friday that it would be challenging not to be surrounded by the deafening cheers from the crowd this year -- and for the first time to be able to hear his competitors while they chowed down.
"They're going to be burping and groaning, and I'm just going to have to focus on my hot dogs," Chestnut said.
For Chestnut, 36, the confirmation that the contest would still go on "made it a lot easier to practice." Eating 40 or 50 hot dogs at a time without the certainty that the competition would happen this year was a bit "depressing," he said.
The reigning women's champion, Miki Sudo of Torrington, Conn., defended her title this year, winning for the seventh time by scarfing down a record 48½ hot dogs.
"This is a competition unlike anything that we've had before," she said.
The precautions included Plexiglas and at least 6 feet of distance between eaters, as well as testing and temperature checks for the competitors.
The location of this year's hot dog slog, which has been held every summer since 1916 except 1941, when it was canceled as a protest of the war in Europe, was not disclosed ahead of the event to discourage loyal fans from flocking there.
"Thank you so much for supporting us from your living rooms," Sudo said after winning.
Though unable to "give sweaty hugs to people afterward" this year, Chestnut said he was encouraged they could still watch at home.