ROCK HILL — Dale Corzine –
called “The Tank” forever by anybody who knew him because he sure is as
big as a tank – looks at 300 pounds in the rear-view mirror. That’s also
where all the hot-dog-eating challengers who have faced him are – way
back.
For six years running, Corzine has destroyed all York County
comers and dozens of hot dogs. Nobody, in the six years Rock Hill’s
legendary Ebenezer Grill has held its hot dog eating contest on July 4,
has come close to whipping Corzine.
Mere mortals have tried, failed and held their bellies.
So
Saturday, The Tank takes his ample appetite and unblemished record to
the largest stage of all for hot dogs – a winner-take-all shot at a spot
in the July 4 Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest at New York’s
Coney Island.
The 10-minute weenie sprint is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Concord Mills mall on the other side of Charlotte.
“I decided this week it is time to give the big time a shot,” said The Tank.
If
he wins, The Tank plans to take the “Home of the Giant Weenie” onto the
national stage before thousands of fans and millions of TV viewers on
ESPN on Independence Day.
“If it wasn’t for Ebenezer Grill, I
wouldn’t be a six-time champ,” acknowledged The Tank. “You have to be
loyal in hot dog-eating.”
The Tank, a telecommunications
installer, just showed up to watch at The Ebenezer Grill in 2006, but
the crowd saw his bulk and demanded he belly up. He won in a rout.
Each year since, The Tank has rolled over and demolished the competition.
Last
year at Ebenezer Grill, The Tank broke his own local record of 16 dogs
by downing – buns and all – 16 1/2 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Last year’s champ at the regional qualifier at Concord Mills ate 20 and is supposed to return.
Last
year’s Concord Mills winner is nicknamed “Big.” “Big” beat a “Beast”
and a “Super” and other behemoths from dozens of states. “The Tank” is a
great nickname but Loyd Ardrey, Ebenezer Grill owner, chewed on
another.
Dale Corzine is now nicknamed Dale “Eating Machine” Corzine, too.
“We
helped launch the legend and we will back our legend as far as he can
go,” Ardrey said Friday morning during the busy breakfast rush at his
restaurant. “Ebenezer Grill, Home of the Giant Weenie – we plan to take
‘The Eating Machine’ national.”
Ebenezer Grill became an
international sensation in 2005 after The Herald reported how pranksters
had stolen the 12-foot giant weenie sign from the restaurant roof.
Ardrey felt so bad he had to order a bank vault.
He created a
marketing campaign of bumper stickers and more after media as far away
as California re-told The Herald’s tale of weenie woe. Ardrey put up a
new sign, gave interviews until his throat hurt and directions to
tourists and locals alike.
After the theft, Ardrey started his
Rock Hill chow-down in 2006 to raise thousands of dollars for charities –
and will hold his contest again this year on July 4.
Yet the
bigger the contest, the more dogs are eaten. The five-time defending
national champ at Coney Island is Joey Chestnut – a skinny guy who last
year ate 68 dogs. The woman champ ate an astounding 40.
“Our boy
has to be tough,” said Ardrey. “These skinny guys, they eat so much and
so fast you gotta watch out when you are serving them or you might lose a
finger.”
Each of the past six years, “Eating Machine” Corzine has
donated his winnings to charity himself, and upped his dog-eating
exploits to boot. He started with a dozen dogs in 2006. But 20 is a leap
of 3 and a half dogs from last year.
Can he do it?
“Here’s my plan,” said “The Tank” Corzine, now also “Eating Machine” Corzine.
“I’ll
eat a big breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast – all of it. I’ll drive up
there – it’s about an hour, maybe less – and by that time, I’ll be
hungry.”
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