July 2, 2018 at 1:06 p.m.
It's a big, old birthday bash for our great country - No. 242 for the USA for those scoring at home. And, boy, do we party.
When one thinks of the Fourth, three others Fs immediately come to mind - food, fun and fireworks - with a parade or two thrown in for good measure.
What's the perfect side dish for all of this fun? Sports, of course. There will be plenty of matinee baseball games for us to consume with our beer and bratwurst. For the strawberries and creme crowd, waking up to the early rounds at Wimbledon is the perfect way to kick off a day of recreation.
But there's something different about this year's July 4. It falls on a Wednesday which, otherwise, is a pretty dull day in the sports landscape. If you're looking for golf or auto racing on the television, you're not going to find it until this weekend. You won't even find a World Cup soccer game on the tube as our comrades in Russia take a break between the round of 16 and the quarterfinals.
While some may see this as a void, others see an opportunity to steal a little of the spotlight. With not much in the way of mainstream sports to contend with, some unique and fun sports will take center stage this July 4.
For those looking to expand their sporting horizons, I offer five unique events for your viewing pleasure.
Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest - 11 a.m., ESPN2
What's more American than stuffing one's gullet with hot dogs on the Fourth of July? Watching people shove as many frankfurters as possible down their pie holes in a short amount of time, of course.
Coney Island, N.Y. is the scene for this all-out pig-out as the world's largest stomachs compete for gustatory supremacy.
The legend of the hot link, the Babe Ruth of the bun, is none other than Joey Chestnut who has won the event 10 of the last 11 years. Last year on Independence Day, Chestnut consumed 72 hot dogs - bun and all - in a matter of 10 minutes.
Calorie counters, look away. That's 12,000 calories in one sitting, and roughly 16 pounds worth of food.
Forget Augusta and The Masters, the hot dog eating contest is truly a tradition unlike any other. It's been held on the Fourth since 1972, although legend has it that the first contest took place back in 1916 when four immigrants gathered on Coney Island for an informal hot dog eating contest.
According to the Nathan's Famous website, roughly 40,000 fans come to Coney Island each year to witness this spectacle of the sausage and nearly 2 million viewers watch on television.
American Cornhole League (ACL) Pro Invitational - Noon, ESPN2
Do you find the hot dog eating contest too much to stomach? How about kicking back to a nice game of cornhole instead?
"What's cornhole?" you ask. Odds are you've seen it played at your neighborhood backyard cookout or tailgate party. Teams of two take turns tossing bean bags toward a sloped target with a hole in the middle of the board. Three points if your bag lands in the hole, one point if it lands on the board, first to 21 without going over wins. It's also a good bet you've see someone demonstrating good form tossing the bag with one hand while holding his or her beverage of choice in the other.
Believe it or not, they've made a national competition out of this game.
Like the Hot Dog Eating Contest, the ACL Pro Invitational will take place on Coney Island. According to an ACL press release, 16 of the best cornholers from across the U.S. have been randomly paired into eight teams and will compete in a single elimination tournament for a share of a $20,000 purse.
If you care to make a little side bet with your buddies, the ACL has odds listed for each of the eight teams in the field. Christine Papcke and Adam Hissner check in as the favorites at 3-to-1, followed by the teams of Frank Modlin/Eric Anderson and Jordan Camba/Eric Ryder both at 5-to-1.
2018 World Series of Poker - 7:30 p.m, ESPN2
Speaking of wagers, how about going all in on watching some of the best card players in the world vie for the game's biggest payday?
Early round coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event kicked off yesterday as the no-limit Texas Hold'em tournament runs through July 14.
Tomorrow is the third of three first-day flights to help narrow down the initial field for this $10,000 buy-in event.
Scott Blumstein won last year's main event and aside from taking home the coveted gold bracelet - a prize given to the winner of each of the various 78 events played during the World Series - he left The Rio in Las Vegas with a $8.15 million pay day.
2018 Special Olympics USA Games - 4 p.m., ESPN2
Is poker too rich for your blood or do you get turned off by multi-millionaires competing at a sport's top level?
How about watching athletes overcome obstacles in an effort to do their very best. When it comes to sport, in its purest form, it doesn't get much better than that.
That's what you will witness during the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games which run through July 6 in Seattle.
More than 4,000 athletes and coaches representing all 50 states and Washington D.C. will take part in the event, which includes 14 Olympic-style team and individual sports - such as basketball, flag football, softball, swimming, volleyball and track and field, among others.
As stated on Special Olympics' website, "The USA Games showcase the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities and the impact of Special Olympics through world-class competition, inspirational experiences and modeling inclusion for all."
Snowshoe Baseball - 7:30 p.m., Snowshoe Park, Lake Tomahawk
All of the events we've listed so far are on television. However, if you turn off the set and take a little drive north you can take in a unique event live.
Head to Lake Tomahawk tomorrow night for the Snowhawks snowshoe baseball team's annual July 4 clash with the Chicago All-Stars.
For those uninitiated, snowshoe baseball is exactly what it sounds like - baseball played on snowshoes. More accurately, it's closer to slowpitch softball with a soft 16-inch ball. You won't find any gloves here, either, as all the plays in the field are made with bare hands.
I have had a few chances to play in the Snowhawks' media game over the years and can offer a few words of first-hand advice for those playing. First, always run with your tips up. Nothing is more embarrassing than outrunning your snowshoes and falling face-first into a pile of sawdust. Second, bring a second T-shirt if you are playing - especially if you happen to be the leadoff batter say around the sixth inning or so. Musk melons bare a close resemblance to a 16-inch ball, but make quite a mess when hit with a bat.
A few more words of wisdom if you plan on watching - get there early and bring a lawn chair. Though the first pitch is at 7:30 p.m., the park will fill up well before then as thousands of tourists and locals alike show up for the show. Also, don't forget to save room for the homemade pies.
There will be fireworks following the game, the perfect way to end a wonderful Fourth of July filled with unique sporting events.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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