Mets Break The Record For Most Cheesesteaks Eaten In Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — In the dining room of the visitor’s clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park is a leaderboard. And no matter where the Mets lay in the National League East standings, they stand atop this one. This April, on the last day, as they sat marooned in that clubhouse, awaiting rain to pass to see if they could play that night, and then waiting to leave after the game was rained out, the Mets decided to set their aim for the team record for most cheesesteaks eaten in a day. Cheesesteaks are Philadelphia’s delicacy — a greasy stuffing of beef and lining of cheese inside a sub. Visiting teams are welcome to eat as many as they want or can, with the meal made for them at the ballpark, and a scoreboard tracks their feats. There are individual and team records for a single day or series. On April 30, over some ten hours, the Mets ate 103, they say, setting the new single-day team record. Though baseball may be a sequence of individualized events, this was the work of a collective. It was planned two cheesesteaks per person, or more for those that were willing to help out where other teammates could not eat their share. By the time the Mets left for Denver, distended and at over-capacity, they were now record-holders, breaking the previous mark that stood somewhere in the 80s. Though impressive, perhaps it should not have been surprising. When it comes to eating cheesesteaks, the Mets are the 1961 Yankees, and their bullpen catchers, Dave Racaniello and Eric Langill, are the Mantle and Maris. Last season, from April 8-10, Langill set the three-game series record by eating 17 cheesesteaks. He broke Racaniello’s record of 14 — which had stood for years. The cheesesteak eating competition is not without rules and calls for prior planning. To viably set a record, cheesesteaks can only be eaten after getting to the ballpark until batting practice, from the end of batting practice until the game begins, and for an hour window after the game has concluded. There are moratoriums during batting practice and the game, likely, so that players and coaches can proceed with their day jobs.
We’re in first place! We’re the champs! We may not have a Major League outfield and we’re trotting out minor league talent at short, but if you want bullpen catchers that can eat 7 cheesesteaks in a day, well we got em. If eating 103 cheesesteaks in a day won you the World Series, we’d be getting championship rings. With just a mere $84,000,000, Sandy Alderson has compiled a roster and coaching staff of cheesesteak champions. Finally Mets fans have something to hang their hat on.
PS – Is there anything better than being a professional baseball player? I mean goddamit, how awesome is this? Hanging out in the clubhouse, game rained out, stuffing your faces with 2, 3, 4 cheesesteaks. Everyone making millions. Bullpen catchers who are just happy to be a part of the big league club taking down 7 steaks. Its like Little League except everyone’s rich and chicks want to fuck you.
PPS – I hope they made Jacob deGrom eat like 9 of them. 6’4 180 is starting to look a little silly.
