Location: West Springfield, MA
MATT STONIE CLAIMS INAUGURAL WHITE WHITE WORLD CHEESEBURG CHAMPIONSHIP!
Forty-one White Hut Cheeseburgs later, the first-ever White Hut World Cheeseburg Eating Championship At The Big E title belonged to Matt Stonie. In doing so, the #2-ranked eater in the world set a World Record in the discipline. There will be no other inaugural event, no other debut Champion. It is Stonie and the title is his alone. He should savor it.
The White Hut Cheeseburg is native to West Springfield, MA. It is a New England institution. Stonie—he of San Jose, CA—spends time in this great nation's northeast with his loving grandparents, who call New Hampshire home. (Today, Stonie embraced that great state's motto of Live Free Or Die by not so much waging war against tyranny or fighting colonial injustice, but by eating a lot and doing so very quickly. Still, commitment is commitment.)
On these trips to New England, Stonie has enjoyed the White Hut's Cheeseburgs in a civilian setting his entire life. This was a home field event on the other side of the country. Perhaps our personal connections—family, lovers, friends—create our own personal geography. Our path through the physical world traces the path of these connections. Have grandparents in New England? You're going to know about White Hut Cheeseburgs. Fall in love with a guy from Valencia? You're going to learn to make paella. Think about where your personal connections have taken you and those you love. The result is infinite vectors of human motion with infinite points of human intersection. No two maps of the human heart are identical. We are pushed and pulled around this globe, every ricochet a sadness or a happiness. Think about it. Kinda interesting, right? A little? And then say thanks to MLE for the insight. In the hands of a novelist, getting to that mildly curious dollop would take, what, 600 pages of train rides, wilted fields and so many unrequited glances.
Okay, where were we? Stonie did not have this all his way by any means. Second-place finisher Carmen Cincotti (38 at conclusion) and the top-ranked eater in New England Geoffrey Esper (35.5 at conclusion) pushed Stonie throughout the event. Onlookers remarked that it was Cheeseburg to Cheeseburg among the three into the final two minutes; Stonie would only push out in front of Cincotti in the final 60 seconds. A close one. But one won.
All hail Stonie. Full results below.
FULL RESULTS! 1st - 41 cheeseburgs in 10 - Matt Stonie 2nd - 38 - Carmen Cincotti 3rd - 35.5 - Geoffrey Esper 4th - TIE - 21 - Badlands Booker & Dud Lite 6th - 14 - Wild Guillermo Myers 7th - 12.5 - Crazy Legs Conti 8th - 11 - James Burgess 9th - 10 - Jon Taylor 10th - 7 - Steven Wojcik
This contest took place at Noon on Saturday September 17, 2016 on the XFINITY Court Of Honor Stage at The Big E, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA!
About The White Hut! The White Hut is a legendary Western Massachusetts burger joint. Since 1939, they’ve been serving up classic cheesburgs topped with their signature fried onions—onions that are, in fact, grilled to perfection. It’s a family-run, no frills lunch counter beloved by local regulars and a must-eat destination for any burger lover visiting the area. No stop in Western Mass is complete without a burger at the Hut.
About The Big E! The Big E, also known as the Eastern States Exposition, is “New England’s Great State Fair.” It is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the fifth-largest fair in the nation. The Big E includes of all six of the New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Each of the New England states is prominently represented at the fair. Nearly 2 million visitors flock to the fair over its 17-day stretch to enjoy live music and entertainment from top acts, dine on creative fair food, see the livestock shows and explore the Avenues of the States.
About Balise! Presenting sponsor Balise is one of the largest retailers of new and used automobiles in New England. Headquartered in West Springfield, Massachusetts, the organization employs over 1,400 associates at facilities in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. As a family-run business since 1919, it is a trusted institution in the area and a great contributor to the community.
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*All applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fully acknowledge and understand the inherent dangers and risks associated with participating in an eating contest. The applicant further acknowledges and understands that the MLE/IFOCE coordinates with event sponsor(s) to select and approve eligible participants, and that the MLE/IFOCE shall decide, at its sole discretion, whether an applicant is eligible to participate in any eating event, and/or related activities. The MLE/IFOCE may revoke an applicant's eligibility to participate in the eating contest, or related activities, at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion. The MLE/IFOCE and the event sponsors reserve the right, at any time, to change any and all details concerning the event, including, e.g., time, duration, location and prize structure.