Detroit Tigers - WKTV Journal

Hot dog with ketchup and mustard. — (Photo: Courtesy pxhere.com: Free for personal and commercial use)

Bill Rohn, Friday Night Highlights Host. Edited his high school and college newspapers before serving as a trial lawyer for 40 years at Varnum Law in Grand Rapids. He calls himself a “newspaper junkie.” Sometimes serious, sometimes not. Bill has covered sports for The Grand Rapids Press, South Bend Tribune, and The Niles Daily Star. He holds a political science degree from GVSU and law degree from the University of Notre Dame.

By Bill Rohn
Wyoming-Kentwood News Today Contributor
Friday Night Highlights Co-Host
greer@wktv.org

Doggoned if we haven’t reached the second half of summer. The days are getting shorter, and school buses will soon be back on the roads.

Which got me to thinking about what would make the season special.

What Wyoming and Kentwood really need before Labor Day is a good old-fashioned hot dog eating contest.

You know…like they have every Fourth of July in New York City.

After all, what’s New York City got that we ain’t got here in the WKTV viewing area?

Sure, they’ve got Broadway, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty.

But we’ve got Lamar Park, Kentwood’s City Center complex, and plenty of folks who’ve never met a hot dog they didn’t like.

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Earlier this summer, ESPN televised the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, where thousands gathered in the Big Apple to watch contestants chase prize money and a chance to wear the champion’s coveted “Mustard Belt.”

Forget the Detroit Tigers. The World Cup is yesterday’s news. For 10 glorious minutes, nothing mattered except how many hot dogs the competitors could make disappear.

The women competed first and winner Miki Sudo consumed an astonishing 38.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes — nearly four per minute — before a screaming crowd.

Contestants were allowed to dip their buns in water, but only for five seconds. Apparently there are standards.

Sudo’s victory was no huge surprise. According to ESPN, she once ate 8½ pounds of kimchi — whatever THAT is — in six minutes.

Next came the men, led by 17-time champion Joey Chestnut, the “Mozart of the mandible.” Joey often jumped up and down while chewing, adding rhythm and speed to his digestion. And Chestnut was no choker, skillfully keeping a “wall of meat“ in his stomach, thus dodging disqualification for what officials politely call a “reversal of fortune” — which is a much gentler description of refunding one’s lunch than anything I can think of. Chestnut avoided that unpleasantness while inhaling 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes to claim yet another Mustard Belt.

So, acid reflux and concerns over gastroparesis aside, why couldn’t we stage our own championship here in West Michigan?

Imagine the civic pride. Consider the bragging rights as a traveling Mustard Belt makes its way between Wyoming and Kentwood every summer. Perhaps any money that would be raised could go to a local charity. Or maybe to me.

We already have food truck rallies, concerts, and community festivals. Why not celebrate one of America’s great culinary creations right here in West Michigan?

South Christian vs. East Kentwood at the table?

As to competitors, how about local high school football teams? After all, aren’t hot dogs the most popular food at a football game? We could have East Kentwood vs. South Christian on the field, and then immediately after a battle at the table underneath the bright lights. Or how about Godwin Heights vs. Kelloggsville?

Or political candidates looking for a boost in the polls as fall elections approach?

Talk about the dog days of summer…, and I know a local TV station that could broadcast the proceedings.

Just don’t ask me to compete. I’d still be wolfing weenie No. 2 while the winner was giving a victory interview.

On second thought, maybe I could still win.

I’d simply wait patiently for everyone else to experience a “reversal of fortune.”

(Many thanks to Gary Vande Velde, Phil Moore, Doug Hansen and Mike Moll for making this video)

By Ty Marzean, WKTV Contributor

Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

An 18-year-old Lee baseball fundraiser that has netted nearly $200,000 all began with what Coach Ty Emelander thought was a prank call.

While coming up through the Detroit Tigers farm system, two-time Cy Young winner and 1968 World Series pitcher Denny McLain was coached by former Lee High School graduate Frank “Stubby” Overmire.

Emelander started the annual fundraiser with a couple calls to former players of Overmire and then came The Call.

“Denny McLain called me up and wanted to come and I didn’t even know it was him,” Emelander said. “I thought it was one of my friends just joking around with me on the phone.”

Lee baseball Coach Ty Emelander with Detroit Tigers legend Denny McLain. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)

McLain has donated his time and autographs through 18 years

“Denny was a huge part of getting this event going and keeping it rolling,” Emelander explained. “One day alone in the past he signed over 400 autographs, and has often signed over 200 at our events. And he does it all for free.”

That connection between Overmire and McLain has proven key to starting the great tradition of holding what is now the 18th annual “Stubby Overmire” Sports Card Show and Silent Auction which was held recently at Lee High School.

“Denny has gotten to know our families a little bit,” Emelander explained. “My daughter Amanda wore Denny’s Number 17 from the time she met him at age 10 in Little League through playing softball at Lee.”

Amanda still sits atop the MHSAA record books with five consecutive home runs in a 2014 double header against Hastings. The last homer was a grand slam as Lee claimed a share of the O-K Silver championship.

The event has raised nearly $200,000 over the 18 years

“Denny has gotten many players to come here, including Jose Canseco, Darrell Evans, Mickey Stanley and Dean Chance,” Emelander said. “It’s been a really great experience. Between all the vendors and everybody that helps with this, it’s always been a pretty successful fundraiser.

“The year Dean Chance was here we made $20,000 in one day. We built the building (concession stand/press box/storage area) right behind our baseball field with the funds that have been raised. We named the building after Denny and his wife Sharon. We’ve done very well from this fundraiser.”

Fundraiser honors Stubby Overmire

The annual fundraiser features a vast array of sports cards, memorabilia, collectibles and autograph signing session by superstar McLain, and also honors Overmire, who graduated from Lee in 1936, the same year it won the Grand Valley Conference championship with him pitching. He finished 6-0 that season.

Overmire played for the Detroit Tigers from 1943 to 1949, including the 1945 World Series winning season. He earned two World Series rings; Detroit (1945) and New York (1951). Overmire died in 1977 at the age of 57.

Coach Emelander shared Overmire’s love for youth baseball.

“His daughter Jane said that Stubby was a big supporter of youth baseball, and he would love what we are doing,” Emelander said.

McLain, who earned league MVP honors in 1968 along with a World Series ring, had much to say about Overmire as well.

“Stubby was a gentleman and a half,” McLain said. “He is one of the two people that brought me up to the big leagues. Charlie Dressen was the manager, and Stubby was the pitching coach. When I first came up, nobody could teach me much because all I had was a fastball, so it took a while for that to start to mature, but Stubby was always there to work with you and always gave good advice.”

A photo of Tigers pitcher Denny McLain for sale at the Lee event. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)

The event attracts vendors from across the West Michigan area.

Keith DeBoer has been in the trading card business for over 30 years and has had a table at the Lee show for the past three years. He said he enjoys contributing to the school.

“They draw a good crowd, I do pretty well here, and I like to support the school,” DeBoer said.

Keith DeBoer (left), who’s been in the baseball card business for 30 years, helps a customer at the Lee Sports Card Show. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)

Emelander detailed how this event helps support the growth of youth baseball in the Lee community.

“It’s multifaceted what we do; we help kids with sign-up fees for Little League, we buy gloves,” Emelander said. “One time, I found a sale at Meijer and was able to buy 38 gloves. We constantly supply equipment to the kids to get them to play baseball. We use the funds to keep the high school spring trip affordable for the kids.”

Emelander also stressed how much alums have helped raise money for the baseball program.

“We’ve had dedicated alumni that have brought me to tears with their donations; it’s gone down in recent years, but I hope it can pick back up.”