March to 100: Inside the journey of Coors Field’s great hot dog eater

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 19: Hot dogs are on ready to be eaten during the American Meat Institute's annual Hot Dog Lunch in the Rayburn courtyard on July 19, 2017 in Washington, DC. The hot dog lunch held during National Hot Dog month has been celebrated for decades in Washington, more than 1,000 lawmakers, Administration officials and Capitol Hill staff enjoy the hot dogs. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 19: Hot dogs are on ready to be eaten during the American Meat Institute's annual Hot Dog Lunch in the Rayburn courtyard on July 19, 2017 in Washington, DC. The hot dog lunch held during National Hot Dog month has been celebrated for decades in Washington, more than 1,000 lawmakers, Administration officials and Capitol Hill staff enjoy the hot dogs. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) /
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DENVER – On the field, the Colorado Rockies marched to the postseason in 2017. Off the field, one of the media members covering the Rockies ate his way to 100 hot dogs.

Records have only been kept since the start of the 2017 season (the hot dog counting era) but this mark is one that’s previously thought to have been unbreakable.

“What he did last season is incredible.” Manny Randhawa of MLB.com told Rox Pile. “He said at the start of the season that he would top the century mark. It was impressive.”

We at Rox Pile finally mustard up the courage to question a man that only goes by “Shap.”

“I just relish the opportunity to be at the ballpark,” the young, poppyseed-covered Shap said. “It was a pickle at first and I thought I bit off more than I could chew aiming for 100. But yeah, you know, I just really love hot dogs.”

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Shap has only plowed through five dogs to start this season in the Rockies’ first six home games. He’s unsure he will be able to ketchup to last year’s pace, but that won’t stop him from constant consumption.

“There’s nothing like a hot dog at the park,” he said. “This year I’m going to enjoy it more. Last year the habit became Sauer at times. Halfway through the fourth is a great time to put on some Krautrock and dress the dog appropriately.”

As with any great champion there comes controversy. He has been on record to state that America’s favorite ballpark food is a sandwich and that ketchup belongs nowhere near the frank.

Perhaps most controversial is his mark of 100.

The stipulations where that he must eat the sausages while at Rockies games. His 100th and final dog came in Arizona at the National League Wild Card game, raising questions about whether postseason stats should tally to the total.

“99, or 100… it’s something he should be proud of either way,” Paul Klee of The Gazette remarked. “But Babe Ruth hit 714 homers, not 729.”

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As for Shapiro, he doesn’t let the outside noise impact his chowing.

“I’m just taking it one dog at a time.”