Here’s a Contest You Can Relish

ESPN today will televise the annual Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at New York’s Coney Island.

Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi has won the last five times and last year prevailed by consuming 53 1/2 hot dogs (and buns) in 12 minutes. Joey Chestnut holds the U.S. record: 50 hot dogs.

Not surprisingly, there is wagering available for today’s contest.

Kobayashi is the clear favorite, according to Intertops.com. But Chestnut is not a bad pick at plus 4 1/2 hot dogs.

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Trivia time: Boston’s Manny Ramirez has hit at least 20 home runs for the 12th season in a row. Ten other major league players have had 12 or more consecutive seasons with at least 20 homers. Who were they?

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Going soft: Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun confessed after watching the U.S. Women’s Open, albeit reluctantly, that he has become a fan of women’s golf.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” he wrote. “But I’m afraid I might be on that proverbial slippery slope that could lead just about anywhere.

“Next thing you know, I’ll be hanging out at WNBA playoffs and writing about Title IX and generally being a sensitive guy.”

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Star qualities: Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle likes what he sees in Charlotte Bobcat-bound Adam Morrison, who “has Pete Maravich floppyness and funk, and Kevin McHale gangle.”

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Screwball humor: Joel Zumaya, a former Southland prep star now throwing 100-mph fastballs for the Detroit Tigers, explained to the Detroit Free Press that he developed his technique as a child -- by throwing eggs at cars.

The San Diego Chicken is not impressed.

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Gone to Maui: Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reasons that the TV ratings edge NASCAR holds over other sports is due largely to its stars showing for every event.

“The Pepsi 400 -- a run-of-the-mill midseason race on a holiday weekend -- is a prime example,” the columnist writes. “If this had been the John Deere Pepsi Classic on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods would have been off bungee jumping in New Zealand and Phil Mickelson would be in the midst of a three-week sail-boarding vacation in Maui.”

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A match for the ages: On this date in 1982, Jimmy Connors beat John McEnroe, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, in the longest men’s championship match -- 4 hours 16 minutes -- at Wimbledon.

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Trivia answer: Hank Aaron, 20 (1955-74), Babe Ruth, 16 (1919-34), Willie Mays, 15 (1954-68), Barry Bonds, 15 (1990-2004), Eddie Mathews, 14 (1952-65), Mike Schmidt, 14 (1974-87), Rafael Palmeiro, 14 (1991-2004), Billy Williams, 13 (1961-73), Willie Stargell, 13 (1964-76), Reggie Jackson, 13 (1968-80).

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And finally: Ray Connolly of the London Daily Mail, on the aftermath of England’s quarterfinal loss to Portugal: “Waking up yesterday morning was like suddenly recovering from a period of temporary national insanity, regaining consciousness from a loony dream to discover that we were all naked, covered only in a cheap, flimsy flag of St. George which hadn’t worked its magic. How silly we felt!”