Hot-Dog Champ is Coming To Brooklyn, Manager Insists http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/manager-insists-kobayashi-is-coming-to-brooklyn/ Coney Island History Project http://www.coneyislandhistory.org/ National Hot Dog & Sausage Council http://www.hot-dog.org/ Takeru-Kobayashi.com [Macromedia Flash Player] http://takeru-kobayashi.com/ International Federation of Competitive Eating http://www.ifoce.com/home.php Surf Avenue in Brooklyn is always a pretty happening place in the summer and visitors flock from around the globe to take in the always lively Mermaid Parade, snap a few photos of the well-worn souvenir shops, and grab a hot dog at Nathan's Famous. One particular visitor has been a staple at Nathan's Famous over the past few years, but his visit is all business. That visitor is one Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, who is perhaps the world's most famous competitive eater. Kobayashi has become the darling of the competitive eating set by consuming copious quantities of dumplings, cakes, and hot dogs. He is perhaps best known for his ability to eat a staggering number of hot dogs at the annual 4th of July Nathan's Famous hot dog eating event which happens right at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island. Unfortunately, Kobayashi announced this week that he has suffered a severe jaw injury, commenting on his blog that "My jaw refused to fight any more". He remains committed to attending the festivities at Nathan's Famous, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to actively compete against such noted rivals as Joey Chestnut and Ed "Cookie" Jarvis. The first link will take users to a news article from the Times Online about Kobayashi's recent jaw injury. The second link leads to a news story from this Wednesday's New York Times which indicates that Kobayashi will in fact be participating in both the hot dog eating contest at Nathan's Famous and a subsequent pizza eating contest the following week. Moving along, the third link leads to the very fun and interesting Coney Island History Project website. On the site, visitors can listen to different oral histories, browse through historic photo galleries, and learn more about this urban playground. The fourth link leads to the homepage of the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, where visitors can look over recipes, trivia, and historic photos of celebrities with their encased meat treats. The fifth link leads to Kobayashi's official homepage where visitors can read his blog and learn more about his life and passion for competitive eating. Finally, the last link leads to the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) website. It is worth noting that on the site, the Federation draws a firm line in the sand by empathically noting, "The IFOCE strongly discourages younger individuals from eating for speed or quantity under any circumstances."