1915-1987: speed eating contests
In some countries, speed eating is considered a sport. During competitions, participants compete with each other in consuming as much food as possible in the allotted time - usually no more than 15 minutes.
In the USA, this type of competition has been known for quite a long time, being one of the traditional entertainments at rural fairs. Some organizers of such competitions set cash prizes for the winners, the size of which can reach up to 10 thousand dollars.
There are even several organizations in the world that position themselves as professional federations for high-speed eating - for example, IFOCE (International Federation of High-Speed Eating) and All Pro Eating.
1915. Watermelon Eating Contest in Cincinnati, State Ohio.
July 4, 1919. A pie-eating contest as part of the Independence Day celebration.
1920. Lois and Ruth Waddell ate a total of 204 oysters.
1922. A donut-eating contest organized by the Salvation Army.
September 7, 1934. Pie-eating contest at the Chicago World's Fair.
1939. 12-year-old Joseph Rubolotta became the world champion in eating donuts at a competition in New York.
November 4, 1948. The girls of Broadway shows compete in a competition for eating spaghetti without hands.
1948. 6-year-old Richard Baranski enjoys his victory after eating a 10-inch cranberry pie in 15 seconds.
1950. Watermelon eating contest in Rome, Italy.
November 29, 1950. The boys practice before a pie-eating contest at the Los Angeles Food Show.
November 19, 1952. Sausage eating contest in Munich, Germany. The winner (second from left) ate 15 sausages in 1 minute and 45 seconds.
July 25, 1952. London students are trying to eat suspended potatoes.
May 13, 1954. Denver patrolman Joe Hale poses with the winners of the pie-eating contest.
1958. Viewers watch Joe Steele take part in a food eating contest.
December 5, 1967. A contestant attacks a plate of spaghetti at the Alpino restaurant in London.
August 22, 1968. 12-year-old Michelle Billingslay during a pie-eating contest in Denver, Colorado.
August 18, 1976. An elementary school student participates in a pie-eating contest in Denver, Colorado.
April 20, 1978. Dave Vose grimaces before winning a food eating contest held in memory of the infamous Colorado cannibal Alfred Packer.
April 13, 1984. Dan Blumstein eats during the Alfred Packer Competition.
September 20, 1985. Men compete in a rib-eating contest in Denver, Colorado.
September 2, 1987. A Denver Broncos player participates in a charity rib-eating contest in Denver.
1950.