Hempstead Fireman wins clam eating contest

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The Third Annual Long Island Clam Eating Contest took place Sunday at Peter’s Clam Bar in Island Park. Firefighters from Island Park, Oceanside, Long Beach, Lakeview, Baldwin, Point Lookout, North Lindenhurst, East Rockaway and others took part.

First place went to Charles Hendry from Hempstead who devoured 144 clams total and won $2500 for his Firehouse, Pete Adams from Island Park took second place, 120 clams total, and won $1,000 for his and in third place was Augie Deriggi of North Lindenhurst who ate 136 clams total and took back $500.

International food-eating champion, Ed "Cookie" Jarvis, who holds several world records and the American record for eating 30 half hot dogs in 10 minutes, kicked off the contest weekend on Wednesday giving lessons in how to devour clams in record time.

The current World Record for clam eating is 26 dozen Cherrystone Clams in six minutes set at Peter’s Clam Bar in 2010.

The first coastal inhabitants of New York called Long Island the “Island of Shells” in recognition of the vast numbers of clam, oyster and other shells deposited on its shore. According to the New York Seafood Council, in the 1970s more than half of the clams eaten in the nation were from our waters. At their peak population, clams filtered 40% of the water within the bay and contributed over $100 million to the local economy.

Peter’s Clam Bar is in its 76th years of serving clams to the Long Islanders. Owner Butch Yamali, an honorary Island Park Fireman, started hosting the contest three years ago as a way to benefit South Shore firehouses that sustained damages from Hurricane Sandy.