Frank Pastore played eight years in the Majors and made it to the playoffs just once. And while some might speculate that his crowning achievement as a big leaguer were those seven innings of two-run ball back in the 1979 NLCS, others know it was something else.
For nearly a decade, he was host of one of Christian talk radio’s most popular programs, but not even that compares to this.
Pastore, who died in 2012 following a motor cycle accident, was an eating machine. So much so, the former pitcher once even held a record for his skills at the, ummm…plate.
You see, “World Famous” Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas has a challenge and Pastore took them to task. You can read up on the rules HERE or just know this…they want you to eat 72 ounces of steak.
And it turns out, our guy did it. Seven times!
“The first time I did it was in February 1976, on my way to my first Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds, and I did it in 21 minutes. That fall, on my way home, I completed it in 19 minutes. The next spring, 17; on the way home, 15; the following spring, 13; then 11 on the way home in 1978,” Pastore said in 2008. “My fastest time was set in May 1987 in which I did it in 9½ minutes. I thought it would be my last time through town, since my career was coming to an end, and I was right. I haven’t been back to the most famous steak house in the world since then.”
Pastore held the record for close to 21 years until Joey Chestnut bested his time. Back in March 2008, the competitive eater and ten-time winner of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating champ devoured the steak dinner in eight minutes and 52 seconds.
The current record holder is Molly Schuyler.
“I’ve always been so proud of the record,” Pastore added. “In many ways, I’m more known for The Steak than I am for my 8-year mediocre pitching career or my radio show in Los Angeles.“
Can someone please pass the Tums?
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