The Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas, offers a Free 72 oz. Steak—if you can finish it in less than an hour.
I’ve done it seven times.
The meal consists of a shrimp cocktail, dinner salad, roll and butter, baked potato and The Steak. Yes, it 72 ounces—that’s four and-a-half pounds—about the size of a large phone book.
And no, I didn’t get sick—not once.
Of course it’s good. Delicious in fact!
No, I can’t do it with any other food. I tried, got sick every time—and I gave up.
The secret? It’s all in the wrist—the cutting motion is a lot like throwing a nasty slider.
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.
My fastest time—and the world record for almost 21 years—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. Continued... |