MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It may not immediately come to mind as a major American holiday, but July 23 was National Hot Dog Day. July is also Hot Dog Month. To celebrate, teams of St. Paul and Minneapolis police officers faced off in an eating contest for charity.

The rules were simple; eat as many as possible in 5 minutes. Unlike that famous contest in New York each summer, this contest required competitors to eat their dogs with a pile of toppings; a pickle spear, hot peppers, onions, mustard, tomatoes and relish.

“I noticed that,” said newcomer Carl Schwartz, an officer on the St. Paul team. “That’s why I’m going for one per minute. That’s the best I’m trying for.”

Defending champion Carl White, a Minneapolis patrolman, looked over the competition and summed up his strategy.

“I think I’m gonna watch. Stay one (hotdog) ahead and see how that goes,” said White.

Hot dog aficionado Rob Dubnecay, the owner of the restaurant sponsoring the contest, said hot dogs often get a bum rap. Dubnecay claims that a quality Chicago dog is not made from animal by-products, nor is it high in fatty calories.

“When you put it [all] together, the 100 percent beef dog and a poppy-seed bun … equals 227calories,” said Dubnecay.

In the end, it was the defending champ White who prevailed. He fell short of last year’s record of 7 and a half fully loaded hotdogs in 5 minutes, but he left with the trophy, a $925 check for the Minneapolis Police Federation’s Charity Fund and one simple wish for his afternoon on patrol.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to get out and run,” said White.