Hot dogged effort: YouTuber and friends attempt the 999 Challenge

Barefoot, Tyler Murphy made his way around the diamond, leaping his way into home base and scoring his team a run before cracking open a beer and plopping down on the grass for an “exclusive interview” with the film production’s on-field reporter.

Murphy was one of about a dozen to participate in the 999 Challenge on Saturday, Aug. 3 at Jones Park in Dartmouth. 

Preston DaPonte said he first heard of the challenge online where people attempt to consume nine hot dogs and beers while watching nine innings of baseball. 

DaPonte was intrigued, but more so at the idea of playing the game for the challenge while filming it for his self-titled YouTube Channel. 

“I know that if people watching even have half as much fun as we’re going to have today, I’ve done my job — I’ve brought some comedy into the world and that’s what I love doing,” he said.

All the logistic elements of hosting the challenge were handled, DaPonte said, including the park rental, liability paperwork, verifying everyone was of age and having a medic on standby. 

Before the start of the game, out on the field, players competed to consume their first beer and hot dog, with the winning team granted the decision of whether they’d like to bat first.

With a green screen propped up behind them in the parking lot, Commentators Dan Sun and Philip DaPonte kept spectators, and future viewers, entertained as the game began.

Molly Frackleton and Tori Johnson watched the game from the sidelines. 

Frackleton said when her boyfriend first asked if she’d help him with the challenge, her first thought was, “That sounds terrible,” but she decided to help anyway. 

Johnson said she was left “speechless” at the idea of her boyfriend and friends doing the challenge, but added, “I can’t say I’m surprised because it’s in line with the usual behavior. It’s just a little upscale of a production this time.”

She said she was asked to play, but “immediately” rejected the idea: “I’m not built to do that.”

Jaime Doyle, one of the players, said he hadn’t slept well the night before, “but the team’s feeling good, we are going to get out there and hit some balls.”

Aidan Goddu, Doyle’s teammate, said he was feeling more enthusiastic than others for having thought they were just going to watch a Cape League game for the challenge. 

 However, he didn’t have high hopes for the challenge overall.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to get past six of anything,” he predicted — and it turned out he was right. 

After six innings of drunk baseball and too many hot dogs, “people were just not feeling great,” Preston DaPonte said. 

The players’ advice? “Don’t do this”  and “don’t try this at home.”

The video will be available on DaPonte’s YouTube channel later this month.