CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Enough food to fuel a family reunion adorned the table in front of where Kevin Kiermaier sat, awaiting his charity challenge.
The Rays center fielder's task: Take down the feast prepared and served at Clearwater's Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill.
Kiermaier prepared for the feast by eating his morning oatmeal with raspberries and then later having a light lunch.
"I love steak," Kiermaier prior to digging in. "I'm hungry enough to eat the whole thing. I'm ready to eat, but I'm not [competitive eating champion] Joey Chestnut."
Included amid the impressive display of food were a 35-ounce bone-in ribeye, vegetables, two salads, two regular sides and a bag of homemade donuts.
Kiermaier has been known to make a can of corn out of just about anything that sails into the Tropicana Field outfield. This challenge proved to be the fly ball that never came down for the American League Gold Glove Award winner.
In the end, Kiermaier ate two-thirds of the steak, left some vegetables and salad and most of the donuts.
Still, Joshua House, Kiermaier's charity of choice, came out $4,000 richer because of his bold attempt.
"Obviously, the full dinner usually feeds two to three people," said Sergio Mankita, Smokey Bones' director of marketing, who noted they did not expect Kiermaier to finish the feast, nor did he have to do so to collect for Friends of Joshua House.
Mankita said that Thursday night's challenge was staged to help the charity while also promoting what he called a "shareable dinner."
"We hope to do other ones in other markets with professional athletes," Mankita said. "Some maybe in football, some maybe baseball, some maybe basketball. But he's kicking this off and we're appreciative of him being able to do so."
Friends of Joshua House is a safe haven for abused, abandoned and neglected children, offering a therapeutic residential group care program that provides a protected, nurturing, family-like environment for children ages 6 to 17. These children have been removed from their homes due to crisis, and many have been through multiple foster homes. Those wishing to learn more can go to http://www.friendsofjoshuahouse.org/about-us.