Beer-mashing,babesandElWingadorhighlightWingBowl

by Ron D'Orazio sports editor

Eating marshmallow fluff, chowing on multiple cheesesteaks and scarfing down 24 stuffed shells in 12 minutes were just some of the accomplishments used to qualify 22 contestants for the seventh annual Wing Bowl.

The Wing Bowl is a pre-Super Bowl buffalo wing-eating contest held at the Spectrum on the Friday before the Super Bowl. The Wing Bowl has been held for the past seven years at various sites around the city of Philadelphia, such as the Wyndham-Franklin tures to the audience.

Plaza and the Electric Factory, before settling on the Spectrum two years ago.

The Wing Bowl, incorporated into 610 WIP's morning show, was emceed by radio personality Angelo Cataldi, the host of the morning show. At approximately 6:45 a.m., Cataldi started to rouse the crowd with the introduction of the contestants, who each made a lap around the Spectrum floor during theme songs.

Each contestant came around the floor with two "Wingettes," as they are called, their female cheerleaders for the contest.

The Wingettes are comprised of some of the cheerleaders from three Philadelphia sports teams: the Wings, the Kixx and the 76ers, as well as employees of local gentlemen's clubs and other women from around the area.

The contestants used props and other people to help enhance either their nickname or theme as they made their walk to the eating table. For example, one of the wing-eaters, Cheeseboy, had people throw slices of American cheese into the crowd as part of the effort to get them fired up for the show.

Cataldi finally grabbed the crowd's attention as he let Major League Baseball umpire Eric Gregg officially start the Wing Bowl. The contestants were given 30 minutes to throw down as many platters of wings as they could with two breaks.

The wing-eaters started at Gregg's command, with their Wingettes cheering them on.

The morning team gave commentary to the crowd about who wa~ leading and who was falling behind.

During the 15-minute intermission, the contestants received a break from ~ting as the crowd was serenaded by Tyrone, a man from Philadelphia, who sang a self-penned song called "Wing Bowl Happy." Only the top ten at this point made it to the second round.

The contestants continued at a furious pace to start the second 15-minute session. The man called El Wingador slowly took the lead away from War Pig, who had eaten 65 wings by halftime.

Second-place winner Flex poses with one of the Wingettes. Flex ate 100 wings in 30 minutes.

As 8:00 a.m. rolled around, the contestants settled down to eat, but not before Mize, one of the wing-eaters, energized the early-morning crowd, bursting six full beer cans by banging them against his head. Then the crowd of over 10,000roared in disapproval as the man known as Superfan ran around the Spectrum, waving his hands and making ges-

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The contest came down to the final two minute rush between War Pig and El Wingador. As time was winding down, War Pig, who had eaten almost I 00 wings, made history by being the first-ever Wing Bowl contestant to throw up during the event.

According to Wing Bowl laws, "if you heave, you leave." Following the incident, Gregg threw out War Pig like he would a

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The disqualification of War Pig allowed El Wingador to cruise to victory and become the 1999 Wing Bowl King.

"I am not even full," El Wingador said after devouring 115 wings in the 30 minute span.

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