January 27–February 3, 2000

wingbowl

Wing Nuts

This year’s top ten Wing Bowl contenders.

A lot of stats and intangibles have to be considered before you place your bets on a Wing Bowl contestant: Does he have the stamina? Is experience a factor? Does gut equal guts? There are 22 big eaters in this year’s event and we’re giving you a lowdown on the top ten. Yeah, a dark horse is always possible (don’t forget: 12th-ranked Curly von Burly did eat a two-pound cheesesteak in three minutes and 14th-ranked Grand Slam Jerry consumed seven Denny’s breakfasts in 35 minutes), but more than likely the winner will be one of the following, ranked 1 to 10:

 

	The wing king: Can El Wingador fly to the top of the heap once again?

1. El Wingador

Age: 38

Height: 6’5"

Weight: 300

Occupation: Truck Driver

Manager: Heavy Kevvy

Qualifying stunt: Didn’t have to perform one

Personal motto/battle cry: Doesn’t need one

Wing Bowl career highlights: Won Wing Bowl ’99

Odds of winning: 1 to 1

El Wingador will be driven to Wing Bowl 2000 in a 14-passenger limousine provided by Nantucket Nectars. "But I’m sitting in the front because that’s the kind of guy I am," he says. He’ll drive to the stage on a Harley. Always low-key, El prefers to forgo the trash talk and hype and just eat wings. He readily admits the field is heavier this year than last year, but still considers himself a guaranteed win. Look for El to appear on The Montel Williams Show on Feb. 23. He’s currently looking for people to invest in "El Wingador Wing Sauce."

 

2. War Pig

Age: 29

Height: 6’5"

Weight: 365

Occupation: Works at Shop Rite

Manager: Shop Rite owner Bruce Zallie

Qualifying stunt: Ate six ears of corn in one minute

Personal motto/battle cry: No need for one, either

Wing Bowl career highlights: Vomited at Wing Bowl ’99, was disqualified

Odds of winning: 3 to 2

 

3. Damaging Doug

Age: 28

Height: 6’2"

Weight: 465

Occupation: Eater

Manager: Evil Ed

Qualifying stunt: Ate 35 wings in five minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "You’re never going to take me alive, copper!"

Wing Bowl career highlights: Won Wing Bowl 5, recently vomited in WIP studios while attempting to drink a gallon of beer

Odds of winning: 2 to 1

 

4. Hank the Tank

Age: 22

Height: 6’3"

Weight: 320

Occupation: Student football player at Cheyney University

Manager: Major Mike

Qualifying stunt: Ate six pounds of Mama Rosi meatballs in 41 minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "It doesn’t matter."

Wing Bowl career highlights: Finished 11th in Wing Bowl ’99

Odds of winning: 3 to 1

 

		The wind beneath his wings: War Pig and admirers.

5. The Package

Age: 34

Height: 6’6"

Weight: 600

Occupation: Cook

Manager: The Eggman

Qualifying stunt: Ate a Melrose Diner cake that serves 35 in 45 minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "Aloha!"

Wing Bowl career highlights: Rookie

Odds of winning: 3 to 1

 

6. Tollman Joe

Age: 48

Height: 6’2"

Weight: 347

Occupation: Toll collector

Manager: John Schillig

Qualifying stunt: Consumed 12 cream-filled donuts and a quart of chocolate milk in five minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "Chicken wings, get in my belly!"

Wing Bowl career highlights: Rookie ("But I’m gonna win!")

Odds of winning: 6 to 1

 

7. Kid Knish

Age: 39

Height: 6’0"

Weight: 225

Occupation: Undisclosed

Managers: Fran and Jay

Qualifying stunt: Ate a six-and-a-half-pound gefilte fish, then drank the gelatin

Personal motto/battle cry: "Messin’ with the Kid"

Wing Bowl career highlights: Rookie

Odds of winning: 6 to 1

 

8. The Goat

Age: 35

Height: 6’4"

Weight: 260

Occupation: Concrete salesman

Manager: E-Dog

Qualifying stunt: Ate 24 shrimp (still in shells), a lemon, a lime, an orange and a pound of raw scrapple in 15 minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "The Goat and his beautiful wife will enjoy Aruba."

Wing Bowl career highlights: Rookie

Odds of winning: 7 to 1

 

9. Wing 2 J

Age: 23

Height: 6’7"

Weight: 287

Occupation: Computer engineer

Manager: Self-managed

Qualifying stunt: Ate 15 soft tacos and a chalupa while trapped in a homemade drive-in window

Personal motto/battle cry: "I am the Wing 2 J problem."

Wing Bowl career highlights: Rookie

Odds of winning: 10 to 1

 

10. Dough Boy

Age: 28

Height: 6’2"

Weight: 375

Occupation: Radon technician

Manager: Bill Waters

Qualifying stunt: Ate eight raw hot dogs wrapped in raw dough in five minutes

Personal motto/battle cry: "Make room or I’ll make it myself!"

Wing Bowl career highlights: Finished 7th in Wing Bowl 7

Odds of winning: 12 to 1