Wing Bowl…

February 11, 2022 by willcain

Every year, for years, there was an eating competition in Philadelphia held every Friday before the Superbowl as an alternative to the Eagles again not making it into the big game. Once the Eagles won the Superbowl a few years back, Wing Bowl was ended.

Wing Bowl was a wing eating contest filled with all around debauchery. 20,000 attended annually.Boobs, butts and blowing chunks it was just plain trashy.

It started very simply as a contest. In fact, there was a time where the “Wingettes” were friends and family of the folks running the event. They wore sweathshirts and jeans. Twenty years later, any amount of clothing was too much. It was one of those things that, every year, I hated to cover. When I’d mention it to my editors on the phone, I could sense it as they cringed.

Some of the former participants remain in the news. Recently, one of the original winners, El Wingador, was busted again for cocaine possession in Nebraska.

That said, here is a look back at some of the craziness.

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 4: Bill “El Wingador” Simmons celebrates with family and friends after winning Wing Bowl 13 by eating 162 buffalo wings in an overtime round at the Wachovia Center February 4, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 20,000 spectators gathered to watch a buffalo wing eating contest. Wing Bowl started 13 years ago when a Philadelphia radio personality came up with the idea as an alternative to the Superbowl because he believed the Philadelphia Eagles would never again make it to the Superbowl. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California celebrates after winning Wing Bowl 15 by eating 182 buffalo wings and breaking his own world record February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: Doug Les Petocle of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania competes and feigns vomiting during Wing Bowl 15 February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: Members of The Indian Butcher’s entourage parade into the Wachovia Center during Wing Bowl 15 February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 1: Members of “Dave the Dumpster’s entourage enter the stadium for Wing Bowl 16 at the Wachovia Center February 1, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 20,000 people came to watch Joey Chestnut win Wing Bowl 16 by eating 241 buffalo wings. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 1: Members of “Wing Kong’s” entourage enter the stadium for Wing Bowl 16 at the Wachovia Center February 1, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 20,000 people came to watch Joey Chestnut win Wing Bowl 16 by eating 241 buffalo wings. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: A group of Wingettes pose for photos during Wing Bowl 15 February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: Damaging Doug’s entourage parades into the Wachovia Center during Wing Bowl 15 February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 4: 20,000 people showed up at 5 a.m. to see Wing Bowl 13 at the Wachovia Center February 4, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 20,000 spectators gathered to watch a buffalo wing eating contest. Wing Bowl started 13 years ago when a Philadelphia radio personality came up with the idea as an alternative to the Superbowl because he believed the Philadelphia Eagles would never again make it to the Superbowl. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 4: George Hunt (L) and Drew Saunders cheers during Wing Bowl 13 at the Wachovia Center February 4, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 20,000 spectators gathered to watch a buffalo wing eating contest. Wing Bowl started 13 years ago when a Philadelphia radio personality came up with the idea as an alternative to the Superbowl because he believed the Philadelphia Eagles would never again make it to the Superbowl. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 4: during Wing Bowl 13 at the Wachovia Center February 4, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 20,000 spectators gathered to watch a buffalo wing eating contest. Wing Bowl started 13 years ago when a Philadelphia radio personality came up with the idea as an alternative to the Superbowl because he believed the Philadelphia Eagles would never again make it to the Superbowl. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 1: Members of “The Bull Dog’s” entourage enter the stadium for Wing Bowl 16 at the Wachovia Center February 1, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 20,000 people came to watch Joey Chestnut win Wing Bowl 16 by eating 241 buffalo wings. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 2: “Dr. Slob” Tim Cusich of West Chester, Pennsylvania and his entourage of nurses parade into the Wachovia Center during Wing Bowl 15 February 2, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 15,000 people came to watch 25 contestants eat buffalo wings in the annual competition. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA – FEBRUARY 4: Wingettes walk onstage during Wing Bowl 13 at the Wachovia Center February 4, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 20,000 spectators gathered to watch a buffalo wing eating contest. Wing Bowl started 13 years ago when a Philadelphia radio personality came up with the idea as an alternative to the Superbowl because he believed the Philadelphia Eagles would never again make it to the Superbowl. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

Basketball, Basketball and More Basketball ….It’s Championship Weekend

March 21, 2016 by willcain

I spent last Friday and Saturday in Hershey at the Giant Center photographing PIAA Championship basketball games. On Friday for the Inquirer and Saturday for the Intelligencer. Lots of great action, joyful moments and also, sad moments. Overall fun time making the pictures though. I had a system in place, shoot the first half, transmit pictures then shoot a bit more in the fourth and then make pictures of the jubilation or dejection, depending upon how the teams I was covering fared. In three of the five games I photographed, the team from southeastern Pennsylvania won the state championship in their class.

It was a great photographic weekend. 🙂

See some of the images below.

From left, Archbishop Wood’s Claire Bassetti, Bailey Greenberg, Erin Morgan and Emma Stanfield celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

Archbishop Wood celebrates after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

From left, Archbishop Wood’s Meg Neher #34 and Claire Bassetti #44 carry the championship trophy off the court as they celebrate after defeating Villa Maria to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Saturday March 19, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (Photo By William Thomas Cain) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Vaughn Covington and Mike Milsip and their teammates celebrate after defeating Mars 99-66 to win the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Quade Green makes a layup as Mars Christian Schmitt #23 defends in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SBNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Vaughn Covington #0 dribbles up court after stealing the ball from Mars Sam Morrissey #13 in the second quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class AAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti team members hold the trophy in the air after defeating North Star to win the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SGNEUM19P Neumann-Goretti’s Jada Russell #22 attempts to block a pass by North Star’s Courtney Schlock #5 in the fourth quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Kennedy Catholic’s Sagaba Konate #50 lands on top of Math, Civics and Sciences Malik Archer #3 in the first quarter of the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SMATH19P Math, Civics and Sciences players dejectedly sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter against Kennedy Catholic in the boys basketball PIAA Class A state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Kennedy Catholic defeated Math, Civics and Sciences 71-60 to win the PIAA Class A championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P Cumberland Valley’s Morgan Baughman #24 grabs a rebound as Cardinal O’Hara’s Mary Sheehan #13 and Mackenzie Gardler #14 defend in the second quarter of the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

SOHARA19P From left, Cardinal O’Hara’s Lauren Leicht, Bridgette Hoy, Kristen Denoncour and Maura Hendrixson sit on the bench in the last seconds of the fourth quarter as they lose to Cumberland Valley in the girls basketball PIAA Class AAAA state championship game Friday March 18, 2016 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cumberland Valley defeated Cardinal O’Hara to win the PIAA Class AAAA state championship. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/For The Inquirer) (William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

Some clips:

Lansdale Catholic vs. Bethlehem Catholic

June 10, 2014 by willcain

LYONS, PA – JUNE 09: Lansdale Catholic’s Kristin Szczepaniak (C) is carried off the field by
Silvia Sokol (L) and assistant coach Frank Rose (R) in the late in the game during the PIAA Class
AAA softball semifinal June 9, 2014 in Lyons, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem won 4-1.
(Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

LYONS, PA – JUNE 09: Lansdale Catholic’s Greta Sheridan is congratulated after hitting a home run
during the PIAA Class AAA softball semifinal June 9, 2014 in Lyons, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem won 4-1.
(Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

LYONS, PA – JUNE 09: Lansdale Catholic’s shortstop Amanda Bradley tries to throw out a runner at
first base during the PIAA Class AAA softball semifinal June 9, 2014 in Lyons, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

LYONS, PA – JUNE 09: Lansdale Catholic’s second baseman Bridey Harkins (19) loses the ball as
Bethlehem’s Julia Madison (12) slides safely into second base in the first inning during the PIAA Class
AAA softball semifinal June 9, 2014 in Lyons, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem won 4-1.
(Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

LYONS, PA – JUNE 09: Bethlehem’s Brooke Rau (15) stands safely on third base as Lansdale Catholic’s
Alyssa Messina (9) attempts to tag her during the PIAA Class AAA softball semifinal June 9, 2014 in
Lyons, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem won 4-1. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Cain Images)

CAIN IMAGES

Tag: girls

Wing Bowl…

Basketball, Basketball and More Basketball ….It’s Championship Weekend

Lansdale Catholic vs. Bethlehem Catholic