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First-timer wins Wing Bowl championship

Jonathan Squibb of Berlin, N.J., aka Super Squibb, celebrates a successful first round of wing eating on his way to winning Wing Bowl 17 and a new car. He demolished 203 wings as well as the competition. (Alejandro Alvarez / Staff Photographer)
Jonathan Squibb of Berlin, N.J., aka Super Squibb, celebrates a successful first round of wing eating on his way to winning Wing Bowl 17 and a new car. He demolished 203 wings as well as the competition. (Alejandro Alvarez / Staff Photographer)Read more
    by Bob McGovern
    Published 

PHILADELPHIA - Jonathan Squibb, a skinny 23-year-old from Winslow Township, N.J., is the new Wing Bowl champion.

Super Squibb, as he is known, tore through 203 wings - 23 more than second place finisher Not Rich and 50 more than third place eaters Hank the Tank and Da Disposal - while chomping his way to glory and a brand new Mini Cooper automobile.

Going into the competition, the Rutgers University and Winslow Township High School graduate was ranked with 9 to 1 odds by 610 WIP talker Al Morganti, who created Wing Bowl at the sports talk station 17 years ago as a diversion for sports fans mired in a pro sports championship drought.

“Nobody believed in me but my family, but I knew I could do it,” said Squibb, who is “in career transition.”

He planned to celebrate tonight with family and friends. What was his secret?

“It’s more up here than down here,” he explained, pointing first to his brain, then his stomach.

Squibb said he will return to defend his crown next year at Wing Bowl 18, which could feature the return of three-time Wing Bowl champion Joey Chestnut, a professional eater who lives in San Jose, California. He won Wing Bowl in 2006, 2007 and 2008, when the event was open to professional eaters. This year's wing-off was open to amateurs only, as organizers wanted to restore a local flair to the event, held again at the Wachovia Center.

A few familiar faces were spotted at the event.

New Orleans Saints lineman Jahri Evans chose the Wing Bowl over the Super Bowl. The football player, born at Frankford Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, attended in an old-school Phillies jacket and cap.

Pennsylvania State Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery made the event a little more honorable. His Honor, a huge fan of Wing Bowl, represented the Super Bowl-bound Steelers with a black-and-gold Steelers sweatshirt.

"I'm still an Eagles fan," McCaffery said, adding that he makes sure to serve the whole state.

Toastee from VH1's "Flavor of Love 2" and "I Love Money" watched the action as well. Toastee, aka Jennifer Toof, who hails from the Philadelphia suburbs, was as a Wingette for the odds-on favorite, 504-pounder "Damaging Doug" Canavin. Wingettes are the young women who make up each eater's contingent of supporters.

In the field of competitors were Glutieus Waximus, Obi Wing, Da Disposal, Frank De Fraud and Hank the Tank.