PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Professional wrestling star Mick Foley was ejected from the Wing Bowl eating contest Friday after stuffing uneaten chicken wings into a fanny pack.
People following the event on social media dubbed Foley's attempt at boosting his wing total "inflate gate," a play on the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots' deflated football controversy.
Chicago's Patrick Bertoletti won with a Wing Bowl record 444 wings in 26 minutes. He edged out 2014 champion Molly Schuyler, of Bellevue, Nebraska, who eclipsed her record 363-wing mark with 440 wings.
The fan-favorite Foley, who's known in the ring as Mankind, said after his ouster that he didn't want to overstuff himself and get sick, like other competitors.
"I didn't want that to be my legacy," said Foley. "So I stretched the rules. I thought people would appreciate that, right here in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!"
Wing Bowl started in 1993 as a way for Philadelphia's long-suffering sports fans to blow off steam before the Super Bowl.
About 20,000 people gathered at the Wells Fargo Arena — home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers — to drink beer and watch scantily clad women serve competitors wings.
