Jerry Ryan and Sheena Collum at the PlayDay South Orange Sloppy Joe Eating Contest, sponsored by Town Hall Deli.
In the most closely contested political race since Truman beat Dewey, Maplewood Township Committeeman Jerry Ryan bested South Orange Trustee Sheena Collum in a Sloppy Joe sandwich eating competition today.
The race, which took place at PlayDay South Orange, was tight: Ryan beat Collum by a meager quarter slice of a sandwich.
Some said the contest was not a fair fight.
“Pound for pound, Sheena won,” said a disgruntled bystander, noting that the 6’2″ Ryan, who would only give his weight as “big,” had an unfair advantage over the 5’3″ 129.5 lb. Collum.
Collum clearly worked to make the contest exciting, drinking copious amounts of water in the days leading up to the event to stretch her stomach and reading up on strategies for winning food eating contests.
When asked about his training regimen, Ryan said he had been preparing “for the past 53 years.”
Both Collum and Ryan were gracious in the aftermath. Collum immediately proffered a check for $100 made out to the Maplewood First Aid Squad — in answer to a wager she had made pre-contest with Ryan.
Although Ryan won, in a show of largesse, he said that he would nonetheless write a check for $100 to the South Orange Rescue Squad.
The event was sponsored by Town Hall Deli, birthplace of the Sloppy Joe.
Watch it all unfold below (skip to the 3:00 mark for the actual eating contest):
