Niles, Morton Grove Mayors Battle In Pizza-Eating Contest For Good Cause

Four mayors suited up in snazzy "Pizza Wars 4" t-shirts Thursday to compete against each other in a pizza-eating contest. Lincolnwood Mayor Jerry Turry even wore a dapper bow tie peeking out of his t-shirt, scorning fears of mozzarella stains.

They took their seats at a long table at Niles West High School, with members of the District 219 High School Educational Foundation cheering them on. The foundation had asked the mayors to compete to create excitement around Pizza Wars 4, a tasting event which helps the foundation raise money for D219 students in financial need--as if Pizza Wars 4 needed any more excitement.

Morton Grove Mayor Dan DiMaria, Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen and Niles Mayor Andrew Przybylo competed in the eating contest along with Turry. They're mayors of the four towns within High School District 219's boundaries; the winner would be determined by who ate the most pizza in the designated five-minute period.  

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Emcee duties were performed by affable Niles Township Trustee Mark Collins, who coached and joked with the mayors.

Watch the video accompanying this story to see how the mayors joked, jibed, wise-cracked and chewed their way through the skirmish. 

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At the end, Collins asked onlookers to help judge the winner--or rather, eliminate the losers. Turry acknowledged he had eaten the least, and the task of judging the other three was complicated by the fact Przybylo ate the middle out of his pizza, leaving a circle of crust, whereas the others had eaten whole slices. 

The crowd declared DiMaria and Van Dusen co-winners, Przybylo in second place and Turry in third.  After applause, it was time for Pizza Wars 4 attendees to enter the gym and start lining up at the tables of the 10 participating pizzerias for slices.