Wis. Town Holds Annual 'Toilet Bowl'

[January 03, 2008]  HUSTISFORD, Wis. (AP) -- It might lack the pomp and pageantry of the Rose Bowl, but for some residents of this small community northwest of Milwaukee, their annual "Toilet Bowl" is the biggest game of the year.

"This is the biggest thing in Hustisford," said Phil Nehls, one of the event's founders. It was held Tuesday for the 43rd time.

Begun as a pickup game of tackle football among friends to work off their New Year's hangovers, the event has grown into a fundraiser for the local fire department.

As they presided over Tuesday's parade, King Justin Perschke and Queen Bobbi Niemuth ducked toilet paper rolls lobbed at them along the route by spectators.

An ancient John Deere tractor with toilet paper draped on it dragged a case of beer along the route. And several Green Bay Packers fans painted their shaven heads to look like the team's helmets.

"We come early to get front-row seats," said Patty Herbst of Germantown, who took her two young grandchildren to watch the parade.

The crowd eventually made its way to Fireman's Park, where two teams played football on a snow-covered field without benefit of helmets or pads.

Randy Peplinski scored the winning touchdown for the blue team, but not before nearly losing his pants in an earlier tackle.

[Associated Press]

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