The Hamilton County Fair has put the kibosh on an ursine competitive eater named Lakota, reports Kimball Perry of the Cincinnati Enquirer.


…there were complaints that the bear (shown above) was being treated poorly because he was being œforced to participate against people in a pizza-eating contest. That™s true.

œHe loves pizza. Pepperoni is his favorite. We think he™s Italian because he likes pizza, said Mazzola, whose heritage is Italian.

Lakota has been taking on all comers since the fair opened Wednesday. A large pizza is placed in front of the bear. Any volunteer who wants to participate can win $100 by eating the entire pizza before Lakota finishes his pizza.

Lakota remains undefeated.

No truth to the rumor that Reds interim manager Pete Mackanin planned to try Lakota at 1B until Wayne Krivsky overruled him.

And come to think of it, you couldn’t pay me $100 to eat a large from any pizza place in Cincinnati, least of all the one that’s often said to be the city’s best.