Sabbath shortens Ill. pumpkin-toss contest

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PEKIN, Ill., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Organizers the annual Punkin' Chuckin' Contest in Pekin, Ill., is being shortened by one day this year because a key player wishes to observe the Sabbath.

The contest usually runs two days but this year it will be limited to this Saturday because an owner of one of the fields used for the contest considers Sunday to be reserved for activities of a less-secular nature.

"Saturday will be a busy day," Susan Pyles, spokeswoman for the Morton Tourism Association told the Peoria (Ill.) Journal-Star. "A dozen teams have signed up to participate, but we'll probably have at least 20."

Those dozen or so teams will come armed with homemade catapults capable of hurling pumpkins way out into the fields. The distance record of 4,895 feet was set in 2001 by the still formidable Aludium Q38 Pumpkin Modulator.

Pyles said about 500 pumpkins would go flying through the air Saturday in rural Pekin.

Things will get back to normal in time for church Sunday.