Jan 31, 2023 - Things to Do
The heated rivalry between Punxsutawney Phil and Buckeye Chuck
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The famous Gobbler's Knob outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Photos: Tyler Buchanan/Axios
👋 Alissa here. Last Groundhog Day I made the inexcusable oversight of only citing Punxsutawney Phil's forecast in our newsletter.
- A few of you kindly pointed out the error, which I certainly won't make twice.
Why it matters: Pennsylvania's Phil may be nationally famous. But smart Ohioans know our official state groundhog is Marion's Buckeye Chuck, a title Ohio's legislature bestowed upon the original groundhog way back in 1979.
- Fans and journalists have passionately debated the rival groundhogs' prognosticating abilities for years.
What we're watching: Event host WMRN-AM is still advertising a live Buckeye Chuck event for 7am Thursday.
- But last week, a spokesperson told the Marion Star it was "unclear" if the groundhog would make an appearance following criticism from PETA and closure of the business that supplied the animal.
📬 We want to know: What forecast will you be watching? Are you on Team Chuck or Team Phil? Email [email protected].
