The Attack of the Giant Pumpkins

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — A rippled white gourd weighing in at 1,969 pounds took the title for plumpest pumpkin at an annual San Francisco Bay Area contest.

Growers gathered Monday with their massive pumpkins to try to break the world record of 2,323 pounds, set by a Swiss grower during a competition in Germany last year.

It didn't happen.

But the winning entry at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off was no small feat. Steve Daletas of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, won $12,000 for his lumpy, 1,969-pound gourd.

A $500 prize was also awarded to the "most beautiful" pumpkin based on color, shape and size.

Last year, grower John Hawkley set a North American record with a 2,058-pound pumpkin. He returned to defend his title, and his pumpkin registered 1,447 pounds.