About the Milwaukee Brewers' Racing Sausages
Bratwurst. Polish. Italian. Hot Dog. Chorizo.
Brewers fans have been cheering for one sausage or another during their race at the bottom of the sixth inning for more than 30 years. What started as a cartoon competition on a County Stadium scoreboard made its way to Miller Park (now American Family Field) as a treasured Milwaukee tradition.
The real-life Racing Sausages debuted June 27, 1993, and gave rise to live-action mascot races throughout Major League Baseball, such as racing presidents and pierogis. The idea to take the links from the scoreboard to the field came from Michael Dillon, who worked as a graphic designer with McDill Design at the time, and their first appearance was a surprise to almost everyone in the ballpark.
The matchup of 7-foot-tall encased meats was sponsored by Klement’s until 2018, when Johnsonville took the reins.
The sausages have had their ups and downs over time. Among the wurst: In 2003, then-Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Randall Simon whacked the Italian Sausage with a bat, causing the Hot Dog to tumble as well. Both finished the race, thanks to an assist from the Polish (the Bratwurst won). There was also the time in 2013 that the Italian Sausage’s casing (er, costume) was stolen (and ultimately returned) in Cedarburg. A few years later, Hot Dog took a tumble and brought Chorizo and Bratwurst along with him. And as recently as the team’s 2024 season opener, Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton narrowly missed being taken out by Bratwurst.
No matter the wiener, Milwaukee will always love its Racing Sausages.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: About the Milwaukee Brewers' Racing Sausages
