NOTE: The chorizo finished third, behind the winning bratwurst and the Italian sausage. The game drew 43,000, a sellout for Milwaukee, well above what the game normally would have drawn.
Even if you are a vegetarian who hates baseball, you still have to appreciate grown people dressing up as sausages at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
The classic 4 contenders — hot dog, Italian sausage, Polish sausage, and bratwurst — are about to get a new partner. Chorizo, a tasty Mexican sausage, will be the 5th contestant. The sausages race each other down the left field line behind home plate and up the right field line at the tope of the 7th inning during Brewers home games.
It's nice to see a nod to the Latino community. Milwaukee has the German-American image with its sausage and beer, but the city has a significant African-American and Latino population.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Latino community leaders lobbied for the change; the announcement was timed to coincide with Cerveceros Day, set for Saturday night at Miller Park.
Saturday will be the only day for the Chorizo this year. The sausage will get full-time status next year. Apparently, Major League Baseball requires a waiting period for new mascots, uniforms or logo changes, usually 12 to 18 months. Bernie the Brewer (not a hot dog) is the only mascot in my mind; the rest are just the condiments on the ... uh, never mind.
The sausages at Miller Park are quite good, and the condiments include sauerkraut, special sauce (a barbecue), and special mustard.
Photo credit: Morry Gash/AP Photo