20 Years Later, the Sausages Still Rule

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the first live-action race of the Klements Famous Racing Sausages. Before that fateful day in 1993, the participants were an on-again, off-again scoreboard feature meant as a clever way to tie the official sausage of the Milwaukee Brewers with the in-game experience. Besides eating them, of course.

Today the sausages begin the next 20 years of dominance in the mascot racing world. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

Since then, the Hot Dog, Bratwurst, Polish, Italian, and Chorizo have become fixtures at Miller Park and a Wisconsin Institution. They are the longest-running mascot race in professional sports and, to our knowledge, the most famous anthropomorphic smoked meat products in the world.

Here are some quick fun facts about the sausages, so you can know the reigning champions of racing mascots a little better.

• The first ever live-action sausage race was won by Bratwurst. Always bet on Bratwurst.
• The sausages have names: Chorizo is Cinco, Italian is Guido, Bratwurst is Brett Wurst, Polish goes by Stosh, and the Hot Dog is named Frankie Furter
• So far, the Italian Sausage is the only known sausage-napping victim in the United States, though it is thought thousands of events go unreported annually
• Currently, the Italian Sausage and Chorizo are tied with 10 wins apiece, Brat and Polish have nine, and Hot Dog is lagging behind with only 2 victories

As their popularity continues to grow, they have been imitated several times over. While they are certainly rivaled by some organizations, there’s no question that the sausage race is unparalleled in its greatness. With that in mind, we take some time off from covering baseball to breakdown why no other mascot race can beat out the Sausages.

The Racing Pierogies

Pierogies are fine for eating – not for racing.(Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

The Pittsburgh Pirates, as our friends at Rum Bunter will tell you, have always had something of an inferiority complex when it comes to the Milwaukee Brewers. Sadly, this silly feud came to full steam when the Pirates began their own racing tradition – the Pierogies.

Look at them. What a mess. First off – the Sausages get a ten for style. Like the Holiday Folk Fair in sausage form. Each one sparkles with their own unique personality. The pierogies are a jumbled mess of colored hats, foam and cartoon hands. They certainly don’t look very appetizing or fun to be around. (Ed.’s note: Pierogies are legit. Just not in mascot form.)

Not to mention the stones it takes for a team to copy mascot racing after the famous 2003 incident when Pirates first baseman Randall Simon SMASHED A SAUSAGE IN THE FACE WITH A BAT.

Poor taste, Pirates.

Texas Legends Race

Oh Texas, never stop being you. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

The Texas Rangers previously held the record of biggest phone-in mascot race in history with the Dots. That’s right — just three colored dots racing to give fans free bottled water.

Seeing the potential for something more they introduced the Texas Legends – Jim Bowie, Davey Crockett, Sam Houston, and Nolan Ryan race at every Arlington Stadium game. Crockett carries his rifle, Bowie his famous knife, and Nolan Ryan runs terrified from them.

I don’t know about you, but my idea of wholesome, all-American fun is not two armed men running wildly through a crowded public place. But then again, I’m not from Texas.

I’m also a big fan of expanding on a consistent theme with your race, and I just don’t get it here. Texas has plenty of history — I don’t think they needed to mix genres. It got further diluted when they added famous Houston Oilers running back and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell  into the mix because they didn’t think it looked enough like a crappy costume party that nobody really wanted to be at.

Get it together, guys.

The Presidents Race

I tried really hard to come up with some good zingers for the Presidential races at Nationals Ballpark, but the truth is it’s really hard. Next to the Racing Sausages, the Presidents are the only clear front-runner for the throne.

It has everything you need for a good mascot race: continuity, local

I bet on Teddy BEFORE it was cool. (

-USA TODAY Sports)

significance, and great fan involvement. They even expanded well – they’ve since added William Howard Taft to the mix to bring in a nice piece of Presidential baseball history. Taft invented the seventh-inning stretch when he found his seat was cutting off his girth most unpleasantly, and social protocol being what it is – you stand when POTUS stands.

Thus a tradition we never knew we needed was born. Much like mascot racing and baseball in general, there is much that defies understanding.

The problem is that the Nationals sold out. Once they realized that the much-maligned Teddy Roosevelt and his tremendous losing streak was a viral hit, they began doctoring results. Even his first win only occurred when the other participants were filibustered before the finish line.

Washington, D.C. needs real leaders — now more than ever. So much for pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, Teddy.

The Sea Creature Race

I will not say much about the Miami Marlins’ addition to the pantheon of mascot racing. Taking some of the majestic creatures dwelling in the sea just outside of Marlins Stadium and running them around the warning track seems like a great idea and a fun way to bring some extra excitement to the dozens of fans attending home games.

But the Marlins went totally Marlins on it.

Starting from the cold, dead heart of Jeffery Loria and finishing in your child’s nightmares – it’s The Great Sea Race! (Photo from Marlins Official Twitter feed)

Like the dried out husk of the franchise they call home, the sea creatures are haunting, gaudy, and completely devoid of the extra effort needed to make it in the cutthroat world of Big League Mascot Racing.

Pepsi Bottle Race

The Pepsi Bottles have the money, sure, but where’s the heart? (photo from tampabay.com)

I saw this during a research stint on the Fox Sports website, and it reminded me how commercialized the mascot races are getting. It used to be about the joy of the game, you guys.

From what I can tell, the Pepsi Bottle race looks a heck of lot like Tropicana Field, the stadium they call home and whom their parent company owns the naming rights to: they are poorly built and no one seems to like them very much.

Even still, they’ve been going strong since the beginning of the century with strong corporate backing and they get an extra nod for having a co-ed roster of racers. Maybe someday we will be able to share the joy of the Pepsi bottle race with our grandchildren.

The Atlanta Tool Race

This one really gets my goat. At least with the Pepsi Bottle Race you have some

Doesn’t that just say it all about races trying to compete with our Sausages? (photo from sacrificefly.blogspot.com)

frame of reference for their inclusion in the game. Pepsi obviously has a vested interest in keeping fans entertained during games in the Trop. Sure, there’s no real tie-in to the team’s history or greater viewing market, but they’re young. They’ll get there.

Atlanta, on the other hand, has no excuses. Here they have this rich, storied, history of baseball greatness in a culturally rich and diverse area with literally endless reams of material with which to fashion racing mascots, and what do they do?

They have the audacity to bring out a handful hand tools stamped with Home Depot on them for a between-innings trot around the field. If there’s no connection to the environment they’re racing in, then what are working for here? It’s just a bunch of crap dancing around on the field for no reason.

For shame, Braves. To think you once called Milwaukee your home.