Miller Park, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the home of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. This MLB venue is famous for its retractable roof, Home Run Slide, great food at American Family Field, and the Famous Racing Sausages. In this article, we’ll explore the history of the sausage race, the five different sausages, the runners’ backstories, and other fun trivia for those visiting Miller Park.
The sausage race began in the early 1990s as a scoreboard animation featuring three sausages – Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, and Italian Sausage – as a promotional strategy for Klement’s Sausage. Two additional sausages, Hot Dog and Chorizo, were added later on. The first official race took place on June 27, 1993, during a Milwaukee County Stadium game. The race currently takes place at Miller Park before the start of the bottom of the sixth inning, with the runners lining up between the dugout and third baseline on the warning track.
The five racing sausages at Miller Park are Bratwurst, Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage, Hot Dog, and Chorizo. Each runner who participates in the race has a unique backstory. Bratwurst is the most aggressive of the runners, having been an Olympic trainee who never made it past the trials. Polish Sausage is a former high school cross-country coach who likes to start each race slowly and then build up speed towards the end. Italian Sausage is a crowd favorite, having been in numerous films, and tends to make the race look easy. Hot Dog is a real All-American favorite, having recently been added to the race, while Chorizo, who wears a sombrero, spent many years training overseas and keeps his exercise work ethic a secret.
Notable ballplayers and celebrities have also participated in the sausage race, including Geoff Jenkins, Pat Meares, Mark Grace, Hideo Nomo, and Javon Walker, a Green Bay Packers wide receiver who raced in 2004. However, in 2003, an opposing player hit one of the sausages with his bat, causing the mascot to fall.
In addition to running during baseball games, the Famous Racing Sausages can be found at many local events, including charity events around the state. Although imitators can be found around the league, the Milwaukee Brewers‘ racing sausage event is unique due to the fans’ passion for each contestant and their backstory.
For fans planning to visit Miller Park, it is essential to check out American Family Field parking tips beforehand.