Brewers’ Racing Sausages make baseball history!
he Racing Sausages began as a scoreboard animation in the early 1990s and became a live on‑field race on June 27, 1993, growing into the five‑mascot tradition Brewers fans know today.
📜 Origins: From Scoreboard Animation to Live Action
The race started as an animated scoreboard feature at Milwaukee County Stadium in the early 1990s, showing Bratwurst, Polish, and Italian sausages racing through Milwaukee scenes
.
In fall 1992, Milwaukee graphic designer Michael Dillon pitched the idea of turning the animation into a live event
.
On June 27, 1993, during a Brewers–Blue Jays game, the scoreboard animation suddenly stopped, the left‑field gate opened, and three oversized foam sausages ran toward home plate—the first live Sausage Race
. Dillon wore the Bratwurst costume and won.
🌭 Expansion of the Sausage Lineup
The race initially featured three sausages (Bratwurst, Polish, Italian).
Over time, the lineup expanded:
- Hot Dog joined in the mid‑1990s3 .
- Chorizo debuted in 2006 for Cerveceros Day and became a full‑time racer in 2007 after MLB rules allowed new mascots only between seasons 4.
4 Sources
By 2007, the modern five‑sausage lineup was complete.
🎪 Becoming a Brewers Tradition
Initially run only on select high‑attendance days, the race became a fixture at every home game starting in 1994
.
It continued when the Brewers moved from County Stadium to Miller Park in 2001 and now runs at American Family Field
.
The sausages also appear at charity events, ESPN commercials, and even compete in relay races against the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Racing Pierogies
.
⚠️ Famous Incidents & Controversies
Several memorable moments have shaped the race’s lore:
- Randall Simon incident (2003): The Pirates first baseman tapped the Italian Sausage costume with a bat, knocking over two runners. Simon was arrested, fined, and suspended three games 4.
- Italian Sausage disappearance (2013): The costume went missing after a fundraiser and reappeared two weeks later at a Cedarburg bar, left by two unidentified men 4.
- Copycat races: Other MLB teams created their own versions, including the Nationals’ Presidents Race and Pittsburgh’s Pierogies 3.
🧵 Cultural Impact & Preservation
The Racing Sausages have become a Wisconsin cultural icon, reflecting the state’s deep ties to sausage‑making and immigrant food traditions
.
The Wisconsin Historical Society now preserves the original 1993 costumes, restoring them for future display at the Wisconsin History Center
.
🏆 Today: A Beloved Part of Brewers Baseball
As of 2026, the sausages are enjoying renewed attention with the Brewers’ World Series run, marking their first chance to appear on baseball’s biggest stage
The above news article was written with the assistance of AI
.
Leave a Reply