There's no denying that today, there's nothing like being a hot dog nation

By Ryan Aber

Published: July 4, 2008

The relationship between sports and hot dogs is a long one.

Some stories say Chris von der Ahe, a German immigrant who owned the St. Louis Browns, brought together baseball and the hot dog. Others attribute the marriage to Harry Stevens and the Polo Grounds.

Either way, the combination of baseball and sausage on a bun has worked.

Babe Ruth reportedly gorged on 24 hot dogs between games of a doubleheader.

In Milwaukee, what started out as a scoreboard race in the early 1990s evolved into live sausage mascots — a bratwurst, a Polish sausage, an Italian sausage and a hot dog — racing around County Stadium and then Miller Park.

The promotion was first a Sundays-only event. In 2000, it became a fixture of every Brewers game.

Last year, after a guest appearance in 2006, a chorizo was added to the mix.

In recent years, hot dogs have gone from a side attraction to the main event.

Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, spurred by Takeru Kobayashi's dominance in recent years, has turned hot dog-eating into a spectator sport.

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