For the first time since their creation in 1993, the Brewers' Famous Racing Sausages have an opportunity to take center stage during the World Series. Milwaukee punched its ticket to the Fall Classic by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
The Brewers' previous appearance came in 1982, more than a decade before the Racing Sausages first stepped onto a baseball field.
How the Brewers' Famous Racing Sausages Started
The Racing Sausages began as a simple animated race on the scoreboard at Milwaukee County Stadium. The original competition featured three characters representing some of Milwaukee's most popular sausages: the Bratwurst, Polish Sausage and Italian Sausage.
The concept eventually caught the attention of local graphic designer Michael Dillon, who approached Brewers vice president of operations Gabe Paul in 1992 about transforming the scoreboard animation into a live event.
The idea became a reality on June 27, 1993, during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. With 45,580 fans in attendance, the scoreboard animation suddenly gave way to something nobody was expecting. Three enormous sausage mascots emerged from the left-field corner and raced toward home plate.
The players and umpires had not been informed of the surprise. Dillon himself wore the Bratwurst costume and won the inaugural race. His business partner, Dan Necci, portrayed the Italian Sausage, while Jeff Paul, the son of the Brewers executive, raced as the Polish Sausage.
Interestingly, the original costumes were homemade creations from foam rubber, contact cement and spray paint. Dillon later explained that visibility was so limited inside the costume that the racers could barely see where they were going. The group had practiced once before making their debut.
From Three Sausages to Five
The Brewers initially staged live sausage races only on selected dates, particularly games expected to attract larger crowds. In 1994, the race returned on May 29, the same day Milwaukee retired Hall of Famer Robin Yount's No. 19.
The Hot Dog joined the original trio during the 1990s, expanding to four racers. By 2000, the team's final season at County Stadium, the live race had become a regular part of the Brewers' home-game experience. The tradition followed the franchise to Miller Park in 2001.
The fifth competitor, Chorizo, made his debut in 2006 as part of the Brewers' celebration of Hispanic heritage. He became a permanent member of the lineup in 2007.
The Racing Sausages Have Had Their Share of Controversy
One of the strangest incidents in baseball history occured on July 9, 2003, when Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Randall Simon struck the Italian Sausage with a bat during a game at Miller Park. The person inside the costume, Mandy Wagner, fell to the ground.
Simon was arrested following the incident and ultimately received a three-game suspension from Major League Baseball. He was also fined. Wagner later said he believed the incident received more attention than it deserved. Simon apologized, and the two eventually spoke by telephone.
A decade later, another bizarre incident made headlines when an Italian Sausage costume disappeared following an appearance at a Wisconsin curling club fundraiser. The missing costume was eventually returned after two men brought it into a bar and left it on a stool.
The sausages have also made appearances at MLB All-Star Games, starred in ESPN commercials and inspired similar mascot races across the league. The prospect of the Famous Racing Sausages appearing on baseball's biggest stage adds another memorable storyline to Milwaukee's remarkable season.
The Brewers are scheduled to begin the 2026 World Series on Oct. 23.
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