"Long live the racing sausages" - John Oliver discusses Milwaukee Brewers odd but entertaining Sausage Race on his show
In what has been a staple at the then-Milwaukee County Stadium, the Milwaukee Brewers' Sausage Race has been one of the most exciting novelty parts of a baseball game for a good three decades now.
What was originally a promotion for the Klement's Sausage Company that was based in Milwaukee and served at the County Stadium, the "Famous Racing Sausages" race is now sponsored by Johnsohnville sausages and is a staple at the Brewers' home games.
In what was just a snippet on the award-winning late-night show Last Week Tonight show, host John Oliver referenced the race in the previous week's episode regarding electrical utility companies. Oliver described the race as "just the way it has been. It doesn't make sense, and it might never change. Long live the racing sausages."
This was a response to Duke Energy's communications manager Randy Wheeless, who was asked in a separate interview if things would change about the almost unregulated electrical utility sector, and his response was that it was "just the way it has been."
The late-night host fired shots at the argument, saying that the justification made by Wheeless was never a good sign of something that was still happening. This is due to the exorbitant fees that electrical utility companies pass on to their customers without improvement or even, at times, bare maintenance of their services.
Milwaukee Brewers Sausage Race history
The Milwaukee Brewers Sausage Race began in early 1990s as a computer graphic on the scoreboard of the County Stadium. It originally only had three participants—The Bratwurst, The Polish, and The Italian.
It wasn't until June 27, 1993, that a live version of the mascots raced on the stadium's track. It was the Bratwurst, that was worn by Milwaukee graphic designer Michael Dillon—the one who pitched the idea to then-Milwaukee Brewers VP of operations Gabe Paul to make the race a live action one—who coincidentally won the race.
The race that is held before the bottom of the sixth inning has since added the Hotdog and the Chorizo to the lineup. It is a spectacle that has drawn attention from fans and players alike. Even visiting players show their enthusiasm when the race commences.
Speaking of players, the likes of Mark Grace, Geoff Jenkins, Hideo Nomo, and even the NFL's Green Bay Packers wide receiver Javon Walker once participated in the race themselves. It is truly a tradition that puts a smile on everyone's faces whenever it happens. Long live the Racing Sausages!