The chorizo gets its day in the sun

In what is surely a sign of the growing muscle of Hispanics in the U.S., the chorizo is set to become the fifth sausage in the sausage race around the bases that occurs before the seventh inning of every baseball game at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Beginning on Saturday, a lucky fan at each game will don a nine-foot foam chorizo outfit complete with sombrero (see photo), immerse him- or herself in the persona of “Mr. Picante,” and do battle with fans representing a hot dog, a bratwurst, an Italian sausage and a Polish sausage. Maria Monreal-Cameron of Wisconsin’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce exulted, “His skin tone is the actual color of chorizo sausage. It’s perfect.” His main competition: Guido, the Italian sausage, who has taken top honors in 19 races so far this year. Picante should also be on the alert for random acts of violence. Three years ago, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Randall Simon took out the Italian and Polish sausages with a light tap to Guido’s head.

—Posted by Brian Morrissey

Photo: Milwaukee Brewers

July 28, 2006 in Morrissey | Permalink