Not that anyone was checking….until now.

The Hagerstown Suns will be celebrating the 100th birthday of the hot dog at their June 8 game. As part of the birthday bash, hot dogs will be a $1 throughout the game, there will be a hot dog eating contest, “Happy Birthday” will be sung to the hot dog, and the first pitch will be thrown out by the Esskay Hot Dog Man. Plus, the fan that finds a gold ticket in their hot dog wrapper will win free hot dogs for the rest of the season. (team PR)

The team seemed to admit in their promotional information that the date may be disputed, with a quick check I found this:

The American story of the invention of the hot dog, like the hamburger and ice cream cone, is often attributed to the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. However, similar sausages were made and consumed in Europe, particularly in Germany, as early as 1864. The hot dog’s association with baseball also predates the 1904 Exposition. St. Louis Browns owner Chris von der Ahe sold them at his ballpark in the 1880s. (wikipedia)

Whoops.

Actually I think this is all in good fun, but I think the team should have had a silent prize to the first person who uncovered their ficticious date (like me) and given them a ride in the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile (since I have long dreamed of that).

Maybe I will follow the (male) LA Angel’s fan who, because he didn’t get a Mother’s day gift bag, sued the team. 

Hagerstown Suns…you have been warned!

-Cudo

PS:  Of course, I jest…this is a fun promotion.  Just like I like my dogs….well done.

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