Hot diggity dog! Our crack St. Louis Browns Historical Society research crew has uncovered another Brownie record: In 1893, the Browns became the first team in the history of baseball to sell hotdogs to fans.
From the History of the Hot Dog over at hot-dog.org:
The year was 1893. In Chicago that year, the Colombian Exposition brought hordes of visitors who consumed large quantities of sausages sold by vendors. People liked this food that was easy to eat, convenient and inexpensive. Hot dog historian Bruce Kraig, Ph.D., says the Germans always ate the dachshund sausages with bread. Since the sausage culture is German, it is likely that Germans introduced the practice of eating the dachshund sausages, which we today know as the hot dog, nestled in a bun.
Standard fare at baseball parks.
Also in 1893, sausages became the standard fare at baseball parks. This tradition is believed to have been started by a St. Louis bar owner, Chris Von de Ahe, a German immigrant who also owned the St. Louis Browns major league baseball team.
Inventing the hot dog bun.
Many hot dog historians chafe at the suggestion that today's hot dog on a bun was introduced during the St. Louis "Louisiana Purchase Exposition" in 1904 by Bavarian concessionaire, Anton Feuchtwanger. As the story goes, he loaned white gloves to his patrons to hold his piping hot sausages. Because most of the gloves were not returned, the supply began running low. He reportedly asked his brother-in-law, a baker, for help.
The baker improvised long soft rolls that fit the meat - thus inventing the hot dog bun.
According to Busch Stadium Facts, in one year, the stadium sells:
540,000 hot dogs;
181,000 pounds of nacho chips; and
32,000 gallons of nacho cheese.
Go Cards! Go Alka-Seltzer!
Standard fare at baseball parks.
