food and stereotypes, pt. 2

Who doesn’t love the sausage races? (OK, maybe Randall Simon.) The races are a staple at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers (and home of some of the best ballpark food in the majors), and feature the super-sized sausages of many nations (OK, four) racing around the bases for glory, pride of country, and the pure thrill of competition.

Did I say four nations? Make that five:

Wearing an oversized brown sombrero and a bright yellow shirt emblazoned with the No. 5, Chorizo became the fifth pork product to join the famed sausage races at every Milwaukee Brewers home game.

He signed a contract with Brewers general manager Doug Melvin at a news conference at the stadium and then trotted around the bases.

Chorizo, also known as "El Picante," will race for the first time on Saturday against the other sausages -- Italian, bratwurst, Polish and hot dog. But that'll be the only time this year he runs in the Klement's Sausage races, which have taken place at every home game since 2000.

Are sausage races fun? Yeah, kind of. Are they racially, uh, insensitive? Yeah, kind of. But, in a time when America is becoming increasingly xenophobic, isn’t it great to see that we can still embrace diversity on the playing field?

. . . or the dinner plate?

Take that Tom Tancredo!