Milwaukee's Famous Racing Sausages made a rare out-of-the-baseball season appearance Fri., Jan. 12, in downtown Milwaukee. The Hot Dog was there, as were the brat, Polish and Italian. Yep, the whole doggone bunch was meeting and greeting with weary rush hour commuters and handing out free goodies, including OnMilwaukee.com and Brew City Beer Gear t-shirts. All the while, OMC's very own Mike Brenner serenaded passersby with his accordion.

Did you miss this big event? We hope not, because it even made the front page of the daily paper the next morning and two television newscasts. Here's our photo recap and bios of each of the day's stars. Please enjoy.

From www.milwaukeebrewers.com:

Klement's Racing Hot Dog (19 WINS)

Hot Dog, also known as Wiener (or Frank to his closest friends), is an All-American favorite of both the young and old. He's worked hard to deserve this reputation over the years. The simplicity of Hot Dog is what makes his so popular. He tries his best in what he does, and knows the effort was there even if the win was not.

People cannot help but to love Hot Dog. His happy-go-lucky personality brings a smile to the crowds face. It is a consistent effort of his opponents to get some sort of a rise out of Hot Dog. If you listen closely during a race, you are sure you are sure to hear the ferocious comments. To the others dismay, he is usually able to brush off these comments, and ignore their childlike behavior.

Hot Dog comes to the Brewers after being recognized in his three successful completions of the Boston Marathon. He trains hard for the event with his relatives Cheese Dog, Chili Dog, Chicago Style Hot Dog, and Corn Dog, being the only one of his family to complete the race. His recognized ability brought him to the Brewers, where competition is only part of his gratification. He also participates for the enjoyment it brings to him and all of the wonderful fans.

Klement's Racing Polish Sausage (17 WINS)

Polish Sausage has come to Milwaukee after years of coaching high school cross-country. He is most notable for his effective way of racing. Many lose confidence on him at the beginning of his races because of his slow starts. However, when the time comes to make his move, Polish Sausage always closes the gap. When the others are tired from exerting too much energy at the beginning of a race, he makes a strong finish look easy.

To many, he is the underdog of the crew. Do not overlook him because he will surprise you. His years of coaching have helped him develop a running style which may be unstoppable. His vast knowledge of running, gathered in the hills of Warsaw, makes him a credible competitor. Unfortunately, for his opponents, he consistently tries to give tips to others on the sidelines before and after races. Confident that their styles are perfection, they annoyingly walk away from him a majority of the time.

For the fans, Polish Sausage seems to get lost in the shuffle with his humble personality. He is a gracious competitor, and chooses to demonstrate his ability with action and not his mouth. So, although you may not hear much out of him, do not forget what he can do.

Klement's Racing Bratwurst (23 WINS)

Bratwurst comes to the Brewers after years of Olympic training on the German National team, never quite making it past the trials. He is intimidating to the other participants with his muscular physique. Bratwurst trains like a machine, not missing a day of lifting weights in years. He is very competitive, and wants nothing more than to win every race. Watch out though, he may stop at nothing to be the best. Hot Dog once found his shoes in the trash only minutes before a race, but nothing was ever proven.

Bratwurst relishes his aggressive approach to racing. His determination of winning pushes him to a fast start at the beginning, but tends to lose wind towards the end. However, his evident drive for success gains the respect of the fans.

Another downfall to Bratwurst's performance is his trick ankles. The years of basketball he played in his native Germany have proved to be somewhat detrimental in his races. As long as those ankles hold out, Bratwurst will give anyone a good run for their money.

Klement's Racing Italian Sausage (17 WINS)

The Italian Sausage is the suave one of the bunch. He makes everything look easy and never even breaks a sweat. His spicy personality usually wins over the crowd, and has been known to talk his way out of many sticky situations. Unfortunately, his downfall is that his mouth sometimes works a little faster and more effective than his legs.

Italian Sausage began running as a leisure activity, and began racing only for fun. He is one of the better known competitors, being an actor and all. You may remember him from some of his more popular movies, "Sausages Are A Butcher's Best Friend" and "Sausages, Sausages, and More Sausages". His experience in acting has given him an incentive to always be in the limelight, motivating him to finish first. Besides the attention he receives, he enjoys the aura of excitement given off by the crowd. He came to the attention of the Brewers by word of mouth from the Italian media. Someone of this caliber and popularity is sure to pump up the fans.

He may win you over with his persuasive speaking ability. Be careful though, when the spirit of the crowd is not in the air, the confidence he has in himself also seems to fade. After watching him closely in many races, it is evident that the louder the crowd cheers, the faster he will go.