It’s been more than 7 years since Comerica Park weiner-peddler Charley Marcuse, aka The Singing Hot Dog Man, made a CSTB appearance. If Tigers concessionaire Sports Service has their way, this could be the last one ; The Detroit News’ Tony Paul reports Marcuse was deemed surplus to requirements for the Tigers’ 2013 playoff run.
There are rumblings the real reason was ketchup — or Marcuse’s disdain for it. Marcuse, at the ballpark and on Twitter, has been a strong crusader for only putting mustard on a frank. And some fans thought he got combative when they asked for ketchup. There were complaints filed.
Asked whether condiments actually were behind his dismissal, Marcuse was vague.
“It was general employee conduct,” he said, relaying the reason he was given. “I’ve vended the same way for the past 15 years, so there’s nothing new to any of this.”
“They’ve asked me to have ketchup certainly,” Marcuse said. “And I do carry ketchup.”
But for him, mustard is all that belongs on a hot dog. He even parlayed his Tigers fame into his own line of mustard, Charley’s Ballpark Mustard, sold by many area grocers.
“Kids come up to me,” said Marcuse, “and say, ‘Hey, 10 years ago you taught me to just put mustard on a hot dog.’”