Bleacher Bits: Guido back in swing for Brewers

Baseball fans across the country wait with giddy anticipation to hear the magical words "pitchers and catchers report," signifying the first day of spring training and the return of the National Pastime.

Fans of the Milwaukee Brewers held their collective breath as if in the presence of some spoiled limburger recently, until they heard the four words they had been so longing to hear when it was announced that "Guido has been found."

It seems that Guido, the Italian sausage that races around Miller Park with four other sausages before the bottom of the 6th inning of Brewers home games, had flown the bun.

The five racing sausages, known as the Klement's Racing Sausages are a promotion of Milwaukee's Klement's Sausage Company, began racing in the early 1990s, and even attend charity events with proceeds going to the Brewers Community Foundation.

It was reported that the Guido costume (spoiler alert — it's actually people inside 7-foot sausage costumes), turned up missing from a storeroom inside a Wisconsin curling club Feb. 16.

On Wednesday, accompanied by two men, one of whom had a hoodie pulled tightly over his face, Guido was dropped off at a Cedarburg, Wis. bar.

"They lugged the larger-than-life link into the bar just before 8 p.m. Wednesday, plopped him on a bar stool and warned staff, 'You didn't see a thing,'" bartender Jen Mohney told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

"Like I didn't just see two guys plop a sausage on a bar stool."

Yahoo! Sports reported Thursday that a reward was issued by a local mustard company for Guido, estimated to be worth $3,000.

It did not appear whoever returned the costume wants the reward, possibly because a police investigation continues.

The Internet was abuzz with news of Guido's return, as there were Racing Sausage links everywhere.

A rumor that began here said that Guido may have actually been holding out for better condiments.

None of his other cousins in casings — Brett Wurst (bratwurst), Stosh (Polish sausage), Frankie Furter (hot dog) or Cinco (chorizo) were available for comment, but it is expected that Guido will be welcomed back with relish.

CONTACT Craig Purcell at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com.