ARLINGTON, Texas — Yu Darvish won't be the only big thing making a debut when the Texas Rangers open the season next month at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Texas will debut its newest culinary creation — the Champion Dog — when the club plays the Chicago White Sox on April 6.
The hot dog isn't for those watching their waistlines, as the all-beef frank weighs in at a full pound — before the toppings. It's also not for those watching their wallets, as the dog that measures nearly 2 feet in length will come with a sticker price of $26.
"We wanted something that somebody would walk up to and go, 'Wow,'" said Philip Wheatley, the park's food and beverage director. "We obviously do hot dogs well. We worked with a local purveyor of ours to come up with something that big. We just thought a one-pound hot dog would be a fun thing to do, more so for the look. Hopefully people will enjoy it."
Presentation will be key for the dog, which will be topped with shredded cheese, chili and sautéed onions. It will also be served with fries. When you order one of the monstrosities at the Captain Morgan sports bar, it will be brought out on a 2-foot-long cutting board.
"We envision the waiters coming out with this item and everybody going, 'Look at that,'" Wheatley said.
The dog, which is supposed to feed four people, will also be available at a concession stand in the park. How it will be presented there is yet to be determined.
"It's going to be fun to see," said executive chef Cristobal Vazquez. "It's quite a bit of food. It's huge. You have to see it."
The Rangers have done things big at the ballpark before. Last year they unveiled the three-pound pretzel, which featured a variety of dipping sauces. And it was at the old Arlington Stadium that the nachos made their debut and became a ballpark staple back in the 1970s.
