The Origin Of The Hot Dog Might Be Wrong

July is "Hot Dog Month" and Wednesday July 19th is "National Hot Dog Day" with the July 4th weekend upon us, there will be many hot dogs consumed. The hot dog was invented in Germany and was named after the German word for "dachshund." So where did the term "hot dog" come from?

How Did The "Hot Dog" Get Its Name

It's believed that the term "hot dog" got its name in 1901 at the New York Polo Grounds baseball stadium. It was a cold day in April when concessionaire Harry Stevens was losing money with ice cream and soda.

He decided to buy all the dachshund sausages and rolls that he could get his hands on. The vendors would shout "Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot." Now we know where the term "Get your red hots here" came from too.

In the press box, sports cartoonist Tad Dorgan was getting close to his deadline and needed an idea. He heard the vendors yelling and drew a cartoon of barking dachshund sausages laying warmly in rolls.

How The Hot Dog Got Its Name Myth

Dorgan was having trouble spelling "dachshund" (me too) and he wrote "hotdog" instead. The cartoon was a big hit and the rest as they say is history...or was it. It turns out that this may be a myth because a couple of facts don't add up. You can check it out for yourself here.

Either way, it's a cool story for a hot dog. Alright, it's time to get our grill on with America's favorite food. Here are some things that you should know, I call it "Hot Dog Etiquette."

.Hot Dog Etiquette

Here are a few of the Do and Don'ts when you're eating America's sacred food

Don't put hot dog toppings between the hot dog and the bun. Always "dress the dog" and not the bun.

Don't take more than five bites to finish a hot dog. If it's a foot-long then seven bites is okay.

Don't ever think that there is a bad time to serve hot dogs.

Do eat hot dogs on a bun with your hands. Forks/knives should NEVER touch a hot dog on a bun.

Do use paper plates when you eat or are handing out hot dogs. The fancy china is a no-no and besides who wants to clean up when you can just throw it away.

Do lick your fingers after eating a hot dog. Any remaining ketchup or mustard shouldn't be washed or wiped off..