Come To Think of It: Popular Ballpark Foods and Who They Resemble

It's been rumored that Babe Ruth once consumed 12 hot dogs and eight bottles of soda between games in a doubleheader...and was rushed to the hospital afterward with a Hall-of-Fame case of indigestion.

Yes, the mighty dog is usually associated with Babe Ruth or Reggie Jackson, but let's make this a bit more current.

Biggest Hot Dog: The Cubs' Alfonso Soriano, for that little "hop" he does while catching (or dropping) a fly ball.

There's nothing like a nice slice of pizza during a ballgame. It goes well with beer, and, of course, it has absolutely no calories or fat, so it's good for your heart as well.

And the player we most closely resemble with pizza? Why, it's A-Roid, of course! For those of you unfamiliar with steroid abuse, people who use anabolic steroids often have back acne, which resembles pizza. I may never eat it again.

What's a ballgame without this tasty treat? Especially if you have your kids with you.

Nachos originated in Mexico by a man named Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, and later introduced to sporting events in Arlington Park in Texas by a man named Frank Liberto in 1977.

The Dodgers' catcher once donned a Jack Black Nacho Libre costume during a rookie hazing ceremony, so he is the perfect player to represent this popular ballpark snack.

Salmonella recall aside, this high-protein snack can really help get you through the pain of your favorite team being "shelled"...ahem.

While Harry "Peanuts" Lowry might be a good choice, I have a more current (and perhaps more appropriate) one in mind.

Who else to represent NUTS but the Cubs new outfielder, Milton Bradley? Known for his fiery temper and occasional fits of temporary insanity, he gets the nod over the Cubs own Lou Piniella. But barely.

That should be an interesting relationship to keep an eye on, by the way.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Zambrano. What's with the Cubbies and being nuts? Maybe it's the century-plus we've been waiting for a championship. That would make anyone nuts.

This delicacy is a staple at Baltimore's Camden Yards, but it's also served at a few other ballyards as well.

Despite this delicious food item, it is still the hot dog that is king at Camden. On the Aramark website, they estimate they will sell 9,200 dogs on the O's opening day alone.

Personally, I might go for Boog's BBQ, but then I wouldn't be able to show you MLB's crab, which is...

Yep, the former used car salesman tops our list of "crabs", as the Commish has been rather testy lately regarding his role in MLB's steroid scandal.

"I don't want to hear the commissioner turned a blind eye to this or he didn't care about it," Selig told Newsday. "That annoys the you-know-what out of me. You bet I'm sensitive to the criticism.

So don't blame Bud, because he will get very crabby.

We conclude our tour of ballpark food with the one immortalized in song: the tasty caramel popcorn treat known as Cracker Jack.

First sold at Chicago's World's Fair in 1893, it is a staple at major league ballparks throughout the U.S.

Did you know that In 2004, the New York Yankees replaced Cracker Jack with Crunch 'n Munch at home games? The club switched back to Cracker Jack after immediate public outcry.

And so, drum roll please...here is our "Cracker Jack" man for the ages...

"All right! Lemme hear ya! Ah-One! Ah-Two! Ah-Three!"

Yes, who else but the man who popularized the singing of the seventh-inning stretch "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", the hall of fame broadcaster and Cubs legend Harry Caray. "Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack..."

Harry was doing it one afternoon at Comiskey Park when WMAQ radio producer/broadcaster Jay Scott decided to open the booth mikes on him without his realizing it.

Caray enthusiastically led the song's singing during the seventh-inning stretch until his death following the 1997 season.

Unfortunately, the tradition continues at Wrigley Field, using "guest conductors," something whose time has come and gone, I believe.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed my first slide show!