Anti-Ketchup Vendor Fired From Comerica Park

Hot dogs are a very serious business. So serious that an anti-ketchup vendor was fired from his job because of his condiment beliefs.

Yep, apparently being an anti-ketchup vendor in a pro-ketchup world is a fireable offense.

According to Deadspin, Charley Marcuse gained a reputation at Comerica Park for singing as he walked up and down the aisle. When Marcuse was fired last week by the Detroit Tigers’ concession company everyone assumed that it was because of the singing.

Well, the Detroit News wasn’t satisfied with that simple answer.

The newspaper launched an investigation and found out that Marcuse, who had been singing at Comerica Park for 15 years, was fired because he had some strong opinions about what can and cannot go on a hot dog.

The concession company, Sportservice, hasn’t commented on Marcuse’s firing but the Detroit News has heard “rumblings” about the real reason why the longtime vendor was let go.

The paper writes: “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.”

Here’s a video of Marcuse on the job. Do you think he was fired for his singing? Or was he canned for being anti-ketchup?

The Detroit News tracked down Marcuse to get his opinion. The former hot dog vendor said management told him that he was being fired for “general employee conduct.”

[Image Via Flickr]