Baseball and veggie dogs

[Guest guest]

Because of Johanna McCloy, vegetarians can now enjoy baseball just like anyone

else

Sam Whiting

 

Sunday, May 25, 2008

 

 

Johanna McCloy wasn't a baseball fan until she happened to be at a game and

went looking for a veggie dog. She didn't find one, but she did find a cause -

promoting alternatives to the all-American under-boiled pink hot dog. McCloy,

43, lives near the Nortonville arch in Berkeley.

 

" I have been a vegetarian since 1997. I was driving I-5 and I passed Harris

Ranch. Then, on the same trip I was behind a chicken truck and the feathers were

flying at me. That was the clincher.

 

I was making my living as an actor in L.A. My big claim to fame is a guest star

on Star Trek: The Next Generation. I had the rare pleasure of being one of only

two characters in seven seasons to make out with Worf. I actually have a

following for that one episode.

 

When I went to the Dodgers game and came home hungry, I started researching

every MLB team park to find out if any other parks carried a veggie dog. I was

going to use the domino theory to make my case with the Dodgers' concession

manager. I found out that no baseball park offered veggie dogs to their fans.

 

In the meantime I'm generating a lot of support from vegetarians and animal

rights people saying, 'You've got to create a Web site.' So I created soyhappy.

org, a rudimentary little Web site that is a tool to work with food service

establishments to help them get vegetarian fare.

 

Soy is a bean that is a healthy alternative to meat products for those people

who are looking to reduce their intake. Although the name Soy Happy is catchy

and cute, I also promote other plant-based foods, like anything derived from

rice and almonds.

 

The first team that added veggie dogs was the Chicago White Sox, and I wasn't

even focusing on them. They contacted me. By the time I moved to Berkeley, in

2002, seven stadiums were offering veggie dogs, but not the San Francisco

Giants. I was in communication with the concession manager and she was very

responsive. They have a dog that I negotiated for them that is vegan, is kosher

and is not genetically modified. I was actually the very first person to eat a

veggie dog at AT & T Park. It serves the same purpose in satisfying the palate as

a regular hot dog once you add all the condiments. We now have 15 major-league

baseball stadiums offering veggie dogs. I'll be hosting a group outing to a Mets

game on May 31 to celebrate Shea Stadium's introduction of veggie dogs this

year. The Mets will be playing the Dodgers, so it'll be a nice way to mark how

far concessions have come since my visit to Dodger Stadium back in 2000. The

Washington Nationals' new Nationals Park is also offering veggie dogs in their

inaugural season.

 

The big picture is encouraging vegetarian menu options in any mainstream venue,

whether it is in sporting arenas, Disneyland, large cafeterias, zoos, any big

concession stands. I consider Soy Happy to be all about consumer empowerment. A

lot of people get very complacent and they just complain.

 

Strangely, my Soy Happy endeavor has made me an actual baseball fan. My team is

the Oakland Athletics. I continue to encourage them to offer vegetarian chili as

a topping. It would add pizzazz to the veggie dogs and make people very happy. "

 

 

The Lightbulb: I was at Dodger Stadium. I was hungry. It was my second game

ever. I walked the entire stadium. Not only did they not have veggie dogs, they

had no vegetarian options at all, other than popcorn. It dawned on me as I sat

in the stands that someone needed to take action. I took it upon myself to

become a liaison between concession managers and manufacturers.

 

We are looking for Bay Area people with innovative ideas who have put them to

use. Please e-mail candidates to brightideas.

 

This article appeared on page P - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle

 

 

 

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we know for sure

that just ain't so.

- Mark Twain

[Guest guest]

i had a veggie dog at a recent padres pro baseball game here in san

diego. i did not ask what was in it (usually egg-something or whey),

or what it was heated in (probably the same vile liquid as the snout

dogs), or if they were any good. i was just so damn surprised to see

it...that i just had to order it, nice and loud.

 

oh, it wasn't very good. but that's okay, and it was nice to see that

option at the old ballgame. now, the garlic fries there, those are

good....

 

blake