Harry M. Stevens facts for kids

Harry Mozley Stevens (born June 14, 1855 – died May 3, 1934) was a clever businessman from England. He is often said to have invented the hot dog. Even if he didn't invent it, he was definitely one of America's most important people for selling food at sports stadiums. In 1887, he started his own company, Harry M Stevens Inc., which sold snacks at stadiums. This company was based in Cranbury, New Jersey for a long time.

Harry Stevens was born in London in 1855. He moved to Niles, Ohio in the 1880s. When he arrived in the United States, he quickly fell in love with baseball. He became famous for creating and selling the very first scorecard for baseball games. People still use a similar design today! By 1900, Stevens had deals to sell food and drinks at many big baseball stadiums across the US. He also sold scorecards with a catchy phrase: You can't tell the players without a scorecard.

How the Hot Dog Story Began

Stevens himself told a famous story about how the hot dog got its name. On a cold April day in 1901, at the first home game for the New York Giants, not many people wanted ice cream. So, he decided to sell German sausages, which were called 'dachshund sausages'.

When his staff ran out of the special wax paper used to serve the sausages, Stevens had a quick idea. He sent an employee to buy some bread buns. Then, he told his staff to put the sausages inside the buns. This is how the hot dog we know today was created! A cartoonist who was drawing the event supposedly couldn't spell "dachshund." So, the cartoonist just wrote hot dogs instead. Stevens' family later got the original cartoon and has kept it safe.

Remembering Harry Stevens

Even though there are different ideas about whether Harry Stevens truly invented the hot dog, people still remember him.

Honoring His Memory

In early 2013, the city of Derby, England, where Stevens once lived, decided to honor him. They put up a special Blue plaque on his first home at 21 Russell Street. This plaque helps people remember his contributions.

Hot Dog Day in Niles, Ohio

On June 30, 2013, Niles, Ohio, brought back "Harry Stevens Hot Dog Day." This fun event in the downtown area included live music and funny weiner dog races. There were also costume contests and a hot dog sauce competition. People could enjoy a baseball clinic and a cornhole tournament. Many food and merchandise sellers were also there. [1]