Thomas G. Arthur, inventor of the Dodger Dog, dies at 84

By Associated Press

Last update: June 28, 2006 - 6:33 AM

LOS ANGELES Thomas Gregory Arthur, the baseball stadium concessionaire whose foot-long Nathan's knockoff came up short and became the beloved Dodger Dog, died June 8 of a heart attack in St. Louis, his son said. He was 84.

The former New Yorker came up with a foot-long hot dog borrowed from his favorite Nathan's dogs to put excitement into the ballpark menu when the team moved from the Coliseum to Dodger Stadium in 1962.

It meant big business for Arthur Food Services, stadium concessionaire for 29 years until 1991. Along with beer, popcorn, peanuts and Cracker Jack, some 50,000 Dodger Dogs were sold each game day.

After serving as a B-24 navigator during World War II, Arthur moved to Los Angeles to become a cartoonist or illustrator.

He earned money supplying vending machines to theaters and aircraft plants and later gave up on art and concentrated on business.

In 1955, he won a Coliseum contract, which he served until 1976. He also had concessions at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and Chicago's Wrigley Field. But Arthur had his longest run at Dodger Stadium.

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