Fired Pirates Pierogi Racer Gets His Job Back

The man who was fired from his job as a pierogi mascot for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been rehired.

Andrew Kurtz, 24, of New Brighton performed in the Pirates' in-game pierogi race for the past two years.

The team fired Kurtz after he criticized the contract extensions given to general manager Neal Huntington and manager John Russell on his Facebook page.

The Pirates said Kurtz was not fired in accordance to company procedures, so he was rehired.

An independent minor league team, the Washington Wild Things, immediately offered Kurtz a job as one of its racing hot dogs.

The story of Kurtz's firing gained national attention from several media outlets.

Pittsburgh Pirates communications director Brian Warecki said bad publicity played no part in the decision to rehire Kurtz.

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