In 1993 Tony Pérez, then manager of the Cincinnati Reds and former member of the Big Red Machine, kicked off a promotion campaign for the restaurant. During his baseball years Pérez's nickname was "Big Dog", and since the chain was ready to promote their new foot long cheese coney, Gold Star saw a promotional opportunity, naming it "Big Doggie".
In 1993 Tony Pérez, then manager of the Cincinnati Reds and former member of the Big Red Machine, initiated a promotional campaign for the restaurant. During his baseball career, Pérez was nicknamed "Big Dog", and since the chain was prepared to promote their new foot-long cheese coney, Gold Star saw an opportunity to capitalize on it by naming it "Big Doggie".