Green Bay Packers Logo Designer Dies at 83

ESPN: John Gordon who’s son is preparing to take over from where his father St….

John Gordon, who in 1961 designed the Green Bay Packers’ original “G” logo while working as an equipment assistant, died on Sunday. He was 83.

The short video embedded above, which I definitely recommend watching, tells the story of how Gordon is believed to have created the symbol. There’s also a good article about him here. At the time of that article, Gordon had not yet been acknowledged by the team as the logo’s creator, but his contribution to the team’s visual history has since been showcased in the Packers Hall of Fame:

The logo has been modified a bit over the years. It was originally football-shaped, per Packers coach Vince Lombardi’s instructions, but over the years it has been softened into a true oval (or, if you prefer, more like a rugby ball):

The University of Georgia began using an extremely similar version of the “G” logo, with the Packers’ permission, in 1963. About a decade later, Grambling State University also began using a similar mark, again with the Packers’ permission.