 The 1994 FF@ logo
pin photo by Tom Fry
Today's ff@ history lesson is about the ff@ logo. No, not the logo by Creed
Taylor that was put onto hats by Ben Benoit, nor the olive bodied adams
(OBA) logo from Danny's FF@ homepage that was drawn by Nick Blackwell
for the original FF@ webpages hosted for a while by the VFS, but rather the
first ff@ logo and the pins of 1994. The 1995 pins are another story altogether.
There's gaps but it goes something like this:
4/22/94 As a result of William Bernard meeting Bob Hatula in the airport
and not realizing till later that they both were list members, Bill suggests
having a logo for a pin or patch to help list members identify one another
when on the road or fishing.
4/25/94 Marty Waldus, off his medication for the weekend <G!>,
chimes in with his usual seriousness and proposes '... a collage of flies
(#22 OBA, EHC, Copper Bomb, etc) superimposed on
a cheap cigar, which in turn is superimposed on a bounced mail message'.
Dave Mason wonders out loud about the logistics of doing this.
4/26/94 Jimmy Young volunteers to design logo and puts forth the initial
ehc on a monitor idea. Andrew Bonnimici suggests the oba instead of the ehc.
4/27/94 A particularly hot day for lively logo discussions. Ideas
are kicked around, and debate over Mac vs PC, ehc vs oba, coiled horse hair
tippet, mounting a real fly under a glass bubble, etc., are tossed back and
forth between list members. Even ascii art is tossed in. Dave Mason calls
for some organization to the effort and starts the call for logo ideas. He
disavows any knowledge of the mechanics of having pins or patches made and
Les Booth chimes in with the logistic aspects. Debate over logo continues.
4/28/94 The debate rages on with international opinions starting to
pour in. Horizons are expanded from pins to 'patches, hats, t-shirts, polo
shirts, sweats and so on'... to quote Frank K. Blake Werner acts as coordinator
for judging committe to pick a logo. Luis Nasim want a sticker for his car
and Sheldon Seale wants a package deal... pin, patch and decal!
4/29/94 Andreas Preuss encourages the list to think more international
than a fly, and suggests crossed rods with lightning bolts on a globe. Martin
Hyatt suggests Flyfish@ be used on the logo instead of the bitnet address,
FLYFISH@UMAB.BITNET. Jimmie Young puts together
four logo designs for list members to
review and comment on.
5/2/94 Norm Crisps posts the #22 OBA pattern
developed by his son Ethan. Comments on it being ("a fly that binds the net
together", and it "being the soul/essence of the list")
10/20/94 Clyde Watson uploads logo images to ftp.geo.mtu.edu for list
members to view. Pin Committee formed consisting of Conrad Black, Marty Hyatt,
and Clyde Wells. A list is started of individuals who want to order
a pin. (rebuttal from Conrad).
11/1/94 Mark Erickson (Syracuse, NY) offers to contract for pins with
a local outfit and have the company draw a design.
12/13/94 Mark Erickson, working with the "Pin Committee" settle on
a pin design and begins taking orders from list members. The design ... as
described in Mark's post ...
Description: 1" circular heavy gauge pewter. Inscribed on the face of the
pin is a globe (3/4") to signify the world-wide nature of our group. FLYFISH@
is inscribed above the globe and the year 1994 below it (for those who ordered
in 1994 and wish to have the power of seniority).
Pins are ordered, purchased and distributed in early 1995.
photo courtesy of Chris Knight |
