Inventor of Gatorade dies

Yes, it is true. Gatorade will never be associated with Baseball, perhaps because it does not go well with hot dogs, peanuts and/or Cracker Jacks. But as the “Official Sports Drink of Major League Baseball”, it is right that we honor it’s creator, the now late Dr. Robert Cade.

Besides, the story behind it’s creation is still a classic in my book.

His death was announced by the University of Florida, where he and other researchers created Gatorade in 1965 to help the school’s football players replace carbohydrates and electrolytes lost through sweat while playing in swamp-like heat.

A question from former Gator Coach Dwayne Douglas sparked their research, Cade said in a 2005 interview with the Associated Press. He asked, “Doctor, why don’t football players wee-wee after a game.”

“That question changed our lives,” Cade said.

Using their research, and about $43 in supplies, they concocted a brew for players to drink while playing football.

“It sort of tasted like toilet bowl cleaner,” said Dana Shires, one of the researchers who sampled the first batch.

“I guzzled it and I vomited,” Cade said.

The researchers added some sugar and some lemon juice to improve the taste. It was first tested on freshmen because Coach Ray Graves didn’t want to hurt the varsity team. Eventually, however, the use of the sports beverage spread to the Gators, who enjoyed a winning record and were known as a “second-half team” by outlasting opponents.