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TCU Athletics: The Return Of The "Flying T"
“It’s about damn time,” commented the artist Marshall K. Harris when asked about the return of the Flying T logo
Today, TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati announced the return of the "Flying T" logo as an alternative logo for TCU merchandise. After 40 plus years, the administration has reached an agreement with Harris, the creator and former football alumni. The university will finally incorporate the retro logo back into the Horned Frog zeitgeist, and the fan base could not be happier.
First, here is some history on the artist/creator Harris. He graduated from Southwest High School in 1974 and mainly grew up in the southwest Fort Worth area. He graduated with all district honors as a tackle and had several football scholarships offers. He chose TCU. He was known as a “Legacy Player” because not only was he a talented defensive tackle, but his father also played for TCU. His father helped TCU win two back-to-back Southwest Conference titles in 1958 and 1959. Marshall was drafted by the New York Jets in 1979 but was traded to Cleveland in 1980. He played four years in the NFL.
Marshall played through some of the toughest TCU football seasons, mainly 1974-1976 where the Frogs went 2-31. “No, I don’t regret any of it (the previous three season)," said Harris about then upcoming 1977 season in the September 1977 issue of D Magazine. "In fact, I’m very excited about the coming season. I’m more excited about football right now than I am about art. In spite of all the losing the last three years, I frankly can’t imagine us not winning this year. Besides, it can’t get any worse.”
Harris designed the Flying T logo for one of his art classes at TCU, and after sharing with the coaches the school approached him about using the logo for the Football helmets and uniforms. From there, it saw widespread adoption for all TCU athletics and fan gear from that moment all the way into the early 1990s.
After his football career, Harris earned his MFA from the University of Philadelphia and later went on to win the prestigious Hunter Art Prize in 2013. He is still creating art today - most notably incredibly detailed pencil drawings of famous western saddles. His art can be found in galleries across the nation and on his website.
The Flying T logo had been used by the university from the late 70’s up until 1994 in all sports, not just football. TCU had not made an attempt to purchase the trademark from the artist until recently. The thirst for more Flying T gear has shown that there is serious growth in retro vintage gear and a new demand for the logo. The administration had previously thought there was no demand for the Flying T logo, said an anonymous source within the athletic department. Well, the word from old fans and new, alumni and current students, Block T members, All Americans, and current student-athletes has reached the administration, and they’ve heard the requests - "Please bring back the Flying T."
Not long after the announcement, TCU Athletics announced the first merchandise items that will be available at the Campus Store, just in time for this week's Homecoming.
Wishes have been granted!!! Thank you, Jeremiah, and thank you to all that made the return of this favorite logo possible. Most of all, thank you, Marshall K. Harris, for loving art and creating a beloved TCU icon…the Flying T.
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