Death of Gatorade

Posted on November 28, 2007
Filed Under Sports | Leave a Comment

The inventor of Gatorade the sports drink that has since resulted in a multi-billion dollar industry of power drinks has died. Dr. Robert Gade the inventor of Gatorade died at the age of 80 due to kidney failure on Tuesday. Dr Gade, born Robert James Gade graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and was appointed assistant professor in internal medicine at the University of Florida in 1961. He worked until he was 76, retiring in November 2004 from the university, where he taught medicine, saw patients and conducted research.
Cade and his wife, Mary, had six children.

The announcement of his death at the University of Florida where he conducted research with his colleagues in 1965 that led to the making of the drink, initially to help football players at the University replace carbohydrates and electrolytes lost through sweat while playing was met with sadness.

The drink had humble beginnings, and started with the question why aren’t football players able to go the bathroom after a game? The huge loss of electrolytes was the reason. The first batch of Gatorade, put together with $43 in research and supplies was terrible. ” I vomitted immediately.” said Dr. Gade. The first reasonable version of Gatorade was tested on freshman football players in case there were any ill effects in order to spare the starting lineup.

PepsiCo owns the rights to Gatorade which controls 81 percent of the 7.5 billion a year sports drink market. Since the inception of Gatorade with only four flavors there are now over 30 in the United States and over 50 worldwide.

Bookmark: