Patriots mourn loss of "Pat Patriot" logo creator Phil Bissell
FOXBORO - Phil Bissell, the Massachusetts cartoonist who created the "Pat Patriot" logo used for decades by the New England Patriots, has died, the team announced Thursday.
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Phil Bissell, the original creator of the Pat Patriot logo," the organization posted to social media.
Born in 1926, Bissell drew sports cartoons for The Boston Globe. He came up with the iconic image soon after learning that Boston's new football team would be named the Patriots.
"In just 45 minutes, Phil illustrated the news with a rugged revolutionary who looked ready to play ball. He called him Pat," a Patriots.com article from 2015 recalls. "The following day, the cartoon appeared in the paper and team owner Billy Sullivan decided to adopt Pat as the team's mascot."
Bissell said he was paid $100 for his work. He also illustrated the covers for game programs in the 1960s, according to the Patriots Hall of Fame, which featured his work in an exhibit called "The Birth of Pat Patriot."
Pat Patriot adorned the New England helmets from 1961 until 1993, when it was replaced by today's "flying Elvis" logo. The cartoon is currently is sported by the Patriots when they wear their alternate throwback uniforms.
Bissell was a Worcester native who later lived in Rockport.