Watch: 30 for 30 Shorts – The Sweat Solution – the invention of Gatorade at Florida

By Adam Silverstein
January 21, 2015

ESPN released it’s latest entry in the 30 for 30 Shorts series on Wednesday, debuting The Sweat Solution, which takes a close look at the invention of Gatorade on the campus of the University of Florida.

Due to the extreme temperatures in Florida, Dr. Robert Cade and his team set out to create a solution for a dehydration problem that was plaguing University of Florida football players. After a few seasons of tests and experiments, their final product would change athletic performance forever.

In time for the 50th anniversary of its creation, “The Sweat Solution” features many of those who were involved in testing the original formula, including Dr. Cade’s wife, co-inventor Dana Shires, former players Steve Spurrier, Larry Smith, Jim Yarbrough, Coach Ray Graves and others.


Gatorade Early Testing Photo” by Unknown. Licensed under Wikipedia.

5 Comments

  1. JLBOB says:

    Wow, what a great video! Thanks for this post Adam.
    Dr. Cade was quite a character. I had the pleasure of living next to him for a few years (2002-2004) back when I was an undergrad and he and his wife would occasionally host neighborhood gatherings. One time he had an amazing chip dip, and I mean it was amazing. I was talking with him about how good it was and I asked him what was in it thinking to make it at home myself later. He wouldn’t tell me, instead saying, “I invented it.” It was really cool to talk to him and see that he just loved creating things.

  2. Gatoralum88 says:

    Great story! Dr. Cade & his team were very wise men. Thanks Adam. I just read more about Gatorade on wiki which says UF still has a 20% share of its royalties. Is that right? If so, then they should have made way more than $200 million from it since 1973.

  3. cline says:

    Go Gators!

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