Robert George

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameRobert•George
Used nameRobert•George
Born10 June 1893 in Paris Xe, Paris (FRA)
Died23 October 1985 in Paris XVIe, Paris (FRA)
AffiliationsCSHP, Paris (FRA)
NOC France

Biography

Although he was one of the founding fathers of ice hockey in Paris, little is known of Robert George other than he is believed to originally come from North America. He played as goaltender for Club Des Patineurs in 1913 and made his debut for France the same year. George played for France when they finished runners-up in the 1923 European Championships although the victorious Swedish team unsuccessfully protested against him for using oversized pads. He was deemed ineligible to compete at the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix for not being a French national but, presumably, he then became a French citizen in the years before the 1928 Games. He was also an accomplished field hockey player and was a journalist for the French sports newspaper L’Auto in the 1930s. George’s most famous creation, although few know that he was responsible, is one of the most famous logos in sport. During a Davis Cup tennis match he made a wager with his friend René Lacoste over the outcome of a match. The prize was meant to be a crocodile skin bag belonging to George. Although Lacoste won the wager he did not receive his prize and instead George, said to be a talented designer, embroidered a crocodile on Lacoste’s tennis shirt. This logo went on to become the trademark for the famous Lacoste line of clothing.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1928 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) FRA Robert George
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) France =8

Special Notes