This past week, a great sports legend died.

No, it wasn’t anyone who broke records, scored touchdowns, hit home runs or did anything that earned them in a particular sporting hall of fame.

It’s a man who has affected nearly every one of our lives (especially if we are or were once athletes), and provided us with an essential to keep in our gym bags.

Dr. J. Robert Cade, who most of us have probably never heard of before, died last Tuesday, just a few days after Thanksgiving.

Cade was known for one of the greatest inventions known to man.

Gatorade.

Originally created due to a question pondered by one of Florida’s assistant coach at the time, Dwayne Douglas, Gatorade has gone on to be a worldwide success story.

According to ESPN.com, Gatorade is now sold in over 80 countries and is available in dozens of flavors.

The question that started it all?

“Doctor, why don’t football players wee-wee after a game?”

The drink was created in 1965 to help replace carbohydrates and electrolytes.
The drink is known to be one of the primary reasons why the Gators were able to finish the 1967season with a record of 7-4 — their first winning record in over a decade — and won the school’s first Orange Bowl in 1969.

The drink not only helped the Gators, but it also became a pivotal aspect to any sporting match.
After the Gators proved how much the drink was able to help them win, many teams followed suit.

But I have to ponder the question — what if Gatorade never existed?

Well, for one, I can guarantee you I never would have been able to make it through all those cross country meets I ran in during high school.

If it weren’t for Cade, I probably would have passed out after the one-mile mark (then again, I wasn’t the best runner in the field, either).

And I can guarantee you that a lot of the records that have been broken in today’s sports world probably wouldn’t have happened as frequently as they now do.

After all, it’s the official sports drink of intercollegiate athletics, the NFL, NBA, AVP, PGA Tour, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

The only professional sports league that Gatorade doesn’t represent?

The NHL. And look how un-popular that’s become in the past few years.

Gatorade now distributes several other drinks under the brand, including Gatorade A.M., Gatorade Endurance Formula, Gatorade Nutrition Shake, Propel Fitness Water and, of course, the original Gatorade Thirst Quencher.

Still my favorite alligator drink that’s out there.

There have been companies that have tried to repeat the company’s success — specifically Powerade. But as of 2006, Gatorade still held 81 percent of the sports drink market.

That in itself should tell you something.

Whenever I go home, our fridge is filled with Gatorade. And I remember that we always had Gatorade available after every cross country and track meet.

For a sports drink like Gatorade to be one of the most successful drinks in history is just astonishing.

So, where would we be without Gatorade?

Well, to put it in Douglas’ words, we wouldn’t be wee-weeing after exercising.

Farewell, Dr. Cole, you’ve truly revolutionized the wide world of sports.

Thank you for your contribution.