Sun Sentinel, July 19th 1991

 NORTH MIAMI -- Wayne Huizenga never has been a stranger to showing off Marlins. He has hooked more than his share.

But Thursday's catch was the crowning moment in the sporting life of the Blockbuster tycoon.

Huizenga, like a proud papa, bore an ear-to-ear smile as he unveiled his baby's first picture -- the official logo of his Florida Marlins -- before approximately 1,500 at the Turnberry Isle Resort's grand ballroom.

The symbol that will be plastered on everything from official team stationary to T-shirts contained aqua and orange, as expected, plus black and gray. The logo shows a black, aqua, white and gray marlin leaping through a gray life raft, which bears the lettering FLORIDA MARLINS. On the inside of the "raft" are orange baseball seams.

The crowd listened as baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent and National League President Bill White presented Huizenga with an official proclamation and letter welcoming the Marlins to the National League.

Huizenga thanked them, then ordered the curtain drawn. The audience buzzed, then slowly began cheering as the logo was revealed.

Huizenga said he decided on the name Marlins one month ago. Seconds before revealing it, he explained why.

"We think the name we selected for our Florida baseball team says a lot of things about what we want this club to be," he said. "When (Marlins President) Carl Barger picks our players, they'll be like Marlins. A Marlin is sleek, proud, agile, powerful, alert, a fierce fighter and an adversary that tests your mettle, and one that can shake itself loose just when you think it's in trouble. Those are the attributes we want the Marlins to represent, and we think we have found a logo to represent all of those characteristics."

Aqua and orange had been expected, but Anne Occi, vice president/ design services of Major League Baseball Properties, said black and silver also were chosen because "they were hot matching colors which accented the primary color of aqua.

"There was a lot to consider. A Marlin symbolizes strength. It's a fighting fish with grace, and in choosing a color, we wanted something to hit in that area."

Occi and Huizenga had worked together on the logo concept. Huizenga told her what he wanted to see and Occi relayed the request to Jamie Styles of Midnight Oil, the Boston-based design company. Midnight Oil completed the actual logo, but had little, if any, imput on its creativity.

Occi first worked with a black and white version, as the design had to be visible in a small circle, which would be found on business stationary.

"Once the basic stylization was set in back and white, then we proceded to color. One of the problems we had in doing this was animation. You could see this on TV, on a Diamondvision screen."

Huizenga wasn't concerned with such intricate details.

"I just like the color," he said. "It just looks strong. We picked this about a month ago, but we were playing with the angles of the fish and the different colors."

He was helped by his step-son, Ray Goldsby-Huizenga. Goldsby- Huizenga, 29, is a Fort Lauderdale fishing boat captain and helped Huizenga on the positioning of the fish. The marlin is shown leaping upward from right to left at an approximate 60-degree angle.

The logo could have been a fried fish and it might not have mattered to the gathering, which clearly was baseball hungry. And real baseball was the topic of much conversation.

-- White jokingly was offered the starting first-base position by Huizenga.

-- Barger, who was introduced to the local media, was questioned about his immediate plans, and reiterated that finding a general manager and placing scouts in the field were immediate priorities. He said hiring a general manager within 30 days was a possibility.

-- Vincent said he believed the quality of play would not suffer because of expansion, and that baseball was thrilled to have a franchise in Florida.

"Florida is no longer just our spring haven for baseball as it emerges from winter and once again begins to spout," he said. "Now, starting in 1993, baseball, as represented by your Marlins, will blossom in Florida. And speaking on behalf of baseball, it's about time."

Huizenga agreed.

"Let me tell you, it feels great to be part of Major League Baseball," he said.

INSIDE BASEBALL

-- Marlins merchandise will be available for purchase at Joe Robbie Stadium on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fans wishing to purchase the goods can enter parking gate 4. It is believed several area sporting goods stores will have the paraphernalia on sale as it will begin arriving at the stores on Saturday, according to Major League Baseball Properties Vice President Anne Occi.