Sun Sentinel January 15th 1997

It's difficult to say what's more remarkable: that Dan Marino needed only 157 games to reach 300 career touchdown passes or that Bill Bodenhamer was paid only $250 to design the original Dolphins logo in 1965.

Marino and Bodenhamer, the Miami graphic designer who drew the leaping, helmeted mammal that became a cash cow, were on hand Tuesday for the unveiling of the Dolphins' revamped logo and uniforms at the team's training facility.

The first thing one noticed when punter John Kidd and wide receiver Fred Barnett strode out in the new uniforms was how much they looked like the old uniforms. But there are several differences, including a darker aqua and navy-blue highlights in the color scheme.

For the second time in the team's 31-year history, the logo has been altered slightly, with the elimination of hash marks surrounding the sunburst logo and the addition of navy accents to the leaping dolphin. The dolphin appears thicker and now sports more of a scowl than a smile. "We didn't intend to make him grimacing," Dolphins President Eddie Jones said, glancing at the dolphin again after he was asked if the team was trying to look a bit tougher. "But I hope it does mean we're going to be tougher."

Marino looked at the mammal closely, smiled, and said, "That's intensity."

Though he arrived too late to change into full uniform, Marino did shed his jacket and pulled on an aqua No. 13 jersey. The new jerseys feature shadow-boxed numbering similar to those worn in recent years by the San Francisco 49ers. The shadowing on the numbers is navy blue, and thin navy stripes have been added to the orange and white stripes on sleeves and pants.

"I think this is a great idea," Barnett said. "You want to stay with tradition but still make subtle changes. I think this will change the attitude for next year and years to come."

The Dolphins consistently rank among the NFL's top five teams in merchandise sales, and Jones said this change wasn't made to sell more jerseys. Instead, the Dolphins wanted to modernize their traditional logo and also get back to the original aqua, which somehow had become lighter over the years.

Merchandise feature the new color scheme and logos may be available in two to three weeks, according to several sporting goods stores contacted Tuesday night.

The modification was done in conjunction with NFL Properties. Creative director Bruce Burke said three designers spent 11 months on the project. And though no cost estimate was given, it's safe to assume those designers made more in a few hours than Bodenhamer was paid to draw the original dolphin.

"You just did what you could with what you had back then," said Bodenhamer, who completed the design in two days, with input from colleagues and from the Dolphins. "I wasn't too crazy about {the design). I wanted to do something like the Rams had, something real good. But we just didn't have much time.

"The helmet {on the dolphin) wasn't my idea. I didn't want to put a helmet on it. Then they wanted to add an `M.' After that, I said to hell with it."

Bodenhamer, 68, also designed the University of Miami's distinctive "U" logo. But the Dolphins logo is his most widely recognized work, and with time he has grown more fond of it.

"Yeah, but I think this is an improvement," he said Tuesday, pointing to the redesign, which was done without his assistance.

As for his original logo, Bodenhamer was asked whether he received anything in addition to the initial $250. Royalties, perhaps, on each T-shirt sold?

He looked at the questioner and laughed. "Don't I wish," he said.