Los Angeles 1984 – Mascot Sam - theolympicdesign

Los Angeles 1984 – Mascot Sam

Designer: Robert C. Moore

So the eagle was the face of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. In contrast to his role model living in the wild, Sam seems cheerful and friendly instead of serious and unapproachable. Particularly characteristic is his large head with the gigantic beak and the bulbous body with a protruding behind accentuated by an array of tail feathers. In addition to its status as national bird of the host country, the eagle also stands for the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (faster, higher, stronger). In order to depict Sam practising various sports, his wings acted as arms and the feathers as fingers. The mascot should look good both as a three-dimensional figure and as a two-dimensional graphic element. The life-size figure of the mascot was successfully used for advertising and youth activities of the Organising Committee. However, it was never used as part of the Look of the Games which was developed later. In addition, Sam proved commercially successful as a doll as well as on cups, pins, T-shirts and many other products.