Cowboys Primary Logo

The Oklahoma State Cowboys' primary logo has a long and storied history. It is one of the most recognizable symbols in college sports, having been used by the university since its inception in 1890. The current logo was designed in 1984 and consists of an orange circle with a white cowboy head silhouette inside it, wearing a ten-gallon hat and carrying two revolvers. Above this image are three stars arranged to form an "O" for Oklahoma State, while below it is OSU written out in black block letters. This iconic symbol has become synonymous with both the school's athletic teams as well as its academic programs over time.

The original design for the Cowboys' primary logo came from former coach John Robinson during his tenure at Oklahoma State between 1912-1917. He wanted to create something that would represent not only his team but also their state pride; thus he created what became known as “the Cowboy” which featured an orange background surrounded by three stars representing each corner of their home state plus another star above them all forming an ‘O’ shape – signifying OSU or "Oklahoma State University." This initial version was slightly different than today's version; instead of two guns crossed behind him there were six pistols pointing outward along with some additional details such as spurs on either side of his boots etc., however, those have since been removed due to copyright issues surrounding other similar logos existing prior to theirs being released publicly (i.e. Texas A&M).

Since then, there have been several minor tweaks made over time including changing up fonts and colors but overall very little else about this beloved emblem has changed significantly throughout its many years representing OKState athletics & academics alike! From football games at Boone Pickens Stadium where fans proudly sport their gear featuring The Cowboy - to alumni who hang posters/flags bearing it proudly wherever they may be living now -this timeless symbol truly embodies everything that makes up our great institution here: tradition & excellence!