How did the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team get their name?

Answer 1

The Black Hawks' first owner was coffee tycoon Frederic McLaughlin. He had been a commander with the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Infantry Division during World War I. This Division was nicknamed the "Blackhawk Division", after a Native American of the Sauk nation, Chief Black Hawk, who was a prominent figure in the history of Illinois. McLaughlin evidently named the hockey team in honor of the military unit, making it one of many sports team names using Native Americans as icons. For many years, the name was spelled primarily "Black Hawks", but sometimes "Blackhawks", even by the club itself. This ambiguity was finally settled in the summer of 1986 when the club officially decided on the one-word version based on the spelling found in the original franchise documents.

Answer 2

Irene Castle designed the original version of the team's logo which featured a crudely drawn black and white Naitive head in a circle.

This design went through several significant changes between 1926 and 1955.

During this period seven distinct versions of the primary logo were worn on their uniforms.

At the beginning of the 1955-56 season the outer circle was removed and the head began to resemble the team's current primary logo.

This crest and uniform went through subtle changes until the 1964-65 season.

The basic logo and jersey design has remained constant since then.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Blackhawks#Logo