Ole Haugsrud

Who was Ole Haugsrud?

Ole Haugsrud was an American sports executive. Haugsrud was born in Superior, Wisconsin. There is also a field in Superior, Wisconsin called Ole Haugsrud Field. The Superior High School Spartans and University of Wisconsin–Superior Yellowjackets play there. Haugsrud was owner of the Duluth Eskimos in the National Football League in the late-1920s. His signing of Ernie Nevers and having the Eskimos barnstorm, is credited as helping grow the league at critical time. He later sold the team back to the NFL. Part of the deal was that he would have first rights to any future NFL team in the state of Minnesota. Though he passed on a stake in the Minneapolis Red Jackets in 1929, when the NFL expanded to Minneapolis-St. Paul in January 1960, Haugsrud was given 10% ownership. He remained part owner of the Minnesota Vikings until his death in 1976.

The Vikings name and team colors were borrowed from Haugsrud's high school, Central High School in Superior, WI. The Vikings secondary logo that is still in use today is a modified version of Central's original logo.