Last week I had the honor of watching the Milwaukee Brewers win their first World Series title in franchise history. It was especially exciting for me because my husband works for the Brewers, giving me the chance to see their hard work firsthand over the years. From the players to the spring training staff to senior leadership, this club demonstrates organizational excellence at every level.
Just as impressive is the Brewers’ fan base. Calling Milwaukee a baseball city is an understatement. Nearly every business in town found some way to rally behind the team, and I have no doubt the fans’ passion and energy played an integral role in clinching the title.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Sports Illustrated chose to feature a Milwaukee baseball game at County Stadium on the cover of its very first issue released on August 16, 1954. The debut cover featured the Brewers’ predecessors, the Milwaukee Braves, facing off against the New York Giants. New York went on to win the World Series that year.
More personally meaningful to me, my grandfather, George Abrams, hand-drew the magazine’s original logo.
(Photo Credit: Mark Kauffman/Sports Illustrated)
Like the Brewers, my grandfather was not an overnight success. It took decades of practice, passion, and persistence before he became one of the preeminent typographers and lettering artists of the Mad Men era, in the golden age of advertising.
He developed his skills while serving overseas during World War II in his twenties, where he honed his craft and earned 5 Battle Stars. At the height of his career, he was paid four times the going market rate for his design services. It was a bold stance for a Jewish creative working during the height of the Red Scare. Many were blacklisted. He was not deterred.
(Photo credit: The New York Times)
He won the accounts and went on to design iconic logos and brand identities for House Beautiful, Newsweek, Godiva, Scotts, and Revlon, among dozens of other household names. In 1997, after eight years of meticulous work, he released the first of his three original typefaces: Abrams Augereau.
Beyond his commercial work, he was a fierce advocate. He championed copyright protection for type designers before Congress, marched for civil rights in Washington in 1963, and participated in anti-war demonstrations.
He shared his gifts as a professor and guest lecturer at Parsons, The New School, and Columbia University Teachers College.
Yet his greatest gift was the quiet confidence he gave me that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. His entrepreneurial grit, commitment to advocacy, and love for branding form the bedrock of my legal practice today. Through my firm, Abrams Law, I carry forward his legacy by helping businesses protect their creative assets and navigate advertising laws in the digital age.
Last week, watching the Brewers fight for their place in baseball history reminded me that whether on the diamond or at the drawing board, legacies are forged through practice, passion, persistence, and the unwavering belief that you can do anything you set your mind to.
For more about the Milwaukee Brewers’ historic World Series win: https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-win-world-series-2026
For more about the first Sports Illustrated Issue: https://www.si.com/si-vault/2017/08/16/first-issue-1954-10-things-didnt-know
For more about my Grandpa George: https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/18/arts/george-abrams-dies-at-81-was-a-master-of-typefaces.html
About the Author: This article was written by Courtney Abrams, Esq. Courtney Abrams is a trademark and e-commerce attorney and founder of Abrams Law, a Phoenix-based boutique law firm focused on digital marketing, intellectual property strategy, and comprehensive brand protection for fashion/lifestyle brands, content creators, and online shops nationwide.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal assistance securing your assets, please schedule a formal consultation directly with our firm.