Founded in 1848, the University of Ottawa adopted its official colours Garnet and Grey, and like many nineteenth-century institutions, the athletics teams were known only by the school's colours. Eventually, a connection was made between the shorthand "GGs" and "Gee-Gee", the common British nickname for a racehorse. The unique Gee-Gees name and iconic logo known today is a result of 170 years of history in Ottawa