Toledo Rockets The Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo . The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid - American Conference ( MAC ) . The school ' s colors are midnight blue and gold . Toledo ' s principal rivals are the Falcons of Bowling Green State University . The two teams play for a trophy each year known as the Peace Pipe , a prize that originated in basketball but progressed to football in 1980 . The University of Toledo holds the edge in the rivalry ( 17 - 15 ) and have won two straight . This rivalry is sometimes known as " " The Battle for I - 75 " " because the cities of Toledo and Bowling Green are located just off Interstate 75 and only 20 miles separate the two campuses . Origin of nickname . When The University of Toledo played the then - powerful Carnegie Institute of Technology in football on September 29 , 1923 , Pittsburgh sports writers were surprised to learn that UT did not have a nickname . Though an underdog , Toledo fought formidably , recovering a series of embarrassing fumbles by favored Tech . Pittsburgh writers pressed James E . Neal ( 1904 – 1983 ) , a UT junior pharmacy student and writer for " The Campus Collegian " who was working in the press box , to come up with a nickname for his school ' s team . Despite UT ' s 32 - 12 loss , the student labeled the team " Skyrockets , " obviously impressed by his alma mater ' s flashy performance against a superior team . William B . Hook , who started as an unknown substitute guard and ended a hero , grabbed a Carnegie fumble out of the air and raced 99 yards for a touchdown . A sportswriters remarked that Hook looked more like a rocket than a skyrocket as Carnegie Tech players failed to overtake him . Other writers began using the name " Rockets " with quotation marks in their stories , but after one week the quotation marks were dropped and The University of Toledo ' s nickname remained the Rockets . The Rivalry . The Bowling Green State University Falcons have been The University of Toledo Rocket ’ s biggest rival dating back to 1919 . In 1935 , UT rocketed past the Falcons in a 63 - 0 blowout and the fans went crazy causing an outbreak of riots . As a result , Bowling Green removed Toledo from their athletic play list until 1947 . When the Rockets resumed play against Bowling Green , the Peace Pipe was instated as a basketball award . There allegedly used to be a ceremony involving journalistic organizations from the University of Toledo and Bowling Green at halftime of one of the UT - BG basketball games every year . Representatives from each school ’ s newspaper smoked a six - foot peace pipe , carved from wood with the winning school keeping the pipe until the renewal of the tradition the following basketball season . Unfortunately in 1969 , the tradition came to an abrupt end when an unidentified person stole the pipe from its resting - place in the " Collegian " office . The thief was never caught , nor was the pipe ever recovered . The tradition was reinstated in 1980 for football with a miniature peace pipe replica resting atop a trophy created by Frank Kralik , former UT football player , as an award for the winner of the annual gridiron battle between Toledo and Bowling Green . Other sports . Among other sports , Toledo consistently fields strong distance running teams ; Brianna Shook ' 04 , who is also an assistant track coach at the school , holds the American record for the steeplechase . Rocky the Rocket . Rocky the Rocket , The University of Toledo ' s mascot , was created in the 1966 – 67 academic year by the Spirits and Traditions committee , an appendage of student government , with various students being chosen to dressing up for a couple different games . Then in the fall of 1968 , Rocky was taken under the wing of Dan Seemann , Director of Student Activities at the time , and the First Official Rocky the Rocket , Bill Navarre , emerged . Navarre assumed the role at both Toldeo home and away football and basketball games in the Rocky the Rocket costume , which was made by the theatre department seamstress and passed down to him — a wastepaper basket with a pointed rocket top made of papier - mâché . In the past , Rocky was run through the Student Activities office , but now Rocky is supported by the Athletics Department . Any student can try out in the spring semester to be Rocky for the following year . A potential Rocky must be fun , committed , good with children , spirited , crazy , and able to communicate through non - verbal methods . Toledo ' s mascot can be viewed at various university sponsored events including pep rallies , home and away football games , men and women ' s basketball games and the Homecoming parade . Over the years , Rocky ' s costume has changed many times : In the early 1970s , Rocky wore a tall metal rocket helmet with many different jumpsuit type outfits , including such items as bell - bottom pants . In 1977 , an authentic spacesuit , helmet , and boots were donated to the university by the NASA Space Center in Houston , Texas with the help of former Ohio astronaut and Senator , John Glenn . The space suit was used for football games , but because of its mass , a lightweight replica was used for the basketball season . Both suits were used until 1980 when Rocky took on a more futuristic look . Another Rocky costume , which was plush with huge feet , was introduced in 1983 , but was only used until 1986 when a big blue plush Rocky with smaller feet was unveiled . Throughout the late 80s and most of the 90s only minor changes were made to Rocky ' s costume . In 1998 , at the Bowling Green football game , the old Rocky got into a limousine and the new Rocky stepped out and displayed the new blue and gold rocket man Rocky costume , complete with jetpack . In 2002 , an inflatable Rocky the Rocket was unveiled as an addition to the Rocket man Rocky . In 2008 , the Rocketman Rocky and the inflatable Rocky the Rocket were retired , and a new foam Rocketman Rocky arrived on the field of the Glass Bowl on a motorcycle . In 2011 , at the home football opener pep rally ( Music Fest ) , Rocksy , the female version of the 2008 Rocky , was introduced . Facilities . The Glass Bowl . Football at The University of Toledo started in 1917 with an upsetting 145 to 0 loss to The University of Detroit . They finished off that season 0 - 3 , being out scored by their opponents 262 - 0 . For twenty years , UT football teams were moved from one stadium to another including Armory Park , Waite Bowl , the Nebraska Avenue grounds , St . John ' s field , Swayne Field and Libbey Stadium . Finally in 1937 , The University of Toledo ' s football team resided in its permanent home on the University ' s Bancroft Campus . Construction of the field , which is set in a natural bowl , began in February 1936 as a project of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression . The only means of construction were picks , shovels , and wheelbarrows . The original design of the stadium had a seating capacity of 11 , 000 fans . It now has the capacity to hold 26 , 248 fans ! The first game in the Rocket ' s stadium was on September 25 , 1937 . Grass had not yet been planted around the stadium and there were no walkways to the entrance . Thus , when heavy rainfall deluged the area , mud blocked the gates and the game had to be postponed until the following Monday . The Rockets went on to beat Bluffton College , 26 - 0 . The Rockets ' stadium is known as the " Glass Bowl " in recognition of Toledo ' s distinction of being the glass capital of the world . The stadium was not named the " Glass Bowl " until renovations in 1946 . The origin of the name dates back to 1946 and a man named Wayne Kohn , an employee of the structural engineering department of the Libbey - Owens Ford Glass Co . , who suggested an annual Glass Bowl football game to be played in the Rockets ' stadium . Three Toledo glass manufacturing companies developed the idea further and with the University sponsored a " Glass Bowl " stadium , which was a renovation of the then current stadium . The stone structures at the northeast and northwest corners of the Glass Bowl are called Blockhouses . In the past , the Blockhouses were used as a residence for the football players . The Rockets would stay in the west Blockhouse and the visitors would stay in the east Blockhouse . The Glass Bowl is the second oldest stadium in the Mid - American Conference , behind Ohio University ' s Peden Stadium . Over the years there have been many renovations made to the Glass Bowl , such as switching from grass to Astroturf in October 1974 ; building an electronic scoreboard in 1975 ; adding seats in 1972 ; again adding seats , a press tower , luxury boxes , and Larimer Athletic Complex in 1990 , and switching to NeXturf , an artificial surface carefully modeled after natural grass , in July 2001 . The outer wall and Blockhouses are all that remain of the original Glass Bowl Stadium . Savage Arena . Formerly known as Savage Hall , John F . Savage Hall is much more than just UT ' s 9 , 000 - seat basketball arena . Savage Hall is a multi - purpose building that is used for recreation , concerts and other special events , such as graduation . The arena built in 1976 was originally named Centennial Hall . The hall was renamed John F . Savage Hall on July 13 , 1988 , in honor of the 1952 UT graduate and strong university booster , John Savage , who was instrumental in the campaign to raise funds for the arena . Prior to the construction of Savage Hall , basketball games were played at the Field House , the second oldest building on campus . The inaugural men ' s basketball game played in Centennial Hall was against the Indiana Hoosiers , who were the national champions the year before , ranked # 1 nationally , and on a 33 game winning streak . The hall was packed with over 10 , 000 fans who came to see the Rockets end the Hoosiers winning streak by a very close score of 59 - 57 . The hall has also hosted many musical acts over the years including Stevie Wonder , James Taylor , Metallica , Pearl Jam , Cher , Bush , Matchbox 20 , Elton John , Goo Goo Dolls , Sheryl Crow , Boyz II Men , Destiny ' s Child , Dave Matthew ' s Band , Barenaked Ladies , and Elvis . Recently the hall was renovated and renamed John F . Savage Arena . On the inaugural game the Rockets beat University of Massachusetts in a game - winning buzzer - beater to put Toledo in the lead with a final score of 57 - 56 . Scott Park Baseball Complex . Toledo ' s baseball facility has stadium lighting and a capacity of 1 , 000 spectators . Its dimensions , from left field to right field are 330 feet , 400 feet , and 330 feet . Organizations . Rocket Marching Band . The University of Toledo Rocket Marching Band ( RMB ) is one of the largest , oldest , and most visible student groups on campus . With approximately 160 members ( majoring in Anthropology to Zoology ) including musicians , color guard , Dancing Rockettes , and a feature twirler , the marching band is a positive source of pride and school spirit for the campus , as well as the city of Toledo . The RMB marches in a roll step style popular among various marching units ( including Drum Corps . International ) . While the band operates at all home football games , it is separate from the Athletic Department and is under the College of Arts and Science ' s Music Department . Quick Facts about the RMB : The Cadence is " Funk in the Ottawa . " They march Sousaphones ( not convertible tubas ) The uniforms for the RMB are closely resembling that of West Point Cadets , also the RMB has 2 different uniform styles - a Midnight Blue Jacket with the University of Toledo Rocket Marching Band logo on the sleeve and either Blue or White pants . The RMB is serviced by The Beta Rho Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi - National Honorary ( Service ) Band Fraternity . The Band is currently under the direction of Dr . Jason Stumbo . Rockettes . The University of Toledo Dancing Rockettes were the first recognized collegiate dance team in the nation . Through athleticism , pride , and overall commitment to excellence , the University of Toledo ' s dance team continues to carry out this long - standing tradition . Songs . Fight Song . Dave Connelly , UT athletic director and baseball coach through the 1930s and 1940s , wrote " U of Toledo " in 1932 . Connelly also coached football , track , and boxing . He joined the UT faculty as a professor in 1926 , where he remained until his death in 1955 . Connelly loved to sing , but had never studied music . Apparently , previous fight songs were no longer in use , so he wrote the words for " U of Toledo " and sang the melody to a family friend , Bernie Jones . Jones played it on the piano and put it to music . The tune remained largely unchanged until 1975 , when UT associate professor of music David Jex arranged the current version . Alma Mater . " Fair Toledo " was selected from eight entries , which were submitted in the UT Alma Mater Song Contest , sponsored jointly by the Student Senate and the Alumni Association in 1959 . Other songs considered were " Excellent Toledo " and even " Good Toledo " . The competition was held to replace " Golden and Blue , " set to " Amici , " a tune used by various universities . While driving to work , Gilbert Mohr , an amateur songwriter , heard the contest announced on the radio . Mohr began humming different tunes , and later with his wife , Jean Strout , wrote the lyrics we know today as " Fair Toledo " . Our alma mater debuted at halftime of the Marshall - Toledo basketball game on March 2 , 1959 . Recently it has become a tradition for students and alumni alike to stay after the game is over and sing the Alma Mater as the Rocket Marching Band plays it . While singing it is encouraged to put your arms around your fellow rocket ’ s shoulders and sway from side to side .