Longtime UT game-day staffer passes away

August 16, 2016 | Athletics, News
By Paul Helgren



Chester A. “Chet” Sullwold, a former Toledo Blade sports editor who worked at Toledo Rocket basketball and football games for the past 67 years, died Aug. 11 at his home in Toledo at the age of 91.

Sullwold originally attended The University of Toledo before serving in the military during World War II. After he returned, he attended and graduated from Ohio State University, accepting a position as a sports reporter with The Blade in 1948. A year later, he began working at the scorer’s table at UT basketball games. In 1956, Sullwold joined the game-day crew at UT football games, as well. In recent years, he served as the public address announcer for the press box at Rocket football games. He stepped down from that role at the end of 2013 season, marking 58 years on the game-day crew at the Glass Bowl.

Sullwold

Sullwold

“Rocket Nation has lost a true legend with the passing of Chet Sullwold,” said UT Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien. “Chet was a wonderful person who always had a smile and a kind word for everybody. His dedication to the Rockets was unparalleled. All of us in the Rocket family will miss Chet very much.”

Sullwold worked on the stats crew at UT men’s and women’s basketball games this past season, his 67th covering the Rockets on the hardwood. He was honored as the football team’s “12th Man” at a game in 2010, and was presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the Varsity T Club in 2015.

In 2012, he retired as a part-time staffer at The Blade, giving him 64 years on the sports staff.

Sullwold created a UT Foundation account that helped fund student employees in the UT Athletic Communications Office, and he also contributed to the renovation of the Savage Arena Media Room.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 428 N. Erie St., Toledo. Details, including time, are pending.

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