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First Rocky Recalls Days as Mascot |
| By
Megan Mangano |
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Oct 21, 2004 |
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| Bill Navarre posed for a photo with the UT cheerleaders in 1969. |
It’s hard to imagine UT’s beloved Rocky the Rocket outfitted with a trash can for a head and a satin suit, but in 1968, that was the costume. Just ask Bill Navarre.
Navarre was the University’s first official Rocky in 1968-69. That school year, Rocky was transferred from the responsibility of the athletic department to the spirits and traditions organization led by Professor Dan Seemann. “Professor Seemann decided to pick one student to be Rocky for the school year and I was the lucky recipient,” Navarre said. “Prior to that, various students and athletes were chosen to be Rocky for an event.”
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| Bill Navarre's senior photo, which appeared in the 1969 Blockhouse |
The costume for Rocky wasn’t purchased from a national mascot company; it was made by the UT theatre department seamstress. “The head was made from a plastic trash can with a bullet-shaped cone and point attached to the bottom. The cone and point were formed from metal, which made the head very top heavy and difficult to balance. The trash can was painted Rocket blue and the cone and the point were gold,” Navarre said. To maneuver the costume, there were ropes attached to the inside of the can and Navarre had to run them under his shirt and each arm to hold it on. There was a smiley face painted on the outside and the only way for Navarre to see was to look through the large mouth-opening cutout.
Navarre is the first to agree the current Rockys have much better costumes. “The version dressed up like a ‘Rocket man’ is far more athletic and active than I ever could be in my uniform.”
“During my year, Rocky appeared at all home games for both football and basketball, but I only traveled to away events when there was room in the bus and money from the meager budget was available,” Navarre said.
On game days, Navarre’s duties as Rocky started two hours before game time. “I had to learn all of the cheers and participate with cheerleaders to get the crowd excited,” he said.
While there are many fond memories Navarre has from his days as Rocky, one sticks out. “It was at our home basketball game versus Bowling Green. Freddie the Falcon was the premier mascot in those days and I badly wanted to show him up! Steve Mix, our center that year and later an NBA all-star, found a blue and white basketball in the trainer’s storage room. He gave it to me and said go beat Freddie with this. I practiced every day before the Saturday afternoon game shooting underhand from all over the Field House, even from the stands. The uniform did not allow free movement to shoot normally, plus my vision was very limited. After the game, I invited Freddie to a shooting match. Eventually, I led him to the side court and went up about three rows into the stands. He shot first and missed, of course, but then it was my turn to step up and let it fly. It was nothing but net! The crowd went wild and we even won the game that night!”
Navarre graduated in 1969 with a bachelor of education degree, but his history as UT’s first Rocky lives on.
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