People often say you can’t know your future without knowing your past. And the same can be said for the future of an academic institution continuing to shape future generations. But, as students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Toledo, how well do we know its history? This series, entitled #RocketBlastFromThePast, was started by Juice House as a social media series to discover our shared legacy as Toledo Rockets by diving into the digital archives of the Canaday Center and sharing interesting tidbits and fun facts of UToledo’s rich history that encourages a sense of pride in our institution. Now brought to you as a collection, it’s more than a trip down memory lane; it’s an exploration and transportation from the past to the present, with a vision and inspiration guiding us into a bright future and beyond.
Today’s #rocketblastfromthepast 🚀 takes us back to 1976 when Centennial Hall — not to be confused with Centennial Mall — was built as a multipurpose activities center in the middle of the University of Toledo’s main campus. The hall held a recreation center and track as well as indoor baseball, tennis and soccer facilities. The building also provided a stage for famous singers like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr., Billy Joel and the Beach Boys to perform.
In 1988, Centennial Hall was renamed John F. Savage Hall, and shortened to Savage Hall after an important UToledo donor, board member and alumnus. Today, we know it as Savage Arena since its reconstruction and renaming in 2008, and is where you can watch men and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and a variety of campus events.
This series is continuing to grow! To stay up to date with new posts in this social media series, follow The JuicePress at @thejuice.press.
