Hall of Fame
Gene Cook came to The University of Toledo from Cleveland, Ohio. He won nine varsity letters in the sports of football, basketball and baseball. Gene Cook starred as an end in football during 1955-1957, catching 44 passes good for 784 yards and six touchdowns. Gene lettered in basketball in 1956-1958 and in baseball during the same years as a second baseman, outfielder, and pitcher, he hit .361 as a senior. Cook is currently ranked eighth in yards per reception average (230 yds/ 10 rec, 23.0). He was the annual leader of receptions in 1955 (10 rec./230 yds) as well as in 1957 (30 rec./495 yds), he led the team in scoring (30) and was named First Team All- MAC within this year also. As a baseball player he was the annual leader for batting average (.361), home runs (4) and runs batted in (21) during the 1958 season. He is currently tied for sixth for triples in a career (8). Â
He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 13th round then went on to play with the Detroit Lions and recorded one reception in 1959. in 1961 he played for the Toledo Tornadoes for three years before retiring. In 1967 Cook was first elected to City Council. He went on to serve 30 years as an elected official, the longest stint of a Toledo official to date. Cook was also the general manager of the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team for 20 years, bringing the 100,000 person attendance to 300,000 people annually. One of his greatest achievements was getting Toledo native, Jamie Farr who played Corporal Klinger in the show M*A*S*H* to wear Toledo Men Hens gear while on the show, gaining the team nationwide publicity. In 1999 Cook was replaced as GM and named the club's executive vice president and chief operating officer. He was named International League Executive of the Year in 1980 and inducted into their hall of fame in 2008.Â
