After team officials settled on the name Walleye for the new ECHL franchise in Toledo, they were presented with an interesting dilemma. How can they bring the mascot to life?
Toledo Walleye executives first called Dave Raymond, a mascot creator who designed the costume for Muddy, the mascot for the Toledo Mud Hens, and the Phillie Phanatic, an icon at Philadelphia Phillies games. Officials envisioned a costumed fish with hockey shorts, but Raymond had another idea in mind. He suggested a live mascot, an actual living fish that could be displayed via webcam on the video board when the team scores. This idea solved the predicament of a fish costume, which would be a bit tricky for the person inside as fish can't walk, and it also opened the door for companion mascots, such as a fisherman or a chef.
Team executives loved the idea and partnered with The Andersons and The Toledo Blade to run a month-long contest to select a name for our new friend. Wally the Walleye was the winner.
During Wally's first press conference, Toledo Walleye head coach Nick Vitucci described how Wally was selected, explaining how he was walking near the Maumee River, when Wally jumped out of the water. When Vitucci tried to grab him, Wally did not give up easily. That impressed Vitucci, reminding him of the type of player he'd like on the Walleye roster, and he knew this was the one.
Wally was transferred to the Lake Erie Exhibit at the Toledo Zoo where he will cheer for the team from his tank.
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