TALLAHASSEE Fla.
Former Florida A&M athletic director Hansel Tookes, who created the popular Florida Football Classic against archrival Bethune-Cookman, has died. He was 86.
Tookes coached the offensive and defensive lines for legendary coach Jake Gaither before becoming the school’s athletic director in 1973. He died Wednesday, the school said.
During his reign as AD, Tookes created the classic that annually averages more than 70,000 fans. This year’s game is Saturday in Orlando.
“He was Mr. Orange and Green,” said Bobby Lang, who at 73 is the lone remaining coach from the Gaither era, when the Rattlers dominated black college football.
Tookes also created the Florida A&M Sports Hall of Fame.
Tookes was known by thousands of FAMU fans for his frequent exclamation of “hubba-hubba, baby.” “It became his trademark,” Lang said. “You’d hear ‘hubba-hubba’ and know that Tootie was somewhere near.”
