Hokie Hokie Bye

Can anyone be inspired by these memorable words?

Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi!
Tech, Tech, VPI
Sol-a-rex, Sol-a-rah
Poly Tech Vir-gin-ia
Ray rah VPI
Team! Team! Team!

Over a century ago, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University held a student contest to write a new cheer. A senior by the name of O.M. Stull wrote the “Hokie” yell, which can still be heard at home games in Blacksburg.

Ok, so let's get this out on the table.What the heck is a Hokie? And, is that thing a bird, a turkey or what?

The word “Hokie” was conjured up by Stull simply because he needed a word that would be an “attention-getter.” Up until then, VT athletic teams were known as the Gobblers and “Home of the Gobblers” was proudly posted on the outside of Lane Stadium until recently. However, after the school adopted the yell, Hokies became the permanent nickname.

Though the costumed mascot is a depiction of a fictional bird that resembles a turkey, he has become a fixture on the VT sidelines. His performance on gamedays has made him a crowd favorite.