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By: Robert Raczkowski
Boilermakers
On October 26, 1891, the Purdue football team was for the first time called "Boiler Makers" by a Crawfordsville reporter who wrote about Purdue's 44-0 trouncing of Wabash College. Soon after, Lafayette newspapers picked up the name, and in October 1892 "The Purdue Exponent" gave it the stamp of approval. In the early days of Purdue football, the team was called other names as well, including "haymakers," "railsplitters," "sluggers," and "cornfield sailors."
Purdue Pete
Purdue Pete was created in 1940 when "Red" Samuels and "Doc" Eppell, founders of University Book Store, asked Art Evans to develop an advertising logo for the store. Like magic, this one-dimensional form evolved into a human shape, and in 1956 Purdue Pete started his remarkable life as entertainer and energizer of Boilermaker athletics.
Today, three students share the responsibility of acting as the mallet-wielding Boilermaker. To be chosen, they must be at least six feet tall, weigh no less than 180 pounds, be involved in campus activities, and possess leadership qualities.