Who are you? I am Purdue Pete, now 93 years old even though I may not look it. I am known across the country as the symbol of Purdue University's programs and athletic teams. In 1957, I became a regular feature at all Purdue football games when some kids in the Pep Committee thought it's be a good idea if I lead a few cheers. Larry Brumbaugh was the first Purdue pete choosen because of his ability as a tumbler. Cheerleaders were assigned to find a costume but could not find one at a reasonable price. Brumbaugh took on the task himself and found a woman from his hometown of Union City to make a papier-mache head for Purdue Pete. But it wasn't always this way, you may wonder how I became so popular....
Yeah, just how did you do it? Seems Purdue and Wabash were greet football rivals long ago. And when Purdue beat the Wabash in 1889 the representatives of the Liberal Arts school didn't think highly of it. Purdue players were called many names, one of them being "boilermakers." This caught ear of the Purdue students and stuck. It is not known when the transition from "Boilermaker" to "Purdue" took place.
How were you created and by whom? I was created and drawn by Art Evans, an artist who drew many famous college mascots. Art Evans created me at the request of Robert Eppel and Red Samuels, the founders of the University Bookstore. They were looking for something to set their bookstore off from the others already in town when their bookstore opened in the spring of 1940. They then got in touch with a firm by the name of Anson W. Thompson, and I was copyrighted August 28th, 1940, my birthday actually. I made quite an appearance in the 1944 Debris, which made me really famous. They used me on nearly every page, you need to take a look for yourself in the slide show below.
Mascot? Even with my popularity, I am not the official athletic mascot I seem to be. The Boilermaker Special, the locomotive seen on campus, holds this title still. I, Purdue Pete have changed some since my beginning, but my purpose is still the same -- to represent the University and to keep athletic spirits high.
Yeah, just how did you do it? Seems Purdue and Wabash were greet football rivals long ago. And when Purdue beat the Wabash in 1889 the representatives of the Liberal Arts school didn't think highly of it. Purdue players were called many names, one of them being "boilermakers." This caught ear of the Purdue students and stuck. It is not known when the transition from "Boilermaker" to "Purdue" took place.
How were you created and by whom? I was created and drawn by Art Evans, an artist who drew many famous college mascots. Art Evans created me at the request of Robert Eppel and Red Samuels, the founders of the University Bookstore. They were looking for something to set their bookstore off from the others already in town when their bookstore opened in the spring of 1940. They then got in touch with a firm by the name of Anson W. Thompson, and I was copyrighted August 28th, 1940, my birthday actually. I made quite an appearance in the 1944 Debris, which made me really famous. They used me on nearly every page, you need to take a look for yourself in the slide show below.
Mascot? Even with my popularity, I am not the official athletic mascot I seem to be. The Boilermaker Special, the locomotive seen on campus, holds this title still. I, Purdue Pete have changed some since my beginning, but my purpose is still the same -- to represent the University and to keep athletic spirits high.
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Our Current costume wearers are Jason Carey, Chad Anderson, Paul Gabor, and Nicolas Houin.
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At the age of 83, the creator of the Purdue Pete mascot, had passed away. Robert "Doc" Epple, a West Lafayette native and Purdue graduate, died in Home Hospital Saturday, January 23rd, 1999.
Boilermakers lose their head in 1981. The grimacing "Pete" head was stolen moments after the Boilers defeated Northwester in the fall of 1981. Ted McKinney, who wore the Boilermaker Pete uniform couldn't make it to the game so our cheerleaders had taken the head to Northwester for Ted to wear, but when he was unable to make it, the set the head next to press row, and were guarding it. Moments after the game, the cheerleaders turned around, and it was gone.
BACK IN TIME: 2011.Our current pete consists of a head-to-toe, one piece outfit. The skin tone of the 7-foot mascot is a deeper tan to represent more ethnicities. Furthermore, the full-body costume will allow anyone to play pete. It is a costume change, not a personality change. The newest Purdue Pete costume was designed by Olympus Flag and Banner of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The cost for the prototype was $7,500; subsequent costumes were $5,000. It was supposed to be Petes moment, just before the annual Black and Gold football game Saturday, April 8th, 2011. After a year of build up preparation for Pete's long-discussed makeover, Purdue Pete stood at the 50 yard line in preparation to enter the stadium. Once he entered the field there was a smattering of applause. But the vast majority of the crowd booed the new Pete. There were cheers as Pete left the field.
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