What is a Boilermaker? Explaining history, meaning behind Purdue’s nickname
Purdue secured a top 1 seed of the 2023 NCAA tournament by topping the East region overall with a 29-5 record and the Big Ten tournament title.
Matt Painter’s team reached this stage of the season with tremendous help from a uniquely dominant player in Zach Edey, who at 7-4 is not only one of college basketball’s best bigs, but also one of its best players. The Sporting News Player of the Year has been a force all season and paved the way for Purdue up to this point in the season.
Purdue and Edey’s playstyle is appropriate considering the university’s nickname: Boilermaker. The name evokes a steam engine rumbling along the tracks – much like the men’s basketball team has done all season.
It also begs the question: What is a boilermaker and why did Purdue adopt this moniker? It’s among the more prominent names in collegiate athletics and will no doubt draw a lot of attention as Purdue attempts a deep run at the 2023 NCAA tournament.
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With that, The Sporting News delves into the origin of the Boilermaker nickname and mascot:
Why is Purdue’s nickname Boilermakers?
Purdue’s history as boilermakers can be traced back to a single football game in the late 19th century. According to the university, the name has its roots in a 44-0 drubbing by nearby Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The one-sided nature of the 1891 contest prompted a Crawfordsville newspaper to vilify the “Herculean bearers of black and old gold” with a headline that read, “Slaughter of Innocents.” A headline from another local newspaper, the Daily Argus-News, gave more details: “Wabash has been completely snowed in by the burly Purdue Boilermakers.”
Newspapers in West Lafayette, Indiana, responded with similar comments, with the Lafayette Sunday Times writing the following on November 1, 1891:
As everyone knows, Purdue went to Wabash last Saturday and defeated their eleven. The Crawfordsville newspapers haven’t gotten over it yet. The only option they have is to claim that we brutally beat their “scientific” men. Our players are referred to as “coal lifters”, “boiler builders” and “stevedores”.
Previously, Purdue had nicknames like “Grangers, Pumpkin-Shuckers, Railsplitters, Cornfield Sailors, Blacksmiths and Foundrymen” – all with a loose connection to blue-collar labor. After the game and the ensuing feud between newspapers, the nickname Boilermaker stuck.
What is a boilermaker?
A Boilermaker, by definition, is someone who makes boilers. As Purdue noted, the unique nickname of its sports teams came from the type of education offered by the Land Grant University, founded in 1869: it taught working-class skills and was considered low-key for the time.
In the same year that Purdue defeated Wabash College 44-0, the college acquired a working 85,000 pound Schenectady #1 Locomotive Engine to build a new Locomotive Laboratory. This only further established the university as a pioneer in engineering technology and research – and made the nickname Boilermaker all the more appropriate.
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What is Purdue’s mascot?
Contrary to popular belief, Purdue’s primary mascot is not Purdue Pete (although he is one of the university mascots). This award belongs to the Boilermaker Special, a working Victorian-era locomotive that unfortunately made headlines in the 2022 football season after stalling on the field.
Purdue notes that there were five versions of the Boilermaker Special, with the latest model being designated the “Special VII”. Purdue also has an explanation for why the current model is called “Special VII”, even though it is the fifth model.
Purdue notes that the latest model was unveiled in 2011, following the inauguration of Special IV – known as Xtra Special – and its current second version, Xtra Special VI. The university defines them as “faux locomotives” built on golf cart chassis.
The Boilermaker Special was conceived in the 1930s to highlight the school’s engineering prowess, with “Special I” debuting on the first day of classes in 1940. Different models were presented over the years in 1953, 1960, 1993 and “Special VII” in 2011.