Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the unique nickname of Purdue athletic teams and was originally meant as a term of derision and was among sveral terms applied to Purdue by Wabash College supporters following an 18-4 Purdue football victory in 1889. Located just 30 miles from Lafayette and bitter athletic rivals at the time, students of the liberal arts schools were inclined to shun cultural background of Purdue players represented a school devoted to the practical arts of engineering and agriculture.
Boilermakers struck the fancy of the Purdue players, who were also being called cornfield sailors, blacksmiths, pumpkin shuckers, hayseeds, farmers, and rail splitters.
There is also an unsubstaniated story that Purdue, in the late 1880s, once enrolled eight boilermakers from the shops of the Monon Railroad during the football season.
More soon!
