Purdue Pete
| Purdue Pete | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| University | Purdue University |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| First seen | 1940 |
| Related mascot(s) | Boilermaker Special |
Purdue Pete is a mascot of Purdue University. Despite his visible and constant on-field presence at Purdue sporting events, Pete is not the official mascot of the university. The official mascot of Purdue is the Boilermaker Special.
Purdue Pete was first designed as a logo by the University Bookstore in 1940. They would put it on their products and portray him dressed up in different clothes for the different majors. He got the Purdue part of his name from Purdue University. The owners of the bookstores gave him the name “Pete”, yet no one officially knows why this was chosen to be his name. He was given a physical identity in 1956 as he came out and helped the students cheer at a pep rally. Over the years, the appearance of Purdue Pete has gone under several drastic changes as well as several minor changes. His original head was made of paper-mâché, pasted onto a chicken wire frame. This was very inconvenient for the person who would be underneath because it would limit his movements, yet he was still expected to move around and do stunts. This head was changed to a giant fiberglass head where the person inside would use a harness to support it. This was impractical due to the sheer size of it. In the 1980s, Purdue Pete acquired the appearance he is now associated with. Proposals to switch to a soft-sculpture costume were rejected in 2006 and 2011.
From 1997 to 2007, Purdue Pete had a sidekick named Rowdy. Rowdy was a ten-foot-tall inflatable mascot who represented a young "future Boilermaker". He was the idea of Jan Winger, Purdue's administrative assistant of athletic public relations, who was inspired by Nebraska's Lil' Red.
Purdue Pete’s uniforms are old gold and black, which are Purdue’s school colors. The hammer that Purdue Pete carries is an icon that signifies him as a boilermaker. Back in the days of the boilermakers, they would use large mallets to mold the steel into boilers or pipes or even bridges. The hammer is also a symbol of strength, power, and the determination it took to be a boilermaker. Purdue Pete’s hardhat only helps solidify this image in the minds of anyone who sees him. Purdue Pete being identified as a boilermaker helps connect him with his fellow Purdue Boilermakers in the stands. Purdue Pete’s giant head could be something used to draw attention to him, which helps him get the fans pumped up. Purdue Pete could be seen as a symbol. He is recognized as being a Boilermaker. Yet, underneath his big, iconic head, he is just a student. This is symbolic of the fact that we are also Boilermaker on the inside. Since we can’t see who is underneath, it allows the audience to put themselves in his place. The current head utilizes a fiberglass frame, but is much smaller and lighter than previous designs because it is made primarily of a composite. The newest head of Pete was designed and created by students in the Aeronautical Engineering Technology department. This is also the same department that designed the Boilermaker X-tra Special. They make several heads over the course of the year. They also fix the heads when they get damaged, whether from use or bumping into things. When the department gives the heads to the four Purdue Pete students, the heads are covered in the flesh-colored paint. It is up to the four people who portray Purdue Pete to paint the eyes and glue on the hair.
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