Purdue Pete

West Lafayette, IN · Various

★Mascot Hall of Fame Nominee 2026

Team / Organization	Purdue University Boilermakers
Location	West Lafayette, Indiana
League / Division	NCAA Division I / Big Ten Conference
First Debuted	1940 as an advertising/logo character for University Book Store; first appeared outside bookstore ads in Purdue’s Debris yearbook in 1944; first took the field as a costumed spirit mascot in 1956
Species / Type	Boilermaker tradesman (Humanoid)
Best Known For	High energy, high fives, Boilermaker pride, half-court shots, and selfies
Year Nominated	2026

Profile

Purdue Pete has been one of college sports’ most unmistakable figures for generations. His roots go back to 1940, when University Book Store owners Doc Epple and Red Sammons hired artist Art Evans to create a grinning, muscular Boilermaker tradesman as an advertising logo. The character quickly caught on, appearing on bookstore merchandise and even making his way into Purdue yearbook culture before he ever became a live mascot.

Purdue Pete took human form in 1956, when Purdue created a sports mascot to boost home football spirit. According to Purdue archival history, engineering student Larry Brumbaugh was chosen by the Pep Committee to become the first Pete, and his first appearance came at a pep rally on September 28, 1956, before Purdue played Missouri. Early performers had to do far more than just stand around looking iconic. They tumbled with the cheerleaders, performed in heavy gear, and dealt with the very real challenges of wearing early heads made of materials such as papier-mâché, fiberglass, and bulky padding.

What makes Purdue Pete so memorable is that he has never been subtle. He is intense, instantly recognizable, and built around the hard-hat boilermaker identity that defines Purdue athletics. Over the years, Pete has undergone multiple redesigns, from oversized early heads to lighter, modern versions that offer greater mobility and performance. Purdue Athletics even unveiled an updated Purdue Pete logo in 2023, featuring a more active “Boiler Up” pose and a smile, showing that even one of college sports’ most established mascots can still evolve. Love him, fear him, debate him endlessly — Purdue Pete remains one of the most talked-about and enduring mascots in the country.

Fun Facts

Purdue Pete started as a logo in 1940, when University Book Store hired Art Evans to create the original character.
His first costumed appearance came on September 28, 1956, at a pep rally before Purdue played Missouri, and Larry Brumbaugh was the first student to bring Pete to life.
Early Purdue Pete performers tumbled with the cheerleaders, even while wearing heavy, awkward heads and padding. Purdue archival accounts describe just how uncomfortable some of those early costumes could be.
Pete’s look changed many times over the decades, including major redesigns in 1963, 1976, 1980, and 1983.
One famous Purdue Pete story says his head flew out of the Boilermaker Special in 1962 and was never found. Purdue’s own historical write-ups repeat that tale as part of Pete lore.
Purdue Athletics unveiled an updated Purdue Pete logo in 2023, featuring a more active “Boiler Up” pose and smile.
“Most of the mascots out there are made out of cotton or fabric, something like that,” says Garam Kim, an assistant professor in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology who has helped make Pete’s head for the last 12 years. “Purdue Pete is definitely unique. We make it out of aerospace-grade composites — the same material as we’d make a Boeing 787.”