The Boilermaker

This article is about the monument. For other uses, see Boilermaker (disambiguation).

The Boilermaker

Location| Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Coordinates| 40°26′04″N 86°55′01″W﻿ / ﻿40.43444°N 86.91694°W﻿ / 40.43444; -86.91694
Designer| Jon Hair
Type| Statue
Material| Bronze (5,400 lbs)
Height| 18' (not including the base)
Beginning date| 2003
Completion date| September 26, 2005 (erected)
Opening date| November 4, 2005
Dedicated to| Carl Christian Grotnes

The Boilermaker is a statue that was dedicated on November 4, 2005, as a monument commemorating the "indomitable spirit of the [Purdue] boilermaker."[citation needed] The statue is located adjacent to Ross Ade Stadium on the Purdue University-West Lafayette campus's intercollegiate sports complex.

The statue was commissioned by an anonymous donor. The estimated cost was approximately $500,000.[1]

## Game day traditions

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During the 2008 football season, an unofficial jersey bearing the number 90 of the team's co-captain Ryan Baker was worn by the statue during each home game. The tradition was started by Purdue Army ROTC Cadet Tommy Woroszylo (BSME, 2010). Woroszylo passed on the tradition to the campus Army ROTC program. The honor of hanging the jersey for each home game has been carried out by the following Boilermakers:

* 2013: Dan Heath
* 2012: Dan Rosenbalm
* 2010-11: Keegan Wisehart
* 2008-09: Tommy Woroszylo

The jersey tradition has been nationally recognized: it was shown live on ESPN, written about in the Lafayette Journal & Courier, and shown during the 2010 season of NBC's Parks and Recreation. During the 2013 season, the jersey was stolen on two separate occasions; therefore, the gameday tradition came to an end with the 2014 football season.

## References

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1. ^ Forbes, Marydell (November 3, 2005). "Purdue dedicates 'The Boilermaker' statue". Purdue University. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2012.

## External links

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* Purdue University
* Purdue Sports
* Purdue Alumni Association

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Purdue University

Located in: West Lafayette, Indiana

System|

* West Lafayette
* Fort Wayne
* IPFW, dissolved 2018
* Northwest
* Purdue University in Indianapolis
* IUPUI, dissolved 2024
* IUPUC, transferred to the IU system in 2024
* Global (Law School)

Academics|

* College of Agriculture
* College of Education
* College of Engineering
* College of Health and Human Sciences
* College of Liberal Arts
* Krannert School of Management
* College of Pharmacy
* Polytechnic Institute
* College of Science
* College of Veterinary Medicine

Athletics|

| Teams|

* Purdue Boilermakers
* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Football
* Men's golf
* Softball
* Track and field
* Women's volleyball

|

Indiana rivalry|

* Men's basketball
* Governor's Cup (Multi-sport)
* Old Oaken Bucket (Football)
* Barn Burner Trophy (Women's basketball)
* Monon Spike (Women's volleyball)
* Golden Boot (Women's soccer)

Other rivalries|

* Illinois (Purdue Cannon)
* Notre Dame (Shillelagh Trophy)
* Chicago

Facilities|

* Ross–Ade Stadium
* Mackey Arena
* Alexander Field
* Lambert Field
* Lambert Fieldhouse

Other|

* All-American Marching Band
* Big Bass Drum
* Big Ten Conference
* Glee Club
* Hail Purdue!
* Boilermaker Special
* Purdue Pete

Campus|

* Purdue Aeronautics Corporation
* Purdue Airlines
* Purdue Airport
* Purdue Bell Tower
* The Boilermaker
* Discovery Park
* Elliott Hall of Music
* Engineering Fountain
* Horticulture Gardens
* Nuclear reactor
* Purdue Memorial Union
* Purdue Research Park
* Rawls Hall
* Slayter Center
* West Lafayette

Student life|

* The Exponent
* WBAA
* WBAA-FM
* Purdue Grand Prix
* Electric Vehicle Grand Prix
* Purdue OWL
* Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
* Purdue Reamer Club

People|

* Alumni
* Faculty
* Presidents
* John Purdue

* Founded: 1869
* Students: 49,639 (2021)
* Endowment: US $2.59 billion (2020)

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