Wabash and Purdue University met on the gridiron 29 times between 1889 and 1928, and the series began with a 10-game Wabash losing streak.
The frustration of the College’s fans and players found its way onto the field.
In 1889, in the first football game played in Crawfordsville, Purdue won 18-4. Believing that the opponents’ team included a number of “ringers,” Wabash students complained that the Purdue players were “blacksmiths, village bullies, coal shovelers, farmers, hayseeds, cornfield sailors, pumpkin shuckers, rail splitters, foundry molds, and, finally, boilermakers.” The last of the names stuck. The Purdue Football Media Guide credits Wabash with originating the name.
In those days Wabash played its athletic contests on Philistine Field, so named by irate Crawfordsville citizens because of its ugly board fence and the nature of the activities within. The locals were angry in part because the fence prevented them from observing games without paying admission.
It was on Philistine Field in 1891 that one of the best “defensive plays” in Wabash football history took place. The team was trailing Purdue 44-0 with 15 minutes to play when an unnamed Wabash player ran out on the field, grabbed the ball, and disappeared out the gate. Since Wabash owned only one ball, the game was over, thus ending any further embarrassment at the hands of the Boilermakers.
Surprisingly, after the 0-10 start the Little Giants acquitted themselves quite well, going 8-9-2 in the remainder of the series. Even in the 1920s, Pete Vaughan’s teams were competitive, going 3-4-1.
In 1921 the Little Giants won 9-0 in the first game ever played in Ross-Ade stadium.
David Phillips is professor emeritus of chemistry at Wabash.