Duane Purvis (November 13, 1912 – March 18, 1989) was an All-American

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

player and track and field performer. A native of

Mattoon, Illinois Mattoon ( ) is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,870 as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Lake Land College and has close ties with its neighbor, Charleston. Both are principal cities of the Charleston� ...

, Purvis played halfback and fullback for the

Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

Boilermakers A boilermaker is a tradesperson who fabricates steel, iron, or copper into boilers and other large containers intended to hold hot gas or liquid, as well as maintains and repairs boilers and boiler systems.Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dep ...

from 1932 to 1934. He was selected as an All-American in 1933 and 1934. Considered an all-around player, Purvis averaged five yards per carry in 1934 with touchdown runs of 80 and 73 yards. He was also considered to be an excellent defensive player and "without peer" as a long passer, using a strong right arm that also made him a world-class

javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the ...

er. He played in the 1935 East-West Shrine Game and suffered a knee injury in the game. During his hospitalization in California, the ''Oakland Tribune'' published a profile on Purvis describing him as a "brown-eyed, fair-haired, firm-jawed chap" who was considered "the finest back ever to pack a pigskin for the Boilermakers' eleven." Asked if he intended to play professional football, Purvis replied, "I should say not. I've had just about enough football. It's a great game when you're in college and the best game to forget about when you're out. I'm going to get to work as soon as they hand me that old A.B. at Purdue." For more than 30 years, Purvis held the career rushing record at Purdue with 1,802 yards. His record was broken in November 1968 by both Leroy Keyes and Perry Williams. Triple XXX Family Restaurant

In the sport of track and field, Purvis earned All-American recognition three times; winning the

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javelin championship in 1933 and 1934. Purvis was also ranked third globally in the javelin during 1933; that same year, in a poll conducted by the

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, Duane Purvis was selected as the top athlete in the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

. As further testimony to the athletic prowess of Duane Purvis; his 1933 Purdue University javelin record of 66.60 meters remained on the books until 1982, when it was eclipsed by Boilermaker Jim Hartman - with a mark of 69.88 meters. Upon graduating from Purdue, Duane Purvis taught in the university's physical education department.; he was married to Dorothy Mae Evans (Sept. 1, 1911 - Jan. 25, 2007). A sandwich named in Purvis's honor has been a favorite for many years at the Triple XXX diner near the Purdue campus. The all-beef burger is topped with the standard cheese, onions, lettuce, and pickle, but it stands out with a slathering of peanut butter on the bottom bun.Matt Lindner
Purdue pines for peanut butter burgers
ESPN, accessed April 21, 2012

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purvis, Duane 1912 births 1989 deaths All-American college football players American male javelin throwers People from Mattoon, Illinois Purdue Boilermakers football players