Rowdy
Love him or hate him, he is a part of Purdue history forever. Rowdy is a former, sometimes forgotten, mascot of Purdue. His lifetime at Purdue is filled with controversy and the whimsical spirit of a young boy.
Rowdy joined the team of mascots in September 1997 at Purdue’s first home football game of that season. Fans were shocked and awed as the ‘little’ boy ran out onto the field. The information of a new mascot was apparently confidential, as news of a new mascot was unknown to the general population. Skepticism arrived very early for some, but others embraced the new and fun idea.
Rowdy stands about 10 feet tall and is made from parachute material. The wearer of the costume stands inside the suit carrying a powerful blower backpack. This pack, while heavy, enabled the suit to inflate to its great size. The concept of Rowdy is that he is a young boy who is absolutely crazy about Purdue. He was Purdue Pete’s sidekick, as he traveled to all events that Pete went to. Early in his life cycle, he was appreciated by the community.
“People liked Rowdy because he was different,” said associate athletics director Tom Schott. “He was geared toward younger fans; he kind of had a childish look about him, a little kid look.”
The creation of Rowdy was the responsibility of Jan Winger. Winger was the administrative assistant for the athletic public relations department. Her inspiration for the mascot was inspired by Nebraska’s Lil’ Red, a mascot very similar to Rowdy.
Although Rowdy was a new, fresh idea then, his popularity quickly faded. Older alumni were not excited to see a young inflatable boy representing their alma mater. Also, the view for fans sitting in the first few rows of sporting events was often obstructed by Rowdy.
Not only did the fans start giving up on Rowdy, but also the structural integrity of Rowdy started to wear. Jason Carey, a current Purdue Pete, shared some knowledge on Rowdy. The suit was very hard to clean and dirt and mud built up on the bottom of the costume. “It was really hot in there. Really hot. The person would sweat and it would condense at the top of the suit, which made for an unpleasant time,” said Carey. After ten years of dirt, sweat, and wear, Rowdy was finally retired.
At the end of the football season in 2007, Rowdy was literally thrown away. “Rumor is that somebody found him in the trash and sold the costume on eBay,” Carey laughed. Although loved by some, the university was happy to toss out some of the bad memories.
Some campaigns have gone through to bring back Rowdy, all being unsuccessful. Maybe it should stay that way. However, there is some serious support, and Purdue has recognized that by saying, “He hopes to return one day but admits that he is in need of a little time off.”
Rowdy joined the team of mascots in September 1997 at Purdue’s first home football game of that season. Fans were shocked and awed as the ‘little’ boy ran out onto the field. The information of a new mascot was apparently confidential, as news of a new mascot was unknown to the general population. Skepticism arrived very early for some, but others embraced the new and fun idea.
Rowdy stands about 10 feet tall and is made from parachute material. The wearer of the costume stands inside the suit carrying a powerful blower backpack. This pack, while heavy, enabled the suit to inflate to its great size. The concept of Rowdy is that he is a young boy who is absolutely crazy about Purdue. He was Purdue Pete’s sidekick, as he traveled to all events that Pete went to. Early in his life cycle, he was appreciated by the community.
“People liked Rowdy because he was different,” said associate athletics director Tom Schott. “He was geared toward younger fans; he kind of had a childish look about him, a little kid look.”
The creation of Rowdy was the responsibility of Jan Winger. Winger was the administrative assistant for the athletic public relations department. Her inspiration for the mascot was inspired by Nebraska’s Lil’ Red, a mascot very similar to Rowdy.
Although Rowdy was a new, fresh idea then, his popularity quickly faded. Older alumni were not excited to see a young inflatable boy representing their alma mater. Also, the view for fans sitting in the first few rows of sporting events was often obstructed by Rowdy.
Not only did the fans start giving up on Rowdy, but also the structural integrity of Rowdy started to wear. Jason Carey, a current Purdue Pete, shared some knowledge on Rowdy. The suit was very hard to clean and dirt and mud built up on the bottom of the costume. “It was really hot in there. Really hot. The person would sweat and it would condense at the top of the suit, which made for an unpleasant time,” said Carey. After ten years of dirt, sweat, and wear, Rowdy was finally retired.
At the end of the football season in 2007, Rowdy was literally thrown away. “Rumor is that somebody found him in the trash and sold the costume on eBay,” Carey laughed. Although loved by some, the university was happy to toss out some of the bad memories.
Some campaigns have gone through to bring back Rowdy, all being unsuccessful. Maybe it should stay that way. However, there is some serious support, and Purdue has recognized that by saying, “He hopes to return one day but admits that he is in need of a little time off.”