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

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

player and

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

athlete. 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, Illinois, Charleston. Both are principal cit ...

, Purvis played halfback and fullback for the

Purdue Boilermakers The Purdue Boilermakers are the official college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana. As is common with athletic nicknames, the Boilermakers nickname ...

from 1932 to 1934. He was selected as an

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

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 as far as possible. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's de ...

er. He suffered a knee injury in the in East–West Shrine Bowl. 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

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

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

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

, 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, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...

. As further testimony to the athletic prowess of Duane Purvis; his 1933 Purdue javelin record of 66.60 meters remained on the books until 1982, when it was eclipsed by 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 American football fullbacks American football halfbacks American male javelin throwers Purdue Boilermakers football players Purdue Boilermakers men's track and field athletes All-American college football players NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners People from Mattoon, Illinois Players of American football from Illinois Track and field athletes from Illinois 20th-century American sportsmen