Indiana University Athletics
Throw Everything Out...Nothing Else Matters
11/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Old Oaken Bucket
The symbol of football supremacy between Indiana and Purdue, the Old Oaken Bucket, has in its 77 years of spirited rivalry, become one of the nation's most famed trophies.
Both institutions had been meeting on the football field since 1891 when the Indiana and Purdue Alumni Clubs of Chicago held a joint meeting in 1925 to "discuss the possibility of undertaking worthy joint enterprise on behalf of the two schools." Dr. Clarence Jones proposed the creation of a traditional football trophy to go to the winner of the annual clash. Dr. Jones and Russel Gray of Purdue were appointed to recommend a suitable trophy by J. Frank Lindsey, (Indiana, Class of 1913), who was elected chairman of the joint committee.
At a later meeting they recommended "an old oaken bucket as the most typical Hoosier form of trophy, that the bucket should be taken from some well in Indiana, and that a chain to be made of bronze block "I" and "P" letters should be provided for the bucket. The school winning the traditional football game each year should have possession of the 'Old Oaken Bucket' until the next game and should attach the block letter representing the winning school to the bail with the score engraved on the latter link."
Fritz Ernst of Purdue and Indiana's Wiley J. Huddle were given the task of finding the bucket. They located it on the old Bruner Farm between Kent and Hanover in southern Indiana. The region had been settled by the Bruner family in the 1840's, making today's bucket well over a century old.
Excellent repair work put the bucket, moss and mold-covered with some staves showing signs of decay, into good shape for its initial appearance, which ended in a 0-0 tie in 1925.
Overall Series & Records at Home
Purdue Leads 63-35-6
|
Indiana at Home
|
17-30-1
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| Purdue at Home |
33-18-5
|
Most Points Scored in a Bucket game
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Indiana, 52, 1988
|
Indiana, 52-7
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| Purdue, 68, 1892 |
Purdue, 68-0
|
|
Indiana at Home, 52, 1988
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Indiana, 52-7
|
|
Indiana on Road, 35, 1968
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Purdue, 38-35
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| Purdue at Home, 68, 1892 |
Purdue, 68-0
|
| Purdue on Road, 56, 1997 |
Purdue, 56-7
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Largest Margin of Victory
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Indiana, 45 pts, 1988
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Indiana, 52-7
|
| Purdue, 68 pts, 1892 |
Purdue, 68-0
|
|
Indiana at Home, 37 pts, 1917
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Indiana, 37-0
|
|
Indiana on Road, 45 pts, 1988
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Indiana, 52-7
|
| Purdue at Home, 68, 1892 |
Purdue, 68-0
|
| Purdue on Road, 49, 1997 |
Purdue, 56-7
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Longest Win Streaks
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Indiana: 4
|
1944-47
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| Purdue: 10 |
1948-57
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Indiana's Record by Decade
1890's 1-6-0
1900's 4-2-1
1910's 2-5-1
1920's 3-5-2
1930's 3-6-1
1940's 7-3-0
1950's 0-9-1
1960's 2-8-0
1970's 3-7-0
1980's 4-6-0
1990's 5-5-0
2000's 1-1-0
