Elmer Oliphant Early Purdue and Army...

July 9, 1892 - Bloomfield, Indiana - Elmer Oliphant was a halfback who played for both Purdue, as a walk-on, and the Army. Elmer Oliphant, according to the UPI in an article in the Indianapolis Star, had the nickname of “Catchy.” Elmer won an unprecedented seven letters while at Purdue and then added 17 more as a cadet at West Point!    

The standout athlete played basketball, baseball, and track in addition to football and even tried his hand at boxing. In fact, he is the first person ever to have won letters in four different sports for the Army. His gridiron exploits were great even before he played in the college ranks. Catchy once scored 60 points in one high school game in a 128-0 romp as his Linton High squad dispatched rival Sullivan High School in football! Oliphant went to Purdue and set a scoring record there, too, when he put up 43 points on the scoreboard against Rose Poly in a 1912 tilt that set a Boilermaker record in the 91-0 triumph. Elmer ended up with 135 career points at Purdue and added 300 more while with the Army, and he was named to the All-America team twice.

Elmer Oliphant received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. Elmer stayed in the Army for four more years, and after his discharge, he played one season professionally with the Buffalo All-Americans and then coached two seasons at Union College in New York.