Boiler Up!

Any one who has spent a few days in Purdue in the last 15 years, probably has at one point or another heard or read the phrase “Boiler Up!”.  Even though this phrase is very popular among students, professor, and staff, it hasn’t been around for very long. “Boiler Up!” is used as “Go Purdue” or as “Cheer Up!”. Students also use it to greet each other and to cheer in football games. Even though the great majority (about 28/30) of the students are familiar with the phrase “Boiler Up”, very few students (only 3/28) know where it came from (survey).

Origin of "Boiler Up!"

This phrase was partly a creation of our former football coach Joe Tiller, who led Purdue’s football team through one of the most successful periods of Purdue football history. Joe Tiller coached in Purdue from 1997 through 2008, and was loved by most students at the time (Purdue Sports, Joe Tiller). But before coaching at Purdue, he had coached at the University of Wyoming, also known as the Cowboys. During his time at the University of Wyoming, Joe Tiller used the Phrase “Cowboy Up” to cheer up his players. When he started working at Purdue, he wanted a similar phrase to use with the Boilermakers. Therefore, Joe Tiller and His wife, Arnett Tiller, came up with the phrase “Boiler Up” (Foster, Matt).

Gaining Popularity

Autographed picture of Joe Tiller

Football helmet autographed by Joe Tiller

As the popularity of Joe Tiller increased, so did the popularity of saying “Boiler Up!”. Whenever Tiller would give autographs, his wife reminded him to sign “Boiler Up!” next to his name (as we can see in the pictures on the left). Soon enough students started saying it, and the phrase caught on (Foster, Matt).

The phrase "Boiler Up!" was created a short time after Joe Tiller began coaching at Purdue.  The earliest, concrete record we have of it is in the 2001 Debris. The phrase was used twice, along with synonyms that helped clarify its meaning (pictures on the right). 

Later on, the phrase was officially approved in a logo (picture below) for the 2007 and 2008 sport series (Purdue Sports, "Boiler Up").  

Logo for the 2007-2008 sports series

Frontpiece of 2001 Debris

Page 126, in the athletic section of Debris 2001

The phrase was also used to create a cheer. In this chant, the crowd chants “Boiler Up!” as they raise a fist (video on the left) (Tour the Ten).   

Further more, the phrase was introduced, however unofficially, into Purdue’s war song, “Hail Purdue”. As the band plays the song, after the verse “Thus We Raise Our Song Anew;” they will add “Boiler Up!” (Purdue Sports, "Boiler Up").

Also, we have all seen the shirts and posters with the phrase “Boiler Up!” that are all around campus.

Historical fun  fact

Joe and Arnett Tiller came up with “Boiler Up!” to bring more enthusiasm to the football games. However, coincidentally, a very similar phrase has been used decades ago in steam-powered locomotives. When the coal box was hot enough and the engine was ready to go, the fireman would yell “Boiler’s Up!”, to let the locomotive engineer and the conductor know the boiler was ready. (Purdue Sports, "Boiler Up")

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