Purdue wreck
The remains of the first coach of the Big Four special, where the Purdue football team was seated, lies splintered on and about a coal tender. | |
| Date | October 31, 1903 |
|---|---|
| Location | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 39°47′24″N 86°09′54″W / 39.790°N 86.165°W |
| Type | Train wreck (collision) |
| Cause | Dispatcher's error. |
| Deaths | 17 |
The Purdue Wreck was a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, October 31, 1903, between two special trains that killed 17 people, including 14 players of the 1903 Purdue University football team. Team captain and future Indiana governor Harry G. Leslie was initially thought to have died in the accident, but was later revived.