I N D I A N A F O O T B A L L

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Elmer “Catchie” Oliphant

Elmer Oliphant graduated from Linton High School in 1910. After lettering

in football, basketball, baseball and track at Washington High School, his

family moved to Linton in the middle of his junior year (January 1909).

During his junior year at WHS, Elmer led the 1908 football team through an

unbeaten season and a mythical state championship. At Linton, the Miners

won the 1909 mythical state football championship and the official 1910 track

and field state title.

Oliphant went on to letter in football, basketball, baseball and track at Purdue

from 1911 through 1915. In 1912, he scored 43 points against Rose-Poly,

still a Purdue football record. He made the All-Big Ten football team in both

1912 and 1913. Oliphant was also named basketball All-American for the Purdue in 1914.

In 1915, Oliphant enrolled at West Point (Army) to play football. In those days, eligibility at military academies was not reduced by prior college play. Elmer was selected football All-American in both 1916 and 1917 while at Army. He still holds Army’s single game (45 points) and single season (125 points) scoring marks in football. Oliphant also lettered in basketball, baseball, track, swimming, hockey and boxing. He became West Point’s heavyweight boxing champion and the world record holder in the 220-yard low hurdles.

While in military service in 1919 at West Point, Oliphant created the intramural sports system as we know it today at various high schools and colleges. In 1920, he played football for the Rochester Jeffersons of the American Professional Association. The following season, Oliphant led the NFL in scoring while playing for the Buffalo All-Americans.

After the 1921 season, Oliphant retired from active participation in sports. He became an AAU coach and was instrumental in preparing American athletes for the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Oliphant was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1975. Purdue University inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

Along with Paul Roberson and Jim Thorpe, Oliphant is widely considered one of premier players of pre-1920’s college football.