Boilermakers' helmet decals will honor Neil Armstrong's giant leap for Purdue

Neil Armstrong left his mark all over his alma mater's campus, from the statue to the engineering building that bears his name to the millions of dollars he helped raise for the university. Saturday, the legacy of the first man on the moon will embark on its maiden voyage to the uncharted territory of Purdue's football uniforms, which will honor the university's favorite son against Notre Dame with a Neil Armstrong decal on the back of the helmets. The school announced the tribute on Tuesday, eleven days after Armstrong's death at the age of 82, and unveiled the design on its Facebook page.

Armstrong graduated from Purdue in 1955 with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering, and later earned an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from USC in 1970 – a year afterhe skipped into American legend on the lunar surface. (I hope for their sake his classmates weren't being graded on a curve.) For the sake of historical accuracy, I must point out here that the flag he planted in 1969 – unlike the flag in the decal – did not in fact bear a trademarked Purdue logo. But the helmets will bear the standard American flag logo directly beneath the new decal.

Besides his scientific pursuits, Armstrong also played baritone horn in the Purdue marching band, and made occasional appearances over the years in spite of his reputation as the world's most famous recluse. According to the Associated Press, the decal was the idea of fifth-year senior Tommie Thomas, who wanted to come up with some way to honor his fellow Boilermaker after Armstrong's death. This will do.

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Hat tip: @GoldandBlackcom.