Duane Purvis (November 13, 1912 - March 18, 1989) was an All-American football player and track and field performer. A native of Mattoon, Illinois, Purvis played halfback and fullback for the Purdue Boilermakers from 1932 to 1934. He was selected as an All-American in 1933 and 1934. Considered an all-around player, Purvis averaged five yards per carry in 1934 with touchdown runs of 80 and 73 yards. He was also considered to be an excellent defensive player and "without peer" as a long passer, using a strong right arm that also made him a world-class javelin thrower. He played in the 1935 East-West Shrine Game and suffered a knee injury in the game. During his hospitalization in California, the Oakland Tribune published a profile on Purvis describing him as a "brown-eyed, fair-haired, firm-