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administrator Dale Samuels. The trio took the "scenic route" to Madison, stopping at just about every little bar and restaurant along the way. "John was an amazing guy, very frugal," said Lamb in an un- derstatement. "We would never stop at a chain hotel with John, it just wasn't his nature. We stayed in some real interesting places. a reputation as practical jokester with a great sense of humor. De- Camp always seemed to have a camera around, which long be- fore the digital era still managed to keep everybody on their toes. No one was quite certain when DeCamp would be recording one of their activities for pos- terity sake or what position you might be caught in. It was life on the road in the Big Ten, and Lamb loved every minute of it. Lamb's day job was in the Both DeCamp and Lamb had " purchasing department at Purdue, starting as a buyer in 1953 and working his way up to purchasing agent before his re- tirement 35 years later. He had a reputation for getting things done, something that came to the attention of athletic director Red Mackey. "All of a sudden they want- early 1960s he was able to get the brakes fixed for a football player to the tune of $20. It was some- thing Lamb thought nothing of and paid for out of his pocket. "I later learned that was against the rules, and Mackey told me not to do it again, which I nev- er did, I did it for has never forgotten to this day, and that means a lot to me. I know that I helped him get out of a tough spot. It was one of the most rewarding things I was able to do. " Lamb said. "But the person Lamb has enjoyed Purdue football from the days of Noble Kizer to Danny Hope and has played an important behind-the-scenes role with the program for many years. ed me to help purchase items for the athletic department, so I got to know everyone very well over there, great way to get to work with those people. big heart and always wanted to help. He had a soft spot for the student-athletes and their subse- quent struggles to adjust to life in college and the financial burden that was present for many. He recalled the time in the Lamb is a big man with a " Lamb said. "It was a " his first encounters with Quinn, who was a four-year starting cen- ter on Coach Jim Young's teams. "I remember having one of our big African-American of- fensive lineman on my lap, and Pete saying to him 'See, I told you that Santa Claus was white, Lamb recalled with a boisterous laugh that defines his personali- ty. "I really enjoyed the opportu- nity to get to know the players, it was one of the best parts of all the travel. " memories came on Purdue's bowl trips in the 1970s. In 1978, the Boilermakers played in the Peach Bowl on Christmas Day and Lamb was called on to play Santa Claus during holiday festivities the day before the game. Some of Lamb's favorite " sessions are autographed items from the likes of Bob Griese and Gary Danielson. But so are the memories of growing up a Purdue fan. A Lafayette area native, Some of his proudest pos- he attended his first game in Ross-Ade Stadium in 1936 as part of the American Legion with his father. He had the re- sponsibility of raising the Ameri- can Flag before the game. Purdue football has been he just didn't have the success we needed, but he would do anything for you and his players, Lamb said. Though retired for nearly a quarter century, Lamb's credo hasn't changed much from the farewell article written in Pur- due's Business Office Newsletter back in '88. How did Lamb wish to be remembered back then? part of his life for nine decades, but through the ups and downs he has kept his sense of humor through the wins and losses and the coming and goings of coaches. It was one of But it was (and is) the rela- tionships that mattered most. And there have been ups and downs, something not surpris- ing when people are involved. "I really liked Alex Agase (the Boilermakers' coach from 1973- 76)," Lamb said. '" (athletic director) George (King) didn't want to let him go after the '76 season, but the president wanted to. It was hard. "I know that past week about Coach Danny Hope, Lamb said Agase's depar- ture was difficult for him. "Alex was a good, kind man, In a familiar refrain heard the " tried to do what was best for Purdue, — As someone who always one, be able to laugh at yourself!" If you spend any amount of — if an SOB, at least be a fair — as a jokester "You have to time around Lamb you quickly realize that he has done all three very, very well. For Lamb, the following numbers simply make sense. If fortunate enough to live to an age where you can have six grandchildren, 16 great- grandchildren and one great- great grandchild and you still can live as an example of loyal- ty, fairness and humor to those most important to you, your life can be defined as one thing: Successful. j GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 23, EXPRESS 13 • 32 "