Centre grad’s love of sports, history lands famous C6-H0 football game on Wikipedia’s front page

Have you read a Centre-related Wikipedia entry lately? Chances are Patrick Nelson ’24 played a key role in that article.

Nelson graduated from Centre College with a mathematics degree and is now pursuing his master’s in epidemiology at the University of South Carolina. He got his start as a Wikipedia editor in high school, updating results of college football rivalries.

His hobby grew more serious over the years, and he began writing and editing more complex articles. To date he has written, edited or contributed to more than 1,300 Wikipedia articles. Behind the scenes, these features are internally ranked according to how well- written and researched they are with robust citation for accuracy.

The Wikipedia peer-review editing process helped prepare him for the rigors of college writing, he said. And his Centre education made him a better writer and editor, as he continued to contribute to Wikipedia during his time on campus.

“Centre means so much to me, and I'm thankful I've found a way to give back, if only a little bit,” Nelson said.

Among his Centre-related Wikipedia work, is an ongoing series on the College’s past presidents. Nelson also rewrote and updated the page detailing the famous 1921 Centre-Harvard football game.

In addition to writing and editing entries, Nelson began to submit his work to be featured on Wikipedia’s main page, a sort of front page for the website, sharing an excerpt from the day’s main featured article, along with bulleted lists of current events in the news, factual tidbits from across the site and a list of “today in history” items.

Nelson has submitted Centre subjects for main page recognition in the past with President Milton C. Moreland, and past presidents John C. Young and Charles Tuck appearing in the “Did You Know” section.

But today, on the 103rd anniversary of the historic 1921 C6-H0 football upset, Nelson’s article on that famous football game was chosen to be the Wikipedia featured article of the day. Nelson’s article covers the beginning of the unlikely rivalry between the burgeoning Kentucky powerhouse and mighty Harvard, the legendary game, and quarterback Bo McMillin’s decisive touchdown.

He also details how the “impossible formula” of C6-H0 began cropping up all around campus, becoming a mantra for the College through the years.

“Frankly, it's awesome,” Nelson said of getting the featured article slot. “Getting not only my work, but also Centre's name, in front of millions of eyes is very exciting. Especially so, knowing that Centre contributed to my writing and research skills (and provided resources that I used to research that article) and, in part, made the article possible in doing so.”

Learn more about the game and its legacy by reading Nelson’s Wikipedia entry.