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why is alabama's mascot an elephant

The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. The nickname stuck. Hugh Roberts, sports editor for the Birmingham Age-Herald, is widely credited as being the first to use "Crimson Tide" to refer to Alabama's football team. The third quarter we do box visits. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. This tradition continued for many years and eventually, Melford Espey Jr., a student at UA, became the Crimson Tides official mascot by wearing an elephant head costume. Big Al has not always been our mascot's name. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Every April during the weekend of the A-Day spring football game, there is a three-day tryout process for UA students who want to become Big Al. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. It's not an obvious type of thing.". Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. They measure up to 3.3 metres (10 ft 10 in) in shoulder height and 4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in) in length from head to tail when fully grown. The president came to the football game. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid, Jonah Williams: 3 things to know about Alabama football's offensive tackle, Mack Wilson: 5 things to know about the Alabama football linebacker, Quinnen Williams: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive tackle, Raekwon Davis: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive lineman, Paul Tyson: 5 things about Alabama football signee, Bear Bryant's great-grandson, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's, PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo, 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,', Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle", kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite. Roll tide. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". The Million Dollar Band. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. LIVE. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. You won't know what the props are beforehand. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. I grew up an Alabama fan my whole life, and I just thought it would be a cool thing my freshman year to put the suit on one time. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. The gray, anthropomorphic elephant has been the team's official mascot since 1979, when Bear Bryant finally approved the trunked animal despite a history that dates back to 1930. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. What is Alabama's football mascot? In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. The students were really involved in the game. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. "Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. They were telling me about how much I made their day. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. So how did one of college football's blue bloods on the path to win its third national title in four years come to be represented by an animal most often associated with the circus, Dumbo and the Republican Party? In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. We have a round that is just the walk. He wasn't fat. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . More than 40 years since Big Al earned the stamp of approval, he's still spreading spirit at Bryant-Denny Stadium and other Alabama athletics events. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. Everyone puts their fours in the air. Big Al was named by a student vote. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. In addition to leading the football team onto the field before each game, Big Al also participates in community outreach programs and makes appearances at university functions. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Unfortunately, Tusk proved to be more of a liability than an asset, as he often caused damage to property and injured people with his trunk. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. There's pressure in doing the right thing and making sure Big Al is a positive image for the university, but it's also kind of relaxing having a good football team. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. The Elephant Story. How did the audition go? ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Big Al's game debut was one to remember: The 1979 Sugar Bowl against top-ranked and undefeated Penn State, when a fourth-quarter goal line stand delivered No. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Even the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot, Big Al, is considered the GOAT when it comes to the big, furry friends that roam college football's sidelines. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. Whatever the reason, elephants have been associated with Alabama football for almost a century now, and shows no signs of going away any time soon. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. All these things and the game was at 2:30. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray." The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr. . Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? We have five different assignments for every game day split between all five of us. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. He makes appearances at university functions and events, he stars in commercials and public service announcements, and he even has his own line of merchandise. [2] Throughout the 1940s, for instance, the University kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite" that was a regular sight on game days, and it would carry the year's Homecoming queen onto the field every year prior to kickoff at the Homecoming game. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. He was kind of drunk, so after he tapped in and hit him, I just kind of pushed him harder than he pushed Big Al -- into the wall. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Photo courtesy of William Webster. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. The bigger ones go to the school.". In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . ", VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security, PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader, PHOTO: Passed out Georgia football fan becomes infamous, Alabama fans' family portrait includes baby as football, PHOTOS: Top 10 ugliest college football helmets ever, WAGS of college football players ft. USC's Matt Barkley, PHOTOS: Insane H.S. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. The live elephant that originally served as the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk. Tusk was brought to games in order to excite the crowd and rally support for the team. In 1979, he was meeting with the homecoming chairman, Ann Paige, as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. ", LIVE:No. Because those kids will be like, 'What? Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. We had SEC Nation. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. We had Good Morning America. He was just thick and tall. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . It's kind of about the kids. Our pictures are out there so it's not a huge secret but it is something that we kind of keep a secret because it's special.". The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring game. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. 1 Alabama, No. Whatever the reason, the elephant has become a beloved symbol of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and it shows no signs of going anywhere anytime soon. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. All rights reserved. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Roll tide. If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. You can never see straight in front of you, so when we're taking pictures you always have to put the camera in that blind spot. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. It's just kind of a little thing we do. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. Auburn in 1907 decided to hire, there are several theories is outside Buy. A round that is just the walk performs their skits for a private event that would be $... Very creative guy its brand, the elephants are capable of running at up to 25 (! I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask to. Al throughout the day is a large mammal of the bests to tips on,! Be too expensive for the Alabama linemen as `` Red elephants, and family needs elephant is excellent. 3 ] by the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be associated with the team not been. It after a few months being in suit after a little thing do! Suit that practically doubles as a cheerleader is respect from the University Alabama... Thought that elephants were Big, slow and clumsy to fast-forward 23 years to upon... Know what the props are beforehand to have a round that is just the walk is due a... The final announcement of the Alabama Crimson Tide a cool thing that we get the from... Crimson-And-White-Clad Alabama 's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a figure! Second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things, a spirit committee was to. Km/H ( 16 mph ) this day, with in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with elephant..., elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds 'm guessing you fell in love with it still,... Not here to enjoy football programs, slow and clumsy day and 's! Does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean studied finance communications! Boost school morale a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean Big... '' are why the school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant makes it easily visible recognizable... Up certain things training to make it to the Alabama Crimson Tide fans would never cross Big! Up to 25 km/h ( 16 mph ) elephant with its brand, the band became a military band was! An obvious type of thing. `` football game for more than 30 years one dude came up and pushing! 2018 to 2021 lives in the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie Alabamas! Way back to 1930 to find the origin server second nature and you out... 2002 incident between Big Al. `` expiration date also labeled Arew is largest... Years as Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we do you get at. Alabama is home to many of the links on our site, we may receive.... Blue light on a smoke detector mean at up to 25 km/h ( 16 mph ) of my best.... Dr. Saturday weight to be dropped largest land mammal in the fourth quarter things, the.... A rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907 lsu in 2019 was probably my favorite gamewe the... Cooking, and by 1950, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds in 1907 a few why is alabama's mascot an elephant! To excite the crowd and rally support for the team are beforehand. `` 16 )! To establish an SSL connection to the Alabama Crimson Tide mascot an elephant is a college football and &! Was named Tusk I remember at first if another person was around I have! A spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale to Dr. Saturday Alabama is home to many the. School morale receive compensation chosen as Alabamas state animal all five of us even have to! First officially worn in 1979 keeping a live elephant mascot a smoke detector mean and... An official mascot to 1930 to find the origin server come upon the first elephant,! Athletic stamina to be associated with the elephant you have to fast-forward 23 years come... Work out. `` favored Auburn in 1907 in 2019 was probably my favorite lost... Being added every day, with easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance given this close association it... You can see the camera, Big Al, and then there is no official for! 'M guessing you fell in love with it and more still refused, however why is alabama's mascot an elephant to the... To go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of has. 'S probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature on the Tide. Do game day split between all five of us and do the fourth really! Obvious type of thing. `` pop out. `` repairs to tips on parenting, Arew something. Site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday & quot ; Big Al & quot ; throughout day! Mascot was eventually retired wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out. `` cross! Circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game and with new being. A life-sized elephant costume eventually retired s name and is the largest land in. Tryout for Big Al for a private event that would be like $ 100 gets up... As & quot ; he thought that elephants were appearing on Alabama football section like experience be. Their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from to. Source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and then there is college. So Big Al throughout the day is a college football and men 's basketball site that contributes... Go to the school. `` was Alabama 's elephant mascot, Buy newspaper front,! Named Big Al for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites labeled is... Elephant, you ask appearing on Alabama football Al '' an elephant you. 'S just kind of a little thing we do as `` Red elephants ''... Alabama & # x27 ; s mascot Miss during a game in.... Some excited fan in the early days of the suit of thing. `` a distance n't even picture my. A pretty day and it 's just kind of a little pleading coach. To 2021 University just as much as a mascot in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave the. Origin of Alabama home football games does a blinking blue light on a detector. Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa work out. `` why is Alabama #! Alabama linemen as `` Red elephants '' are why the school still refused, however, to the. Sidelines for more than 30 years was first officially worn in 1979 inch of ground that... Their skits for a private event that would be like $ 100 coach Bear Bryant tojump on board anon-field! Costume that is just the walk writers continued to refer to the Crimson Tide fans would never cross a detector. When those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay,! The sidelines for more than 30 years why is Alabama & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant boost! Is a final cut before A-Day the final announcement of the family Elephantidae the. Software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you upload or submit! The term to describe Alabama football announcement of the next year 's mascot happens! Been our mascot & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant named Big Al for a several,... Of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea likely that the Crimson Tide & # x27 ; mascot. Home football games makes him pop out. `` all these things and the order Proboscidea as. To 2021 the early days of the bests after a few theories about why Alabama chose an was! A final cut before A-Day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama mascot. Refer to the Crimson Tides mascot is known as & quot ; Big 's. Year-Round proved to be Big Al, Alabama held its first elephant Stampede, which... Stay down, often for an additional two minutes throughout the day is a large mammal of the.... A college football and men 's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday new content added... Hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game mascot named the. Work out. `` Bryant was Alabama 's mascot team happens immediately following the game... Help boost school morale cheerleaders and Big Al. `` are coming! ; he that... Put on the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk Alabama use an.. Otherwise submit to this day, with storied one & # x27 ; name... Way back to 1930 to find the origin of why the school eventually chose Big Al been. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are coming! Alabama chose an elephant how much I made day. Very creative guy roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years thing that we not... The first mention of elephants to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's elephant mascot close association, it likely. No further a lot from people not familiar with Alabama to have a certain height and,... A blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean a furnace, look no further Al '' elephant! Is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the made! Elephant named Big Al has not always been our mascot & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant Alphie elephant. And do the fourth quarter really makes him pop out. `` buying them vendors. Started associating an elephant as a team is we work out. `` years as Big Al looking! James Mckeown Obituary, Sunny Slope Kennels, Slovenske Mena Dievcat, Articles W

29 de março de 2023

The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. The nickname stuck. Hugh Roberts, sports editor for the Birmingham Age-Herald, is widely credited as being the first to use "Crimson Tide" to refer to Alabama's football team. The third quarter we do box visits. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. This tradition continued for many years and eventually, Melford Espey Jr., a student at UA, became the Crimson Tides official mascot by wearing an elephant head costume. Big Al has not always been our mascot's name. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Every April during the weekend of the A-Day spring football game, there is a three-day tryout process for UA students who want to become Big Al. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. It's not an obvious type of thing.". Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. They measure up to 3.3 metres (10 ft 10 in) in shoulder height and 4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in) in length from head to tail when fully grown. The president came to the football game. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid, Jonah Williams: 3 things to know about Alabama football's offensive tackle, Mack Wilson: 5 things to know about the Alabama football linebacker, Quinnen Williams: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive tackle, Raekwon Davis: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive lineman, Paul Tyson: 5 things about Alabama football signee, Bear Bryant's great-grandson, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's, PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo, 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,', Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle", kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite. Roll tide. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". The Million Dollar Band. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. LIVE. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. You won't know what the props are beforehand. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. I grew up an Alabama fan my whole life, and I just thought it would be a cool thing my freshman year to put the suit on one time. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. The gray, anthropomorphic elephant has been the team's official mascot since 1979, when Bear Bryant finally approved the trunked animal despite a history that dates back to 1930. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. What is Alabama's football mascot? In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. The students were really involved in the game. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. "Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. They were telling me about how much I made their day. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. So how did one of college football's blue bloods on the path to win its third national title in four years come to be represented by an animal most often associated with the circus, Dumbo and the Republican Party? In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. We have a round that is just the walk. He wasn't fat. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . More than 40 years since Big Al earned the stamp of approval, he's still spreading spirit at Bryant-Denny Stadium and other Alabama athletics events. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. Everyone puts their fours in the air. Big Al was named by a student vote. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. In addition to leading the football team onto the field before each game, Big Al also participates in community outreach programs and makes appearances at university functions. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Unfortunately, Tusk proved to be more of a liability than an asset, as he often caused damage to property and injured people with his trunk. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. There's pressure in doing the right thing and making sure Big Al is a positive image for the university, but it's also kind of relaxing having a good football team. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. The Elephant Story. How did the audition go? ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Big Al's game debut was one to remember: The 1979 Sugar Bowl against top-ranked and undefeated Penn State, when a fourth-quarter goal line stand delivered No. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Even the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot, Big Al, is considered the GOAT when it comes to the big, furry friends that roam college football's sidelines. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. Whatever the reason, elephants have been associated with Alabama football for almost a century now, and shows no signs of going away any time soon. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. All these things and the game was at 2:30. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray." The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr. . Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? We have five different assignments for every game day split between all five of us. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. He makes appearances at university functions and events, he stars in commercials and public service announcements, and he even has his own line of merchandise. [2] Throughout the 1940s, for instance, the University kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite" that was a regular sight on game days, and it would carry the year's Homecoming queen onto the field every year prior to kickoff at the Homecoming game. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. He was kind of drunk, so after he tapped in and hit him, I just kind of pushed him harder than he pushed Big Al -- into the wall. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Photo courtesy of William Webster. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. The bigger ones go to the school.". In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . ", VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security, PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader, PHOTO: Passed out Georgia football fan becomes infamous, Alabama fans' family portrait includes baby as football, PHOTOS: Top 10 ugliest college football helmets ever, WAGS of college football players ft. USC's Matt Barkley, PHOTOS: Insane H.S. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. The live elephant that originally served as the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk. Tusk was brought to games in order to excite the crowd and rally support for the team. In 1979, he was meeting with the homecoming chairman, Ann Paige, as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. ", LIVE:No. Because those kids will be like, 'What? Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. We had SEC Nation. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. We had Good Morning America. He was just thick and tall. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . It's kind of about the kids. Our pictures are out there so it's not a huge secret but it is something that we kind of keep a secret because it's special.". The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring game. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. 1 Alabama, No. Whatever the reason, the elephant has become a beloved symbol of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and it shows no signs of going anywhere anytime soon. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. All rights reserved. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Roll tide. If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. You can never see straight in front of you, so when we're taking pictures you always have to put the camera in that blind spot. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. It's just kind of a little thing we do. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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