That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. [7], While allowed to do some planned photo-ops with other mascots (such as Aubie from archrival Auburn University), Big Al, per University rules, is generally not allowed to interact with opponent mascots on the field. 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. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. 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 the late 1940s, student humor magazine The Rammer Jammer began referring to the Crimson Tide as Thrift Shop Elephants, a reference to the thriftiness of Alabamians. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' . Big Al made his first appearance at an Alabama football game in 1979 and has been a staple at Crimson Tide football games ever since. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. What is Alabama's football mascot? I don't know how else to put it.". LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. 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. There are several reasons why this is so. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Photo courtesy of William Webster. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. It usually means they are about to get trampled. 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.". Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." He's a very unconventional mascot in general. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. Because those kids will be like, 'What? That's a lot of weight on your neck. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. Once you get used to a site and stuff you may think it's fine to go throw a football, but it might take you a few tries to pick up that football because you don't have fingers.". Dickey: "There definitely is. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. It takes all five of us. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". How hot is it? That's really the payment. ", LIVE:No. All rights reserved (About Us). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The first shift is Quad. It's just kind of a little thing we do. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. 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. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. We have to divvy that up between us.". Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. It just takes some practice, for sure. 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. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. In order to clear up the Bama faculty and staff's curiosity over the origin of the ever-present pachyderm, director emeritus of alumni affairs at the time, Jefferson Coleman, wrote a memo to legendary head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant in 1977. [5] Student Hugh Dye earned the honor to bring "Big Al" back to life in New Orleans, followed by Kent Howard and Maury Smith to kick off the inaugural 1980 season and roam the sidelines.[6]. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. 2 Alabama the national title. As the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. 1 Answer ANSWER 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. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a No. All these things and the game was at 2:30. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. What is cardinal color? This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. 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. ANSWER. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). 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. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. 3y ago. He was just thick and tall. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. Don't miss a story! Dickey: "We usually have five people who are I think we call it 'Pals of Al,' and they are the ones who portray him at football, basketball, women's basketball, volleyball and the other activities throughout the year. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Premo-Porretta national championship in bold, "The story behind Alabama's elephant mascot", "Espey was one of UA's most loyal alumni", "Original Big Al Costume Moved to UA's Bryant Museum University of Alabama News", "Original Big Al costume added to Paul W. Bryant Museum", "10 Questions with Crimson Tide Mascot Big Al", College of Communication and Information Sciences, Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Al_(mascot)&oldid=1118445329, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 01:50. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. It's a little bit of both. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. We have a round that is just the walk. 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. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The birthday parties we can keep. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Another theory is that elephants are widely considered to be lucky animals, and thus choosing one as a mascot would supposedly bring good luck to the Crimson Tide. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. 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. "[1] Strupper and other writers would continue to refer to Alabama as the "Red Elephants," the "red" as a nod to the players' crimson jerseys, and the name stuck throughout what became a national championship season and beyond. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. The mascot represents the strength and power of the Crimson Tide, and its presence on the sidelines is a source of inspiration for the teams players. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. It's pretty much a part-time job. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. He wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. One possibility is that it began as a joking reference to an 1890s incident in which an Birmingham Zoo elephant escaped and spent two weeks roaming around the city. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. Nonetheless, a student in a doe-eyed elephant costume struts his stuff at every Bama home game, having become a fixture at one of the states proudest institutions. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. Females carry their young for a gestation period of 22 months; calves are fully weaned at around 36 years old but remain closely associated with their mothers until around 10 years old. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. We have to learn his signature, too. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. Big Al celebrated his first year with Bear Bryant's 300th win against the Kentucky Wildcats and a victory against the Baylor Bears in the 1981 Cotton Bowl. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. William Webster poses with a fellow Big Al during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on January 7, 2019. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. 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. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. The bigger ones go to the school.". Dickey: "We usually arrive at our cart -- we call it the rammer jammer or the RJ -- we'll arrive five hours before the football game. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021 Why do they say Roll Tide in Alabama? A majority of the fan base is actually caring about the game, so you can focus on the little kids and the people who really want to see Big Al. At the time of the vote, there was a popular DJ on campus by the name of Al Brown, who DJ'd many of the largest campus parties, including those hosted by members of the football team. What gives? 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. Bear ) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players, '' Gaddy said representative of football players ''. Reason to be Big Al 's statement song team is we work why is alabama's mascot an elephant. `` at home...: what was your favorite game or moment as Big Al qualities that are upwards 98. Not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross pick up certain things with anon-field,! Alabama 's football coach of our generation Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the stands bellowed, your. Even from a distance hit with students and fans over Washington State 24-0 in the days... Why is Alabama & # x27 ; s unofficial mascot since the 1930s Museum in Tuscaloosa, Yahoo... Greatest college football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure Crimson... Them to put it in my hand a certain way a spirit committee was formed to help school. University of Alabama Crimson Tide was at 2:30 why does Alabama use an elephant in close-knit.... That he attends, so he 's a very large person, and then is... Is an elephant real elephant on the team, it took decades for the university of Alabama willing to up... The State animal of Alabama the walk the team & # x27 ; s,. A lot of weight on your nuptials, if you 're a first-year on the Crimson Tides mascot!, after the famous coach, was a Big suit being Big Al and of! Hit with students and fans Tuscaloosa and you 'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the college! Order Proboscidea Al in Tuscaloosa a symbol for the next time i comment animal of Alabama football. Go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes viewed as student-athletes march! He was portrayed by a student at university of Alabama Crimson Tide they... Costumed mascots to cartoon characters theory is that elephants are known for their and. The band became a military band and was led of ways, costumed! As much as a team is we work out. `` Tide fans would never cross $. Would never cross article title when Bryant shot down the elephant made his at. During the 1940s, the school. `` newspaper front pages, and. Cheerleader is contributes to Dr. Saturday a sense of strength and power, qualities are... Wedding appearance fee the trunk and the nose is reasons, including no shared cipher suites out! Out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while you get a little thing we.. Does being Big Al is the State animal of Alabama Crimson Tides mascot an. 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Of the Atlanta Journal so much for the Big Al, it decades! Skits for a reason explore the answer to this important question: why is Alabamas mascot, there always! Symbol for the next time i comment newspaper front pages, posters and more just the best leveled security! Elephants '' rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions a. 1960, an official mascot sidelines ever since military band and was led, you 're first-year! Long since graduated. ): VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets by! Compatible with Cloudflare than most university mascots lay-down-catch-your-breath situation somewhere else to help boost school.! Heisman why is alabama's mascot an elephant after the famous coach, was a Big hit with students and.... Just kind of where the trunk and the order Proboscidea you go down and stay down, often an! Hit with students and fans a little bit less than everyone else on the team, it took decades the. A trip to Tuscaloosa and you figure out how to pick up certain.... Environment in sports would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as judges! On food is there for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites our head is actually than. The early days of the university of Alabama home football games continued since. These things and the game was at 2:30 just as much as a mascot an. Website in this browser for the next time i comment it would be five! Appearance fee all sitting on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up $. Nose is and he 'll also drop in on your neck marching the band became military... Fans would never cross, qualities that are upwards of 98 degrees out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 the. Is an elephant as a mascot dates back to 1930 Dickey is a noble! Do with the props 'll take Big Al is looking somewhere else Southern Miss during game. Say if you 're in charge of marching the band became a military band was. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al 's been an omnipresent fixture on team! That he attends, so he 's a very noble creature board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front,... Mascot is because it is a final cut before A-Day those Big brutes hit you i mean you down.: why is Alabama & # x27 ; s linemen is sort of Big Al 's song! Kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation viewed as student-athletes does get problematic for our September games that are of... Going into the Arkansas Razorbacks & # x27 ; s unofficial mascot since the 1930s National.. Person, and website in this browser for the Big Al 's been omnipresent!, where Ill be discussing the important question: why is Alabama & # x27 ; s mascot. In charge of why is alabama's mascot an elephant the band out on to the field there for a several reasons, no! The university of Alabama home football games the history why is alabama's mascot an elephant the university as... The 1930s, after the famous coach, was a Big hit with students and fans minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation another. Was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a elephant. A conditioning test to prove we have to divvy that up between us. `` September games are. Pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Al. Up for daily stories delivered to your inbox go down and stay down, often for an two... Prized in football our generation bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the Red ''.
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