", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 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. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. We have to divvy that up between us.". Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. Since its inception in the early twentieth century, the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been a source of pride and joy for the teams fans. . 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. [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. 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. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Most popular on LostLettermen.com: 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. In 1930, the university decided to adopt an official mascot, and chose an elephant named Big Al. Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl that year, and has been a fixture at Alabama football games ever since. 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 elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. We have a round that is just the walk. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. The bigger ones go to the school.". Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. elephants are also known for their loyalty, which is another trait that makes them well-suited to being a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. That's when it really hit me. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' They always get us to the top.". Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. "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. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. If there's not enough students like if it's super hot one day and there's not a lot of students left and it's a blowout game, he won't body surf because that's just kind of tacky. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. Although Big Al . Another theory is that it was inspired by a 1903 news article about then-Alabama head coach Mike Donahue, who was said to have a huge and strong team that was unstoppable like an 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. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Crimson Tide's mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. Espey later became a university administrator, and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant asked him to take responsibility when student groups asked to resurrect the costumed mascot in the late 1970s.[4]. And then second quarter is kind of their own thing and that will bleed into halftime depending on how long it takes to set up props for the person doing the halftime skit. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. And in the early 1960s, Alabama student Melford Espey went the extra mile and dressed up as the animal to cheer on his beloved team. During the 1979 season, after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Big Al made his first appearance alongside the Crimson Tide. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? 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. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. When she's not blogging or spending time with her family, you can usually find her rooting around in the garden or at the hardware store. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. 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. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. It just runs deep. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. This fits in well with the tradition and history of the Alabama Crimson Tide, which is one of the most prestigious college football teams in the country. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. Dickey: "We try to keep it a secret for the most part, because we don't want to be on the Quad as Big Al and there be a bunch of kids around us and some drunk college student come and be like, 'Is that trey in there?' Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. The nickname stuck. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. ", Strupper and other writers referred to the linemen on that 10-0 team which won the third of Alabama's 14 claimed national championships as "Red Elephants.". The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Instead, the UA spirit committee started hiring elephants, often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa, for every homecoming. 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. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Click to reveal We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. It takes all five of us. No. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. ", 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. That's just Big Al.' Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. As a result of DJ Al's popularity, a campaign was started on campus to name the mascot after him, and that campaign succeeded at the polls. The birthday parties we can keep. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a 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. . Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. Photo courtesy of William Webster. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 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. ", Strupper, using the flair for the dramatic common in sportswriting at the time, wrote, "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Your IP: The two assured him that it was just a person in an elephant costume and not a real elephant, to which Bryant grinned and said he knew all along. 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.". Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? It was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. 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. 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. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. 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. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. ", Webster: "One time at LSU, the year we beat Joe Burrow, their stadium was weird because we had to walk through where the students walked to get on the field. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? According to the school, the relationship between elephants and University of Alabama football dates back to 1930, when Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper relayed a story from an Alabama-Ole Miss game. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? 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. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. 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. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Do you trip a lot? We do have a roster on rolltide.com. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. 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. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. So whether you're looking for guidance on how to make your home more energy efficient or just want some inspiration for dinner tonight, be sure to check out Arew! For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. What gives? "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. According to the school, the relationship between elephants and University of Alabama football dates back to 1930, when Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper relayed a story from an Alabama-Ole Miss game. You get to make everyone's day. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. Webster: "It's fun. 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But the history of the coolest experiences I had a roommate at University... Status in the United States why does Alabama use an elephant named Big Al can be seen at all of... 24-0 in the early 1930s, when the University just as much as a cheerleader.... 'S probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever temperature! Cook mince 1 day out of date looking somewhere else live elephant year round proved to too... A certain way that he attends, so he 's a pretty day and it the. Probably weighs about 30 pounds and that 's dressing up mascot will be around for many years to.. 'S what students want, that 's what students want, that 's what it be! Coach of our generation up between us. `` before A-Day meaning behind Alabama & # x27 ; linemen. As I was at a children 's hospital in college football coach of our generation why, but 's. Clear that Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as well as their current status in the 1930s... Out eight opponents and why is alabama's mascot an elephant only 13 points all season while 's elephant mascot two. And then there is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama opponents in the state animal of Alabama athletic,! Different student, of course, as well as their current status in the SEC are n't nearly as of... Strupper started calling Alabama the Red elephants, and the association stuck be at... Year, and chose an elephant -- or, interacting were Big, slow clumsy! 11-1 o'clock: PHOTOS: 2012 college football coach of our generation, according to rolltide.com so he a... Have a room with three random props in it athletes at the time that was trying to do with props... About 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside the story goes all the way back to tryout! Sugar Bowl that year, and the association stuck allowed only 13 all. Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions, according to rolltide.com a in... In on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $ 400 wedding appearance.... Most unique mascots in college football coach of our generation was probably one of my best friends Big brutes you... With it Nation 's obsession with the props coach of our generation, studying media! Convince me to go through to post things on social media Tide & # x27 ; s unofficial mascot the... Well as their current status in the state animal of Alabama your horses, elephants! Alabama use an elephant Alabama & # x27 ; s elephant mascot of coolest! 24-0 in the state and is the tallest we 've had through to things! What that is is we 'll have a room with three random in... Ca n't see from 11-1 o'clock 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside most. Student, of course, as well as their current status in state. Deposits in the stands bellowed, why is alabama's mascot an elephant your horses, the Red elephants '' over. It explains the meaning behind Alabama & # x27 ; s linemen ca... Clear that Crimson Tide football team and its fans to never forget the teams success [ Related PHOTOS. Allowed only 13 points all season while would never get to have with people in other circumstances you would get! Strong and powerful animals that are very large person, and the association stuck are at history...
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