The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. In addition to being the live mascot at Crimson Tide football games, Big Al is also used in a number of other ways to represent the university. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' It takes all five of us. 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]. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. Because those kids will be like, 'What? Big Al has not always been our mascot's name. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. Do you trip a lot? The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. All rights reserved. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. 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. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". The students were really involved in the game. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". What gives? As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. 30 Second Answer. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Roll tide. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. ", 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.". Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. After box visits, Big Al will come back in a white jersey. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? But when I tell you it was the coolest environment that I've ever seen in Bryant-Denny Stadium with the lights flashing and it being a close game. All these things and the game was at 2:30. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. That would go to us. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? We had College Gameday in the morning. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. ", 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. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Everyone puts their fours in the air. 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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. We had SEC Nation. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. LIVE. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. 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. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. Your IP: The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. So very rarely will you see Big Al on the sideline in Bryant-Denny during the third quarter because he's actually up in the boxes visiting people up there. ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. He's cute. 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. Roll tide. Auburn has two mascots. There's actually not as much attention on Big Al because of how good our program is, which is kind of nice in a way, because not everybody is relying on Big Al. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. You won't know what the props are beforehand. 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. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. The man who Bryant tasked with spearheading Big Al's creation was none other than Espey, who by that time was working as an Alabama administrator. What is cardinal color? Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. Click to reveal The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. We have to divvy that up between us.". The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. Nothing about No. A "fight" was scripted before the game, in which the rules were that Big Al loses the fight in front of the visitors section, and Big Al dominates in front of his student section. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. It's a little bit of both. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. He's fun. After a few rounds, he got dropped. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. 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. It's just a great opportunity for Big Al to stand out because all of our players are going to be wearing red every home game. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. He was just thick and tall. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Although Big Al . 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. 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. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. How did the audition go? For example, it paints them red to hide in the cherry tree or red, green, yellow and purple to hide in the jelly bean jar! But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. One of the most recognizable mascots in all of sports, the elephant has been associated with the University of Alabamas Crimson Tide since the late 19th century. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. That's when it really hit me. So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. I don't know how else to put it.". 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. ANSWER. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. 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.". uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. The nickname stuck. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. The first time an elephant was mentioned in relation to Alabama athletics was in 1907, when then-head football coach Eugene Beaumont called his squad a great big blue elephant. The nickname stuck, and in 1931, then-sports editor Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote that Alabamas football team had the biggest, grandest show on earth.. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot and its association with Crimson Tide football is a popular conversation topic among fans and outsidersalike. 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. [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. Q: I guess Big Al can't be too heavy then Webster: "Yeah, there was one year that this guy tried out who was 6-foot-7. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team 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. Symbols a sign of 'we made it, let 's finish this. football is large. 1 Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up running at up to 25 km/h ( mph. That up between us. `` a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant how to! At a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for and. 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