In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. The bigger ones go to the school.". The most famous of these is probably Big Al, who has been representing the team since 1979. ", 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. ", 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.". Everyone puts their fours in the air. I don't know how else to put it.". 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. What is cardinal color? The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. There are several reasons why this is so. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. 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. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 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]. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. 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. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Strupper wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical 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. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. We're in the program for the football team. 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. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? 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. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. 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.". 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . LIVE. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Unmatched in size that Alabama team knocked me [out] cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size." Click to reveal link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? 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. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. We had SEC Nation. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. I've always had good experiences with it. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). It's a little bit of both. 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. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? We have to learn his signature, too. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. 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. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. 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. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. 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. That's a lot of weight on your neck. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. We had Good Morning America. That's just Big Al.' So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. 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 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.. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. [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. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. 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. 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. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. The Elephant Story. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. The biggest thing to look for in someone who wants to be a Big Al is are they creative enough to think on the spot and are they animated enough? ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. 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. 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. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. 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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. Nothing about No. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. It usually means they are about to get trampled. 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. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. The nickname stuck. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. . It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. Big Al was named by a student vote. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. We also have prop usage. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. It doesn't look very good. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. ANSWER. 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. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 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. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. He's fun. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. 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. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. We were up for all of those morning shows. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. 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. Tusks grow throughout an elephants lifetime; an individuals tusk length is a useful criterion for age determination as elephants reach physical maturity at around 15 years old. 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. 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. 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