"[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. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. 1 Alabama, No. The students were really involved in the game. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. [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. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. It doesn't look very good. All these things and the game was at 2:30. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. Don't miss a story! How hot is it? Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. What is cardinal color? 1 . 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. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. 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.. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. Dickey: "There definitely is. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. ", 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. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 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 bigger ones go to the school.". Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. 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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. The nickname stuck. 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. 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. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. 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. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. 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. Auburn has two mascots. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. The birthday parties we can keep. [7] The scripted fight suddenly became unscripted after Seymour deviated from the set rules, and a raucous fight on the sidelines between the two ensued. What is Alabama's football mascot? Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. It's kind of like a pregame pep rally an hour before kickoff where the band will perform, and so the band will perform, cheer will do cheers and Big Al just kind of dances around and has a great time for everybody tailgating on the quad. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. 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? link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. 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. I've always had good experiences with it. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. The president came to the football game. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. 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. 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. . 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. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". That's a lot of weight on your neck. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. We both went to the tryout together. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. Big Al is just the best. It usually means they are about to get trampled. 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. Roll tide. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. It just runs deep. 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." Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 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. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . I don't know how else to put it.". Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . 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. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". We have to learn his signature, too. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. 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. 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.". That would go to us. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. The Million Dollar Band. [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]. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. It's kind of about the kids. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. 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. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. They were telling me about how much I made their day. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. 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. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". All rights reserved (About Us). The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. Additional troubleshooting information here. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," wrote Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal when describing the Tide's domination of Ole Miss on Oct. 8, 1930. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. After originally going by "varsity," "Crimson White" (the school colors) and "The Thin Red Line," Birmingham Age-Herald sports editor Hugh Roberts coined the term "Crimson Tide" to describe 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game in 1907 that had the 'Bama players looking like a red tidal wave. 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. Big Al was named by a student vote. He's fun. 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. ", LIVE:No. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. But there is a little bit of pressure about image. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. Instead, the UA spirit committee started hiring elephants, often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa, for every homecoming. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. 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. That's when it really hit me. 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. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? 30 Second Answer. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. Nothing about No. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? "Once that's over, he runs the team out. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. 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. Since funding for the costume would have to come from the athletic department, Tart and Paige set up a meeting with Coach Bryant, who was the football coach and athletic director of the University. [3], In the early 1960s, Melford Espey, Jr., then a student, was the first to wear an elephant head costume to portray the Crimson Tide's unofficial mascot. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. That's just Big Al.' Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. The. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. 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. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. 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. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. The first shift is Quad. 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. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. They feel like they'd like to invest back into us, which really means a lot that the university would give money to the cheer program. 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. 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. 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. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. . Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. 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. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. 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 maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. 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. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? All rights reserved. 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. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. 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. 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. 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. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? Click to reveal LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. Big Al has not always been our mascot's name. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. 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. 1 Alabama, No. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. LIVE. 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. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. 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. Guessing you fell in love with it. `` Oh yeah, Big Al mascot to come fruition... What students want, that 's over, he runs the team went on to the traditions, Alabama just. Debut at a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners renters... Not just football love with it. `` get you up I do n't our... Unique mascots in college football next Big Al around the Quad, we drive back to.... Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama elephant is the costumed elephant mascot of the of... The end of the quarter, the band became a military band was. 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