Although Big Al . 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. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. The Million Dollar Band. 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. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. 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. 30 Second Answer. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. That's when it really hit me. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The bigger ones go to the school.". The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. 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? So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. Another theory is that the schools first football coach, Wallace Wade, had once seen a circus perform in Tuscaloosa and been impressed by the elephants. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. 1 . Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. It doesn't look very good. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. He told Paige that several schools in the Southeastern Conference had obtained mascot costumes and proposed that the University of Alabama should get one as well. We also have prop usage. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. By contacting the University of Kentucky and a few other schools, Tart discovered that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Walt Disney Company. 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. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. We have a round that is just the walk. All rights reserved. Additional troubleshooting information here. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. 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. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. That's just Big Al.' Additional troubleshooting information here. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. We were up for all of those morning shows. [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. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. It was a regular on gamedays, and for several years it would carry that year's homecoming queen onto the field prior to the game. 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. 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. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 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. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Can he throw a football? The reason you want to be Big Al is the faces of the little kids at the children's hospital that you get to make their day. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. 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. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. 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. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. The birthday parties we can keep. 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. Big Al was named by a student vote. ", 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. 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. LIVE. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. 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. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. 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. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. . 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. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? 1 Alabama, No. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. Big Al was named by a student vote. 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. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? I'm here to make Big Al proud.' Every April during the weekend of the A-Day spring football game, there is a three-day tryout process for UA students who want to become Big Al. "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. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. 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. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. He wasn't fat. The nickname stuck. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? It's just kind of a little thing we do. 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." After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Big Al's game debut was one to remember: The 1979 Sugar Bowl against top-ranked and undefeated Penn State, when a fourth-quarter goal line stand delivered No. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. 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. We have five different assignments for every game day split between all five of us. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. That's a lot of weight on your neck. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. 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. 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. 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 do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. I think that really helped me in the tryout, being more relaxed and not caring as much about the outcome and caring more about just having a good time, because that's what Big Al would wanna do. They were telling me about how much I made their day. He's cute. Auburn has two mascots. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. "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. 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. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". The students were really involved in the game. 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.". 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. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. 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." In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Do you trip a lot? Everyone puts their fours in the air. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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! Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. 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. 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. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . What gives? You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 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. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. 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