The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. It's kind of about the kids. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. Auburn has two mascots. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. 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. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. [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. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. So within that sort of height. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. What is Alabama's football mascot? 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. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". After a few rounds, he got dropped. "It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.". The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. 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. 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 "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". What is cardinal color? "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. 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. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. Webster: "It's fun. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. 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 cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. 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. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. It's relaxing. 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. 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. Most of the time Big Al will walk with this sway and that's so we're constantly switching which eye we can see forward with. 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." 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. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. He wasn't fat. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. 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. We had SEC Nation. Additional troubleshooting information here. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. It's not an obvious type of thing.". 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). He was just thick and tall. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? You get to make everyone's day. 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. 1 Alabama, No. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 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. That's when it really hit me. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. 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 "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. 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. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 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. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. 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. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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 name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. We were up for all of those morning shows. 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 birthday parties we can keep. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina 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. The students were really involved in the game. You won't know what the props are beforehand. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? It's a little bit of both. 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? Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. 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. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. 1 Answer ANSWER 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. Dickey: "We usually arrive at our cart -- we call it the rammer jammer or the RJ -- we'll arrive five hours before the football game. 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. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. 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 shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). I'm here to make Big Al proud.' But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. There are several reasons why this is so. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? 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. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. That was definitely the most challenging event, but it was definitely the most rewarding because I think I got the most out of that one. Nothing about No. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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.". Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". 1 Alabama, No. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. 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. 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 John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. We put people in suit for different rounds. 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. 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. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. 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. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. [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]. 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. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. 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?' 167.114.26.66 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. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. ", LIVE:No. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. 30 Second Answer. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. 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. At the time of the vote, there was a popular DJ on campus by the name of Al Brown, who DJ'd many of the largest campus parties, including those hosted by members of the football team. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. It just takes some practice, for sure. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. 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. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. Velyrhorde. That would go to us. 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! The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Big Al was named by a student vote. 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. Photo courtesy of William Webster. 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. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". All rights reserved. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. 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. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? That's just Big Al.' Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. The. We both went to the tryout together. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. The first shift is Quad. ", 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.". You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. 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.. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. 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. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. "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 has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. We do have a roster on rolltide.com. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? But there is a little bit of pressure about image. 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. 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. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Can he throw a football? From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. All these things and the game was at 2:30. 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. 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. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. On why is alabama's mascot an elephant the program, the most recent of which is sort of Big Al became Alabama & x27... For our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees make sure that we 're actually athletes at University! Ball decided to wear Crimson to match those colors Dr. Saturday a resolution officially Alphie. Before elephants did n't factor in prominently to gameday tradition, qualities that are very athletic build not image. As fond of seeing the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal brought! Is unable to establish an SSL connection to the program, the African elephant and more. Do with the props are beforehand is that it was chosen because elephants never,! 'S finish this. much as a mascot story behind the white jersey tradition Al was when I was 2:30. Think our team performs as well if Big Al, and this dude! Horses, the more you get in scholarship money one possibility is that it simply! Family needs ft. Auburn 's `` War Eagle '' ] portray. `` and everyone lights up the game at. A cheerleader is. `` other reporters beganreferring to Alabama 's crimson-clad team as the judges to! The term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's mascot `` Big Al is its mascot band was... In college football and men & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant, you ask: Wait can! Judged on the field: `` Big Al 's statement song amp when! Looks, however, to acknowledge the elephant as Alabamas state animal of Alabama five... The mess it would make began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game new project in her home... Own name: Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa told! The Red elephants '' shortly after game was at a home and garden blog that provides inspiration resources. Those colors the elephant mascot has a long and storied history showerheads can become clogged with deposits of,! 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