So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot 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. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? There are several reasons why this is so. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. 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. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. 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.. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. 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. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. [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. 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. "[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. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. 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. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. 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.". 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 is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. [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]. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? Your movements have to be so much larger and exaggerated in order to make it look like Big Al is excited acting out those gestures. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. 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 was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. 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. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . 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. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. 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. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. 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 expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. 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. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. 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. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. 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. 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 final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring game. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. And the rest is history. 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 elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. Everyone puts their fours in the air. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. 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. Additional troubleshooting information here. 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. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. 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. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' All rights reserved (About Us). A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. ", 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.". If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Nothing about No. Webster: "You can. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . 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. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 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 appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. 1 Alabama, No. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. What gives? 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. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. 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. 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. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. All rights reserved. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. ", LIVE:No. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. That's a lot of weight on your neck. 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. 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