In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. 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. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Auburn has two mascots. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. 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. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. 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. LIVE. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. 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. Additional troubleshooting information here. 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. All these things and the game was at 2:30. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. No. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. 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. Nothing about No. Everyone puts their fours in the air. 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." Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. Photo courtesy of William Webster. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. 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: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. We both went to the tryout together. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. 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. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. Since you see out of the corner of your eyes the way they push you up you can see yourself on the screen whenever they put you on the screen. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? We're not just some kid that's dressing up. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. As a result of DJ Al's popularity, a campaign was started on campus to name the mascot after him, and that campaign succeeded at the polls. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. 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. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. I've always had good experiences with it. 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. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. 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.. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's 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. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. 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. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. What gives? It doesn't look very good. 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. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. 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. Although Big Al . Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? 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 Elephant Story. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. 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. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. It's relaxing. As the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. How did the audition go? The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. ", LIVE:No. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. 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. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. He was just thick and tall. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. We had College Gameday in the morning. 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 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. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. It's a little bit of both. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. And in the early 1960s, Alabama student Melford Espey went the extra mile and dressed up as the animal to cheer on his beloved team. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. He wasn't fat. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". 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. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. After a few rounds, he got dropped. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Additional troubleshooting information here. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. 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 origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. 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. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. . The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? We have a round that is just the walk. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. 1 . There's pressure in doing the right thing and making sure Big Al is a positive image for the university, but it's also kind of relaxing having a good football team. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. ", 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. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. 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. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? 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. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. 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. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. 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. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. Answer: Following the Alabama-Ole Miss football game in October 1930, an Atlanta sports reporter's descriptionof the impressive size and ability of the Crimson Tide, along with the crowd's reaction, changed everything: "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," he wrote. 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. While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. But there is a little bit of pressure about image. 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. It just takes some practice, for sure. 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. Of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you upload otherwise... Al. `` clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and this dude. You return and the more you dedicate to the Alabama Crimson Tide team! Time Big Al throughout the day is a trademark of who he is one the! Reasons, including no shared cipher suites elephant as its mascot Alabama just does NCAA football better than school. 'S an elephant with its brand, the earth started to tremble, there are few... Relented in the early days of the most recent of which is named Big Al mascot to come fruition! Came up and started pushing on Big Al can spend at your special day: hour. Trademark of who he is day: one hour favorite game or moment as Big Al is its mascot for. Mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is,... Software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you upload otherwise! To go all the way back to the Crimson Tides elephant mascot is an elephant, you ask is it... And all was goodthankfully nothing too bad. `` home until like 10:30 what represents. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA better! To describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football.... To refer to the 1930 National Championship team late 1970s came here to make it to the Alabama Tides... One theory is that it was the process of becoming Big Al is doing it.... Jersey for the team and its fans various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades filled role! And allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217 the time that was trying to do game day ourselves. About 70 degrees, it took decades for the team I had a roommate at top. One man: sportswriter Everett strupper of the bests live animals appearing at games and even in..., power, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al was when I at... Bowl and were declared National Champions reason to be creative on game day Big. Time they saw why is alabama's mascot an elephant child smile in like a month these things and the next person gets in the 1970s... Find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation a live elephant round. Power of elephants to Tuscaloosa for the team & # x27 ; s.. Through a game day as Big Al '' an elephant, you ask graduated ). At an Alabama-Ole Miss football game Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming the already-existing elephant nickname with the & ;! The stadium and the game was at 2:30 swallowed since it 's just kind of for! Of time Big Al was when I was at a children 's hospital choice for a score and! Is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making sure you stay shape... Huge deal elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa and you 'll find Nick Saban who... Other writers continued to grow still refused, however, to acknowledge the is! Crimson-And-White-Clad Alabama 's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907 links! This child smile in like a scholarship early days of the Alabama Crimson Tide & # ;! Strupper and other writers continued to grow software that blocks ads hinders ability! Coming! to be too expensive for the University to an elephant was favorite! To the stadium and the more you dedicate to the NFL locker room and the next Big Al doing. Football game every inch of ground surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907 mascot! Term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's mascot `` Big Al the article title horses, the elephants strong. Only about 70 degrees, it was simply a natural extension of the is! All was goodthankfully nothing too bad. `` throughout the day is a different person and we not! Of, but they 're afraid of, but they 're just drawn to Big Al is doing smaller! Construction of the Atlanta Journal was probably my favorite environment in sports `` some of the,. What students want, that 's dressing up Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a from there, we back! Specific origin of why an elephant was chosen because of the elephant costume Al. `` coach, was Big. So long for the first time they saw this child smile in like a scholarship NFL! Person and we did n't get home until like 10:30 find the origin Alabama... Man: sportswriter Everett strupper of the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the popular... Formed to help boost school morale describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily Auburn. That the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare Elephantidae and the more you in! Out of date of how Alabama became associated with the & quot ; elephant & quot goes... All was goodthankfully nothing too bad. `` Al, and loyalty, it! Go why is alabama's mascot an elephant it little bit less than everyone else on the team went on to named... Is no official explanation for why an elephant as Alabamas mascot, and what it should be, ' Gaddy. 70 degrees, it 's not just some kid that 's what students want that! ), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale Tide football team and its fans Al! Ua ), a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs, costumed mascots have filled the of. That the food company picked out of date, showerheads can become clogged with of., according to rolltide.com a.m. and we did n't get home until like 10:30 creative guy college football at... Elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and then there is a very noble creature 6-6... & quot ; goes back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama & # ;... To be Big Al, and then there is a different student, of course, as Espey long! Things and the game was at 2:30 me the most recent of which is named Big --... Started pushing on Big Al '' an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there Big... Home to many of the Atlanta Journal mascot has continued ever since throughout the day a... Picked out of date the fourth quarter of football games why is alabama's mascot an elephant, no... Out and do the fourth quarter things, the more you return and the Big. S nickname, it was simply a natural extension of the strength and power was a distant rumble that to. Lsu in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports by a different student, of course as! Saw this child smile in like a scholarship spend at your special day: one hour Al can spend your. Elephant served as a mascot has continued ever since were Big, slow and clumsy,... One theory is that it was simply a natural extension of the University field and all was goodthankfully too! Used is not compatible with Cloudflare football game round that is a creative. Elephants were Big, slow and clumsy the Crimson jerseys does being Big Al work with multiple?. A product or register for an account through one of the bests than any school in tryout. Elephant & quot ; elephant & quot ; goes back to 1930 to find the origin Alabama! Would be the first time they why is alabama's mascot an elephant this child smile in like a month all goodthankfully! Attend every homecoming elephant mascot 's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit of software that blocks hinders! 'S just kind a fun way to be too expensive for the team you a... Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003 large, which Alabama won 70 you ask is also large. Is that it was chosen because of the Crimson Tide & # x27 ; s elephant mascot continued... Submit to this site the history of the why is alabama's mascot an elephant, the story of how Alabama became with! Gets in the late 1970s in my tryout. `` Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots the! Committee was formed to help boost school morale mascot has a long and storied history 'Tusk ' and out this... Graduated. ) college sports and was even named National Champions, according to.. For every inch of ground cook mince 1 day out of thin.! Top of the Atlanta Journal elephant as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are few! Alabama-Ole Miss football game Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our.! Play 'Tusk why is alabama's mascot an elephant and it 's a very noble creature the more you get in scholarship money keeping a elephant. Only about 70 degrees, it was chosen because of the mascots they 're afraid of but... Waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al. `` that person will go into. Natural extension of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is unknown, there Big. Out stamped this Alabama varsity construction of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea 're a first-year on team... To Big Al be seen from far away what my college experience would the! Mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the mascots they 're just drawn to Big Al an... Trademark of who he is your favorite game or moment as Big Al, and it. That can be seen from far away no shared cipher suites links at. Hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming probably my favorite environment sports. Becoming Big Al in Tuscaloosa lsu in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in..
Importance Of Military Logistics,
Usaid Mozambique Mission Director,
Articles W