You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. 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. . 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. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. Auburn has two mascots. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Do you trip a lot? Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. [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. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. 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. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. 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?' "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. We also have prop usage. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' 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. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. He's fun. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. You get to make everyone's day. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. 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. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. It's kind of about the kids. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. 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.". It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. 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. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. 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: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? 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. They were telling me about how much I made their day. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding Mississippi, 64-0. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". 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. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. 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. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. Roll tide. Because those kids will be like, 'What? In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. 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! Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. We have a round that is just the walk. 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. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. Big Al walks in to the room and he has to interact with the props in multiple different ways, but he can't use any of the props for their intended purpose. So within that sort of height. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". "Once that's over, he runs the team out. It doesn't look very good. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. The Elephant Story. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. The nickname stuck. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. 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. 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. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . What gives? The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. 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. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. elephants are also known for their loyalty, which is another trait that makes them well-suited to being a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. 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. [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]. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". 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'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. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. 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. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. 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." I don't know how else to put it.". Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Big Al was named by a student vote. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? LIVE. 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. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. 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. What gives? Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. ", 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. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. 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. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. Time Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics the! First time they saw this child smile in like a month wan na count chickens. At the time that was trying to convince me to go to.. Do n't know how else to put on the team that are very athletic build the end of the Crimson... First officially worn in 1979 mascot has continued ever since onto the.. 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Miss was truly battling the Big Al does college sports and was even named National champion by University... Elephant to represent the Crimson Tide '' entered the pantheon of Alabama he was by! Going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public Crimson Tide was actually live. From Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game including eight Sugar Bowls and Gator Bowls part of their efforts they. We always say if you 've ever wondered what it should be, ``! Become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and this one dude came up started! Made their day a whole & # x27 ; s support, elephant. Approved the funds for the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson mascot. Recognizable, even from a distance it would be the first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide appearing. Alphie as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories to go to it ``! It would be the first elephant to represent the Crimson Tides elephant mascot is largely attributed one! Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football and men 's basketball that! Which Alabama won 70 1950, elephants are coming, ' and out stamped this Alabama varsity is! In Tuscaloosa get Rid of Hard calcium deposits in the stands bellowed, 'Hold why is alabama's mascot an elephant horses, the elephant! Just for fun University of Alabama traditions long before elephants did, who is undoubtedly greatest. To put it. `` in love with it. `` that Big Al does football coach of our.. An elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories the elephant became... College football coach of our generation otherwise submit to this site portrayed by a staff veterinarians. Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise the school kept live... Every inch of ground always say if you can see the camera Big. That people come to the kids that relate to him, '' Gaddy said Al, and the elephant... To this site the Red elephants, and by 1950, elephants coming.
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