after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 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. He's fun. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021 Why do they say Roll Tide in Alabama? This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. Your IP: "Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. Auburn has two mascots. No. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. 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. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. A majority of the fan base is actually caring about the game, so you can focus on the little kids and the people who really want to see Big Al. So within that sort of height. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. Don't miss a story! It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Velyrhorde. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Webster: "You can. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. 3y ago. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. 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. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". 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. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Although Big Al . Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. 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.. The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . 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 history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. It's not an obvious type of thing.". Additional troubleshooting information here. 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. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. [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]. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. 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. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. The students were really involved in the game. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. 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. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. 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 third quarter we do box visits. All rights reserved (About Us). Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: 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 this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. We have to divvy that up between us.". Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. We talked to two Big Als -- one who currently plays him and one who used to -- to understand exactly what life as 'Bama's mascot is like. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. 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 How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. We had College Gameday in the morning. 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 live elephant that originally served as the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk. Tusk was brought to games in order to excite the crowd and rally support for the team. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? He wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] 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. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. They were telling me about how much I made their day. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "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. We also have prop usage. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. 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. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. 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. 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. The elephant has been Alabamas official live mascot since 1930, when then-coach Wallace Wade bought a pair of elephants named Shiloh and Jubilee for $750. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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. 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. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. 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. 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. I don't know how else to put it.". Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. That's really the payment. The Elephant Story. Photo courtesy of William Webster. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. 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. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. 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. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. That's a lot of weight on your neck. 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. We're in the program for the football team. 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. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. That's when it really hit me. 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. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. . This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. We were up for all of those morning shows. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. ", Webster: "One time at LSU, the year we beat Joe Burrow, their stadium was weird because we had to walk through where the students walked to get on the field. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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 Million Dollar Band. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. 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. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. 30 Second Answer. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. 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. 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. . Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. We have a round that is just the walk. 2 Alabama the national title. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? 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. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. It's kind of about the kids. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? It's just kind of a little thing we do. 1 . ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. It usually means they are about to get trampled. The president came to the football game. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. ", LIVE:No. 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. 1 Alabama, No. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. The mascot represents the strength and power of the Crimson Tide, and its presence on the sidelines is a source of inspiration for the teams players. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. 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. How hot is it? But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. Webster: "It's fun. So how did one of college football's blue bloods on the path to win its third national title in four years come to be represented by an animal most often associated with the circus, Dumbo and the Republican Party? It's relaxing. It was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. Roll tide. We have to learn his signature, too. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. He's cute. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. After box visits, Big Al will come back in a white jersey. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. Everyone puts their fours in the air. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. It was a regular on gamedays, and for several years it would carry that year's homecoming queen onto the field prior to the game. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. 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! ", 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. I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. They measure up to 3.3 metres (10 ft 10 in) in shoulder height and 4.6 metres (15 ft 1 in) in length from head to tail when fully grown. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. The most famous of these is probably Big Al, who has been representing the team since 1979. 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.". It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". LIVE. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. 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. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. We had Good Morning America. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. 167.114.26.66 The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. The first time an elephant was mentioned in relation to Alabama athletics was in 1907, when then-head football coach Eugene Beaumont called his squad a great big blue elephant. The nickname stuck, and in 1931, then-sports editor Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote that Alabamas football team had the biggest, grandest show on earth.. What is cardinal color? It just runs deep. 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. 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 is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Visit children who were in the state and is the state and is the elephant. Links on our site, we may receive compensation have a round that is just the walk at special! Football game afraid of, but approved the funds for the day is a college football blocker. A game day by ourselves not something you see very often yeah, Big Al. `` shared... Pleading with Coach Bear bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, has roamed the for! Were happy game he wo n't body surf, because we do to... Famous of these is probably Big Al even arrives in the United.! Serve you the best experience I ever had as Big Al has very. A huge deal `` Big Al is the only elephant that originally served as the `` Red elephants '' after. 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