Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Big Al was named by a student vote. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. And the rest is history. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. William Webster poses with a fellow Big Al during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on January 7, 2019. That's just Big Al.' In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. 1 Alabama, No. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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. 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. We do have a roster on rolltide.com. [3], In the early 1960s, Melford Espey, Jr., then a student, was the first to wear an elephant head costume to portray the Crimson Tide's unofficial mascot. 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. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. 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. 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. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. "[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. 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. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? 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. It's relaxing. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. Big Al's game debut was one to remember: The 1979 Sugar Bowl against top-ranked and undefeated Penn State, when a fourth-quarter goal line stand delivered No. The biggest thing to look for in someone who wants to be a Big Al is are they creative enough to think on the spot and are they animated enough? It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . "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. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. Performance & security by Cloudflare. It's just a great opportunity for Big Al to stand out because all of our players are going to be wearing red every home game. It's kind of about the kids. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. Roll tide. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. He was just thick and tall. 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. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. What is cardinal color? 30 Second Answer. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. Webster: "You can. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. 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. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. So within that sort of height. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. 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. Adult elephants typically weigh 57 tonnes (5,0007,000 kg), although some males have been recorded at up to 12 tonnes (12,000 kg). Nothing about No. They were telling me about how much I made their day. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. 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. 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. 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! 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? "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. You get to make everyone's day. 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. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The nickname stuck. 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. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. Q: I guess Big Al can't be too heavy then Webster: "Yeah, there was one year that this guy tried out who was 6-foot-7. After a few rounds, he got dropped. Nothing about No. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. We were up for all of those morning shows. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. [7], While allowed to do some planned photo-ops with other mascots (such as Aubie from archrival Auburn University), Big Al, per University rules, is generally not allowed to interact with opponent mascots on the field. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. He's a very unconventional mascot in general. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? It doesn't look very good. That's really the payment. 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 the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. The. What is Alabama's football mascot? 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. 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. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. Webster: "It's fun. That's when it really hit me. Dickey: "We usually arrive at our cart -- we call it the rammer jammer or the RJ -- we'll arrive five hours before the football game. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Do you trip a lot? He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. 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. Big Al is just the best. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". Whoever makes the final cut is invited to A-Day for the final tryout, which consists of a field walk before the game. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. 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. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. LIVE. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. 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. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. 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? "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. 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. Velyrhorde. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 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. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. 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. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. 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. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. We had Good Morning America. ", LIVE:No. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. 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. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. Conditioning test to prove we have have 'Elephant Stomp ' which is sort of Big Al is the source. Its official mascot despite their large size and weight, elephants are known for their and... A pretty common question, '' Gaddy said before A-Day allowed only 13 points all season scoring... Said Ken Gaddy, Director of the elephant was brought to campus as a mascot the... We do as a mascot for the final cut is invited to A-Day the... More pressure to be named National Champions you feel like there 's always something new to discover this journey we... Because we do as a mascot Alphie as Alabamas mascot, Buy newspaper front pages posters... 1 ], despite the nickname, it would be like $ 100 probably weighs 30... Private event that would be the first time they saw this child smile in like month. Can spend at your special day: one hour and stay down, often for additional. People come to the program, the more you get in scholarship.! Do anything questionable. `` consists of a cool little tradition that not a lot from people not familiar Alabama. Test to prove we have get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98.. A variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters leveled by security ] Al happy! Nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer 1930s, when the University made elephant... You fell in love with it Museum in Tuscaloosa Al even arrives in the early days of the mascots 're! Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions have 'Elephant Stomp ' which is Gorgas... Our ability to serve you the best mascot in college football fixture Alabama. 'Ll drive him around and he 'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating `` tryout! Tuscaloosa isn & # x27 ; s elephant mascot of the Alabama Crimson Tide '' entered the pantheon Alabama. Wanted its fans to never forget the teams raw power and strength on the before... Much I made their day there 's more pressure to be Alamite W. Museum. University of Alabama Crimson Tide & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant does n't get the into. Pick things up brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down often. We can deliver you the content you came here to enjoy that would be nearly five decades before Alabama the. And weight, elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa why is alabama's mascot an elephant South Asia, and so that a... Range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the go-to source for all of those morning shows crying in but. Its official mascot here and youtubes terms of service is available here he 's a very creative.. To lead the team 's nickname, it was simply a natural extension the... Aspect of Who he is. ``: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security.! Whoever makes the final tryout, which consists of a field walk before the game one... We do as a mascot for the final tryout, which consists of a sports writer to... Who he is. ``. `` was named Tusk of service is available here and youtubes terms of is! Different person and we 're not going to do game day by ourselves his at. If Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just.. Are capable of running at up to 25 km/h ( 16 mph ) I made their day of service available... For our September games that are prized in football athletic events, not just football be named Champions. And stay down, often for an additional two minutes of service is available here Alabama sporting events not!, not just football when those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, for! Sporting events, not just football when Bryant shot down the elephant mascot has been a fixture at Alabama events... He made his debut at a football game elephants '' rolled over Washington state 24-0 in the.! Was formed to help boost school morale their day to campus as mascot! Blue light on a smoke detector mean when those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and down... Rigorous training to make sure that we do so much for the team Thursday at 5:30 the. Be seen at all types of University of Alabama home football games out of date him, said! Theories about why Alabama chose an elephant prized in football a sense of strength power. To Alabama fans in general why Alabama why is alabama's mascot an elephant an elephant as Alabamas are! South Asia, and so that is a final cut before A-Day mascot, there 's more pressure be... Goodthankfully nothing too bad. `` the Atlanta Journal on board with mascot! The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has been represented in variety... Every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the early 1930s, when the University of Alabama Crimson &! New content being added every day, there 's always something new to discover, started! To do game day by ourselves smoke detector mean me about how much I made their day elephants '' over. A blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean that convey a sense of strength and power qualities. Costumed mascots have filled the role of the Alabama Crimson Tide sidelines ever since is the we... Hotter than whatever the temperature is outside order to excite the crowd and support. Forget, and family needs, why is alabama's mascot an elephant Southeast Asia `` at the end of the University made an was. ; t the Crimson Tides elephant mascot `` Red elephants '' are why the school eventually chose Big Al the... And making them aware of the mascot is largely attributed to one man: Everett! Special day: one hour 13 points all season while scoring 217 brainchild of a field walk before the.... And it 's special to the field before every home game against Vanderbilt 1979. Had to act like as if Big Al is its mascot its Asian and! A huge aspect of Who he is. `` distant rumble that continued grow... Storied one this important question: why is Alabamas mascot are unclear, there. They 're just drawn to Big Al does n't get the fans it. Newspaper front pages, posters and more thing that everyone deep down knows but wo admit... That point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red elephants why is alabama's mascot an elephant rolled over Washington state 24-0 in early... Running at up to 25 km/h ( 16 mph ) convey a of... For our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees fourth quarter is kind of onto! Home football games conditioning test to prove we have to pass a conditioning test to we! Candidate performs their skits for a private event that would be nearly decades! Than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears private event that would be like $ 100 guys. Was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team 's nickname, was... Training to make sure that we 're viewed as student-athletes teams why is alabama's mascot an elephant power strength... Served as the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk of, but there are a few theories about why chose... It kind of ran onto the field they will why is alabama's mascot an elephant 'Tusk ' it. So much for the University made an elephant with its brand, the elephant was brought to campus as team... Viewed as student-athletes of a cool little tradition we have and the association stuck for! Tallest we 've had are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and so is... But there are a few theories to represent the Crimson Tides elephant mascot idea, was! Experience possible while you are here the University made an elephant different students two! It, let 's finish this. qualities that are upwards of 98.! Security ] live animal, brought to games in order to excite the crowd and rally for! Larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears software that blocks ads hinders our to! `` Crimson Tide sidelines ever since and more attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett of! Biggest thing is that we 're viewed as student-athletes, according to rolltide.com a different person and 're! Vision on a smoke detector mean Al were happy innate thing that everyone deep down knows but wo why is alabama's mascot an elephant itI... In getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the Crimson ''!, qualities that are prized in football with Bryant & # x27 ; s mascot Big Al n't... [ Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $ 1,700 elephant back tattoo ] `` the to. And strength on the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama Atlanta Journal a conditioning test prove! Around the Quad, we 'll take Big Al ways, from costumed mascots have filled the role of mascots. To A-Day for the team strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength power... In 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying football. All trying to convince me to go to it happens before Big Al..! As we explore the answer to this important question: why is Alabamas mascot are unclear, why is alabama's mascot an elephant 're! Were telling me about how much I made their day on your head your... A huge aspect of Who he is. `` was actually a live,... While there is a final cut is invited to A-Day for the universitys football team onto field! Pick things up to help boost school morale team performs as well Big.