", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. 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. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. 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." 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? 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. Dickey: "There definitely is. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. That was definitely the most challenging event, but it was definitely the most rewarding because I think I got the most out of that one. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. 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. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. Big Al is just the best. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. "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. Roll tide. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. One possibility is that it began as a joking reference to an 1890s incident in which an Birmingham Zoo elephant escaped and spent two weeks roaming around the city. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. 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. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. The nickname stuck. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. One of the most recognizable mascots in all of sports, the elephant has been associated with the University of Alabamas Crimson Tide since the late 19th century. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. LIVE. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid, Jonah Williams: 3 things to know about Alabama football's offensive tackle, Mack Wilson: 5 things to know about the Alabama football linebacker, Quinnen Williams: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive tackle, Raekwon Davis: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive lineman, Paul Tyson: 5 things about Alabama football signee, Bear Bryant's great-grandson, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. [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. 1 Alabama, No. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. [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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. It usually means they are about to get trampled. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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. 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?' Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Webster: "It's fun. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. 3y ago. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". Click to reveal Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. We also have prop usage. 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.". He is known for his enthusiastic pers. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. 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. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. 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. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. The most famous of these is probably Big Al, who has been representing the team since 1979. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. 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. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. The third quarter we do box visits. ", 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. Auburn has two mascots. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. Another theory is that it was inspired by a 1903 news article about then-Alabama head coach Mike Donahue, who was said to have a huge and strong team that was unstoppable like an elephant.. We 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. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. All rights reserved. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. We had SEC Nation. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. Photo courtesy of William Webster. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. Because those kids will be like, 'What? In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. It takes all five of us. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. He's a very unconventional mascot in general. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. 30 Second Answer. The Million Dollar Band. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Why 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? 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. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. 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. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. [7] The scripted fight suddenly became unscripted after Seymour deviated from the set rules, and a raucous fight on the sidelines between the two ensued. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. "It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.". Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. That's a lot of weight on your neck. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. "[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. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. The. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). So within that sort of height. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We had Good Morning America. 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. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. They feel like they'd like to invest back into us, which really means a lot that the university would give money to the cheer program. 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 Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. 1 Alabama, No. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray." 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