It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. Webster: "You can. After a few rounds, he got dropped. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. 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. We were up for all of those morning shows. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. I don't know how else to put it.". It's a little bit of both. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. Because those kids will be like, 'What? 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?' Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. 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. If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. "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.". He's cute. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. 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. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. All rights reserved. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. 30 Second Answer. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. The students were really involved in the game. Don't miss a story! 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. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. After this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. 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. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. We had Good Morning America. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Nothing about No. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. 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. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. Another theory is that elephants are widely considered to be lucky animals, and thus choosing one as a mascot would supposedly bring good luck to the Crimson Tide. They always get us to the top.". 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.". I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. 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. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. He told Paige that several schools in the Southeastern Conference had obtained mascot costumes and proposed that the University of Alabama should get one as well. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Thankfully I never had any problems with it. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. More than 40 years since Big Al earned the stamp of approval, he's still spreading spirit at Bryant-Denny Stadium and other Alabama athletics events. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". 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. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Velyrhorde. 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. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. That's a lot of weight on your neck. You get to make everyone's day. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? 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. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? 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. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. We have five different assignments for every game day split between all five of us. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Roll tide. So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. It's just kind of a little thing we do. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. Photo courtesy of William Webster. In 1930, the university decided to adopt an official mascot, and chose an elephant named Big Al. Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl that year, and has been a fixture at Alabama football games ever since. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. The Elephant Story. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. We have a round that is just the walk. 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. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. ", 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. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. 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." 1 . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. All these things and the game was at 2:30. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. 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 team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. He was just thick and tall. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. By contacting the University of Kentucky and a few other schools, Tart discovered that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Walt Disney Company. 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. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. How hot is it? Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. ", 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. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. The bigger ones go to the school.". Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Since its inception in the early twentieth century, the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been a source of pride and joy for the teams fans. 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. 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. . If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". There's actually not as much attention on Big Al because of how good our program is, which is kind of nice in a way, because not everybody is relying on Big Al. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. 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. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. 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. 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. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. 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. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. 3y ago. 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. The birthday parties we can keep. 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. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. 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. 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