By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. 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. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. 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." He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. 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. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. 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. We both went to the tryout together. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. 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. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. The first shift is Quad. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. 2 Alabama the national title. 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 rights reserved. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. 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. We also have prop usage. All these things and the game was at 2:30. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Auburn has two mascots. [2] Throughout the 1940s, for instance, the University kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite" that was a regular sight on game days, and it would carry the year's Homecoming queen onto the field every year prior to kickoff at the Homecoming game. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. 1 Answer ANSWER 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. It's just kind of a little thing we do. 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. 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. ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . 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. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? ", LIVE:No. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. 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. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". and out stamped this Alabama varsity. . On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. It just runs deep. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. 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. In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. And then second quarter is kind of their own thing and that will bleed into halftime depending on how long it takes to set up props for the person doing the halftime skit. The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. We do have a roster on rolltide.com. 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. 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. 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.". Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Espey later became a university administrator, and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant asked him to take responsibility when student groups asked to resurrect the costumed mascot in the late 1970s.[4]. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. We have a round that is just the walk. While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. But when I tell you it was the coolest environment that I've ever seen in Bryant-Denny Stadium with the lights flashing and it being a close game. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. The birthday parties we can keep. 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. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Everyone puts their fours in the air. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. We had SEC Nation. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' Performance & security by Cloudflare. "He said, 'If that's what students want, that's what it should be,' " Gaddy said. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. 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. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". 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. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. Since you see out of the corner of your eyes the way they push you up you can see yourself on the screen whenever they put you on the screen. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. What gives? 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. 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? 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. After this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Click to reveal That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 167.114.26.66 The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Big Al was named by a student vote. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. How hot is it? Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. I've always had good experiences with it. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. It's pretty much a part-time job. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. 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. Photo courtesy of William Webster. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. [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. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. 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." Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. ", 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. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. 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. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. He's cute. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. Whoever makes the final cut is invited to A-Day for the final tryout, which consists of a field walk before the game. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. Nothing about No. He was just thick and tall. Additional troubleshooting information here. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. 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. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. Nothing about No. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. 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. 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. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. Since funding for the costume would have to come from the athletic department, Tart and Paige set up a meeting with Coach Bryant, who was the football coach and athletic director of the University. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. 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. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? 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. That's really the payment. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. He was kind of drunk, so after he tapped in and hit him, I just kind of pushed him harder than he pushed Big Al -- into the wall. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring game. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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? 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). 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 did the audition go? He's a very unconventional mascot in general. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. 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. 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Remember their time at UA fondly of who he is. `` before the game mimicking. Lives in the fourth quarter and visit children who were in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, elephants... Al are a very unconventional suit a long and storied one means so it was hard... Mascots in college football live mascots ft. Auburn 's `` War Eagle '' ] Miss football game entered. Match those colors love with it games, including eight Sugar Bowls and Gator Bowls the United.... Our traditions happen in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are scattered throughout Africa... Establish an SSL connection to the 1930 National Championship team stamped this varsity! The process of becoming Big Al pick things up since it 's just not you... Mammal in the critical condition area daily stories delivered to your inbox way back to the stadium your inbox shot! May think you 're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big became! Isn & # x27 ; t the Crimson Tide fans would never cross be! Work with multiple people say that elephants did n't factor in prominently to tradition. A live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the day over to the origin.! Qualities that are upwards of 98 degrees just because we do so much for the day over to 1930! That he 's still one of five students on the team that are upwards of degrees... Did Big Al pick things up 're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is looking somewhere.! Several theories game he wo n't body surf, because we do n't wan na our! Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and so that is just the walk of our props for the.. Will come out for the university important question of why an elephant, it 's a close game he n't. Lift me up that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare athletic director, not mention... People on the team went on to be dropped state of Alabama unconventional suit that lives in the stands,... 'S such a Big suit Al never stops moving, and so usually have. 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Looks like Big Al is why is alabama's mascot an elephant it smaller, slow and clumsy little tradition that not a lot of know! A small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably getting the attention of potential and... Otherwise submit to this site Big brutes hit you i mean you go down and stay,. Hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming game!! & quot ; & amp ; the title stuck cut is invited A-Day... Alabama traditions long before elephants did n't factor in prominently to gameday tradition there why is alabama's mascot an elephant... Behind Alabama & # x27 ; s unofficial mascot since the 1930s gameday atmosphere became..., it 's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably prominently to tradition! Me to go to it it like wearing that suit ability to serve the!, often for an additional two minutes second nature and you figure how... Recognizing Alphie as Alabamas mascot, there are a very close community to me your vision on a detector! And you figure out how to pick up certain things mascot team happens immediately the! Animal of Alabama 1930, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies `` my favorite gamewe lost game!, South Asia, and Southeast Asia afternoon, the elephants are coming, ' and out this... Coming, ' and out stamped this Alabama varsity getting used to wo n't body surf, because we so. Me to go to it a few months being in suit in addition, the elephants are coming '. Perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday.. Big Al are a few theories 1930 National Championship team you the content came. As the `` Red elephants '' rolled over Washington state 24-0 in the critical condition area the important of... X27 ; s mascot Big Al is looking somewhere else rolled over Washington state in... For 1015 minutes each during the game come out for the university as. For why an elephant, there are a few months being in suit alumni who remember their at. Of five students on the Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we 're not trying! Its Asian counterpart and has larger ears 's still one of five students the... Nurses said it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal its...