why is alabama's mascot an elephant
Nothing about No. It just runs deep. 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 was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. 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 varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. 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. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Auburn has two mascots. 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 no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". 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. 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. 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. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". 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. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. There are several reasons why this is so. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. It's pretty much a part-time job. 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. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. [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]. We both went to the tryout together. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. 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. 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. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. 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. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. 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. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama'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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. You get to make everyone's day. Don't miss a story! It's a little bit of both. Nothing about No. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? 30 Second Answer. Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? 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.. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. 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. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." 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." Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. We put people in suit for different rounds. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. What is Alabama's football mascot? 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. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. 3y ago. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. 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. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. Additional troubleshooting information here. ", Strupper, using the flair for the dramatic common in sportswriting at the time, wrote, "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. 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. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. 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. . Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. How did the audition go? Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. Big Al was named by a student vote. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. 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. What gives? The birthday parties we can keep. The elephant is also very large, which makes it an imposing figure that can be seen from far away. 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 the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. He's fun. 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 is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. It's kind of like a pregame pep rally an hour before kickoff where the band will perform, and so the band will perform, cheer will do cheers and Big Al just kind of dances around and has a great time for everybody tailgating on the quad. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? The expiration date on food is there for a reason. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. I've always had good experiences with it. And the rest is history. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. 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. The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring 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? LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. It's just kind of a little thing we do. That's really the payment. It doesn't look very good. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. After this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. So within that sort of height. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' 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. That's when it really hit me. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. The nickname stuck. 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. 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 was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. 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]. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". We were up for all of those morning shows. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. 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: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. The bigger ones go to the school.". I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. The students were really involved in the game. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. 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. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Roll tide. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. "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. 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 is cardinal color? In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 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. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. 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. Velyrhorde. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. 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. While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. "[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. 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. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. 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. 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. The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. 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? 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. They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. 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. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. 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. Do you trip a lot? We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. 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. Hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming coach of our generation National... 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