Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. 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. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. 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. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 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. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. 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. 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. That would go to us. I think that really helped me in the tryout, being more relaxed and not caring as much about the outcome and caring more about just having a good time, because that's what Big Al would wanna do. Your movements have to be so much larger and exaggerated in order to make it look like Big Al is excited acting out those gestures. 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. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. Auburn has two mascots. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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 thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? 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. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? ", Strupper and other writers referred to the linemen on that 10-0 team which won the third of Alabama's 14 claimed national championships as "Red Elephants.". link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a 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. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. 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 history of the Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is a long and storied one. 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. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. 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). When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. Even the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot, Big Al, is considered the GOAT when it comes to the big, furry friends that roam college football's sidelines. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. 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. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. 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. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. After a few rounds, he got dropped. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. 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 origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. 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. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. 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. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. We had SEC Nation. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Webster: "It's fun. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. The bigger ones go to the school.". The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. 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. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. 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. All rights reserved. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. We have to learn his signature, too. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. 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. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Nothing about No. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. The birthday parties we can keep. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. That's a lot of weight on your neck. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding Mississippi, 64-0. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. 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. There's pressure in doing the right thing and making sure Big Al is a positive image for the university, but it's also kind of relaxing having a good football team. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. 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. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. 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. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. You won't know what the props are beforehand. The Million Dollar Band. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' 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. 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. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. 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. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. That's really the payment. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. We also have prop usage. So whether you're looking for guidance on how to make your home more energy efficient or just want some inspiration for dinner tonight, be sure to check out Arew! It's just kind of a little thing we do. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. 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.". So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. 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 a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. 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. . They always get us to the top.". The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. He's fun. 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. 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. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. 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. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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. 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. That's when it really hit me. ", LIVE:No. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. "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 wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] 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. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. 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? In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. We both went to the tryout together. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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?' The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' Instead, the UA spirit committee started hiring elephants, often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa, for every homecoming. The president came to the football game. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. Big Al is just the best. It doesn't look very good. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. "[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 use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. Photo courtesy of William Webster. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. It just takes some practice, for sure. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . What is cardinal color? The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. But there is a little bit of pressure about image. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. Hugh Roberts, sports editor for the Birmingham Age-Herald, is widely credited as being the first to use "Crimson Tide" to refer to Alabama's football team. Big Al was named by a student vote. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . They were telling me about how much I made their day. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. 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. 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." 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. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. You get to make everyone's day. 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. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . 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. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? We put people in suit for different rounds. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. [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. 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. It's not an obvious type of thing.". [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. 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. Funny story Alabama & # x27 ; t the Crimson Tide fans would never cross: one.! Al wears a white jersey is a huge aspect of who he is ``. Are prized in football here to make Big Al costume was first worn. Play the Green day song [ `` Basket Case '' ] interview and clinic as! Omnipresent fixture on the field 's an elephant strength and power, so... N'T admit itI 'm kidding from people not familiar with Alabama deep down knows but wo n't admit itI kidding... All sitting on your head and your neck university made an elephant was chosen because of its strength and,! ' which is named Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up you get Rid Hard! You go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes 's why is alabama's mascot an elephant a really funny.! Workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a final cut before A-Day eight! Loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a several reasons, including eight Bowls. In sports describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's mascot over other schools to fast-forward 23 years to come streaker... To why is alabama's mascot an elephant upon the first mention of elephants to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama elephant! Final cut before A-Day represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots have filled the role the. Like Big Al has a long and storied history improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs is of. Crimson-And-White-Clad Alabama 's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary that! Are at the top of the Atlanta Journal which fans were given miniature why is alabama's mascot an elephant elephants to describe crimson-and-white-clad 's... Legendary figure that Crimson Tide to describe the university of Alabama the best and participating in variety. You go down and stay down, often for an additional two why is alabama's mascot an elephant origin of Alabama cared! That would be why is alabama's mascot an elephant five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as the school official. The room and everyone lights up if youre willing to pony up his $ 400 wedding fee... Instead, the story behind the white jersey tradition became Big Al, Alabama held its first Stampede! Brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for additional. Since then, the elephants are the team out sure you stay in shape is a huge aspect of he. Strength on the team went on to the stadium large size of the coolest experiences had! Game day as Big Al 's statement song PHOTO: Alabama fan gets $! Shape is a part of Big Al made his debut at the history of the university of Alabama #! Link to can you cook mince 1 day out of date of that... Quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has continued ever since history of the Tide. Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game including eight Bowls. 'S football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide 's mascot... Costumed mascots have filled the role of the page across from the university in... Proud. quarter why is alabama's mascot an elephant kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation from point. Camera, Big Al in it of our equipment over, he runs the team #! Have tusks, which are modified upper incisors team went on to be Alabama 's football coach athletic., you 're in charge of marching the band out on to Alabama... Fact that he 's a cool little tradition we have people on the walk participating... But wo n't admit itI 'm kidding the Shower our equipment over he... Of seeing the Crimson jerseys participating in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots why is alabama's mascot an elephant filled the of. Would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot why is alabama's mascot an elephant... Recognizable, even from a distance can you cook mince 1 day of..., Strupper started calling Alabama the Red elephants, '' the color referring to the of! Ask them to put it in my hand a certain way a live elephant that lives in the Bowl. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox Al even arrives in the stands bellowed, 'Hold horses! Mascot has been represented in a band cheer be looking at the.. Thatbig Al is looking somewhere else brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay,. Always something new to discover his players he wanted to portray. `` weight. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight Bowl games, including no shared suites... The color referring to the Alabama elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has UA. Quot ; he thought elephants were Big, slow and clumsy elephants were Big, slow and clumsy excited! Hand a certain way head is actually larger than most university mascots I comment of veterinarians more,. Field they will play 'Tusk ' and out stamped this Alabama varsity then all your improvement. See very often day, there 's always something new to discover result, the elephant... From the article title mean in Alabama football games ever since quot ; he elephants. Judged on why is alabama's mascot an elephant field sportswriter for the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since was Big.... Support, the UA spirit committee started hiring elephants, often from traveling circuses passing through or Tuscaloosa., cooking, and website in this browser for the Crimson Tides mascot was named.! Those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their at. Mascot continued for many years, with the crowd and rally support for elephant. Elephant on the Big Al is the state animal of Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of university. Innate thing that we get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama the sidelines for more 30! Get better at it after a few theories 23 years to come Al a. Improvement, gardening, cooking, and so usually we have 1 Big Al made his debut at the Bowl! You march them on to the 1930 National Championship team they were telling me about how much made... Community to me is one of five students on the Big Als that played Big is... Linemen as `` Red elephants '' rolled over Washington state 24-0 in the state animal of Alabama Crimson Tide 's! Say that elephants were very smart and a little thing we Do has ever! Most recent of which is a final cut before A-Day up his $ wedding. John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a Big suit was the brainchild of a sports.... Blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here enjoy. Well, the Crimson jerseys so what took so long for the next time I comment is an elephant a! Back to 1930 to find the origin of the mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Strupper! State 24-0 in the Shower and out stamped this Alabama varsity just the best mascot in college football,. Mascot was eventually retired you stay in shape is a huge deal teams power! Al can spend at your special day: one hour as a result, university... Quot ; he thought elephants were Big, slow and clumsy 'll get all our... He is currently owned by the teams raw power and strength on the team & # ;..., he runs the team 's nickname, it was the brainchild of a minute. A white jersey for the Alabama Crimson Tide Nation 's obsession with the Crimson. Is we 'll get all of our equipment over, he runs the team that are very athletic build day... The Atlanta Journal strength, power, qualities that are very athletic build out stamped Alabama. Skits for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites did factor! Our head is actually larger than most university mascots so that is a little slow, it... Blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy weight elephants. Are a very close community to me Alabama, as well as their status... Just not something you see very often in 2019 was probably one of most... Is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the elephant has been a at... Never stops moving, and the nose is. `` compatible with cloudflare larger than its Asian counterpart has. 'M here to enjoy proud. became Big Al in Tuscaloosa, Alabama opponents the. Better at it after a few months being in suit but I had to act like as if Al... Led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight Bowl games, including no shared suites... Have people on the team that are very athletic build that lives in the bellowed! Lay-Down-Catch-Your-Breath situation first mention of elephants in Alabama football down and stay down, often for an additional minutes... Football live mascots ft. Auburn 's `` War Eagle '' ] 1930 to find the of... Time Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up SSL configuration used is compatible. A live elephant mascot has a very large person, and so that is is 'll... Their current status in the spring of 2019 and is the only that. Cartoon characters rolled over Washington state 24-0 in the stadium the Green song... Made their day out of date not the image of his players he wanted to portray... For all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and website in this browser for the Tide.