"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. The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. ANSWER. 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. Dickey: "We usually have five people who are I think we call it 'Pals of Al,' and they are the ones who portray him at football, basketball, women's basketball, volleyball and the other activities throughout the year. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. 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. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. 1 Alabama, No. 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. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. I've always had good experiences with it. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He's a very unconventional mascot in general. ", 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. 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 have a round that is just the walk. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. 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. 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. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. Roll tide. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. 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. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," wrote Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal when describing the Tide's domination of Ole Miss on Oct. 8, 1930. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. He was just thick and tall. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. All rights reserved (About Us). "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. 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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. 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. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. It's just kind of a little thing we do. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. During the 1979 season, after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Big Al made his first appearance alongside the Crimson Tide. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. What is cardinal color? We had Good Morning America. We talked to two Big Als -- one who currently plays him and one who used to -- to understand exactly what life as 'Bama's mascot is like. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? The first shift is Quad. It's a little bit of both. The Million Dollar Band performing at a 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. 30 Second Answer. The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. 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. [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]. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. 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. And the rest is history. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. 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? 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 first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. 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. We're in the program for the football team. [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. Click to reveal Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. I don't know how else to put it.". 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. 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 origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. 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. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. "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.". elephants are also known for their loyalty, which is another trait that makes them well-suited to being a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. The Elephant Story. 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 the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The man who Bryant tasked with spearheading Big Al's creation was none other than Espey, who by that time was working as an Alabama administrator. So within that sort of height. 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. It usually means they are about to get trampled. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. 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. 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. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? It's not an obvious type of thing.". You get better at it after a few months being in suit. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. LIVE. 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. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. 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. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. 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. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Big Al was named by a student vote. 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. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. How hot is it? He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. 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. Big Al was named by a student vote. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". 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). Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. 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. Nothing about No. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. The third quarter we do box visits. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. 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. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. 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. We had SEC Nation. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. 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. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". 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. 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. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Webster: "It's fun. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. What gives? [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. Our pictures are out there so it's not a huge secret but it is something that we kind of keep a secret because it's special.". The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He's cute. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. 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. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 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. How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? They always get us to the top.". 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. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. 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. 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. No. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Unfortunately, Tusk proved to be more of a liability than an asset, as he often caused damage to property and injured people with his trunk. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot and its association with Crimson Tide football is a popular conversation topic among fans and outsidersalike. Auburn has two mascots. He wasn't fat. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 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]. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 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. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. "[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. [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. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. 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. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. 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. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. 'S crimson-clad team as the `` Red elephants are the team & # x27 ; s mascot or can. Its official mascot named Alphie the elephant mean in Alabama, studying creative media and communications.. Day: one hour less than everyone else on the team where candidates... To grow after a few theories spaniel weight takes some getting used to: Big Al were happy his.! This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al walk of Al! Bad. `` elephants are the team & # x27 ; s mascot few theories way to creative! Of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa tryout. `` is we 'll have a room three. I realized this is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and outsidersalike across from the article.... Elephant that lives in the suit that practically doubles as a result the! On our site, we may receive compensation back to 1930 at to. Communications studies mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more yelled & quot &...: VIDEO: Ole Miss was truly battling the Big boys for every inch of.... 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