After a few rounds, he got dropped. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. He wasn't fat. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. 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. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. "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. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. [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. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. 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. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. Do you trip a lot? 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. 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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. We have a round that is just the walk. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. 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! 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. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. 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. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 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. 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. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. 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. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The Elephant Story. 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. 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? As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? Your IP: They always get us to the top.". The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". 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. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. 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. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. 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. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. 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. 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. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. All rights reserved. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. That would go to us. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. 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. I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". [Related: PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo]. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. He was just thick and tall. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. 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. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. It's a little bit of both. 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. We had College Gameday in the morning. 1 Alabama, No. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. ", LIVE:No. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. The reason you want to be Big Al is the faces of the little kids at the children's hospital that you get to make their day. The bigger ones go to the school.". First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. We both went to the tryout together. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. It's relaxing. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. Everyone puts their fours in the air. 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. 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. Of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let 's finish.! 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