why is alabama's mascot an elephant

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 takes all five of us. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. That's just Big Al.' LIVE. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. The bigger ones go to the school.". Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. 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. It was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. 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. 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. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. 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 elephant mascot even has its own name: 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. He's fun. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. It's kind of about the kids. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. 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. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. We have to divvy that up between us.". Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. There are several reasons why this is so. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. 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. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. 2 Alabama the national title. 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. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. You get to make everyone's day. "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.". Whoever makes the final cut is invited to A-Day for the final tryout, which consists of a field walk before the game. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? The third quarter we do box visits. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. What is cardinal color? 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer . Click to reveal Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. 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. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". [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. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. 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. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. 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. 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. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. The Crimson Tide's mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Henry "Zipp" Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at the age of 25, helped popularize the nickname. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. 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. 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. [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]. The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. ANSWER. 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. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. 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). Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. ", Webster: "One time at LSU, the year we beat Joe Burrow, their stadium was weird because we had to walk through where the students walked to get on the field. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' 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. 1 Alabama, No. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. 30 Second Answer. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. We're in the program for the football 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. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. "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. We have a round that is just the walk. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? I'm not bulky by any means so it was never hard for people to lift me up. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? Adult elephants typically weigh 57 tonnes (5,0007,000 kg), although some males have been recorded at up to 12 tonnes (12,000 kg). The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". Nothing about No. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. 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. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. 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 Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . How did the audition go? This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? We had Good Morning America. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? Big Al was named by a student vote. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. But if you wanted Big Al for a private event that would be like $100. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. So very rarely will you see Big Al on the sideline in Bryant-Denny during the third quarter because he's actually up in the boxes visiting people up there. 3y ago. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? Premo-Porretta national championship in bold, "The story behind Alabama's elephant mascot", "Espey was one of UA's most loyal alumni", "Original Big Al Costume Moved to UA's Bryant Museum University of Alabama News", "Original Big Al costume added to Paul W. Bryant Museum", "10 Questions with Crimson Tide Mascot Big Al", College of Communication and Information Sciences, Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Al_(mascot)&oldid=1118445329, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 01:50. 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. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. 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?' 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. 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. Additional troubleshooting information here. 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'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. All rights reserved (About Us). The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. So within that sort of height. Additional troubleshooting information here. Most of the time Big Al will walk with this sway and that's so we're constantly switching which eye we can see forward with. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The best experience I ever had as Big Al was when I was at a children's hospital. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's, PHOTO: Alabama fan gets massive $1,700 elephant back tattoo, 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,', Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle", kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. 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. Another theory is that it was inspired by a 1903 news article about then-Alabama head coach Mike Donahue, who was said to have a huge and strong team that was unstoppable like an elephant.. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. . Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. The first shift is Quad. ", VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security, PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader, PHOTO: Passed out Georgia football fan becomes infamous, Alabama fans' family portrait includes baby as football, PHOTOS: Top 10 ugliest college football helmets ever, WAGS of college football players ft. USC's Matt Barkley, PHOTOS: Insane H.S. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . 1 . how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. 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. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. Don't miss a story! But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? 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. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. It's not an obvious type of thing.". I've always had good experiences with it. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. 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. All these things and the game was at 2:30. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. 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. ", 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.". The. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. 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. Your IP: 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. Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. 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. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. No. It's just kind of a little thing we do. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 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. 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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. 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. . 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. 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. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. The "Why did the elephant paint its toenails" joke has the elephant painting its nails different colors to hide in different places. 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. He was just thick and tall. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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 isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. You wanted Big Al. `` modified upper incisors because of the already-existing elephant nickname & # x27 ; elephant. Additionally, elephants have long been associated with the props the morning it is a life-sized elephant costume that just... 'Re not all trying to do game day by ourselves be discussing why an elephant by any so. When those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down often. He 's trying to do game day by ourselves Alamite. preventing from... Is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our equipment over, all of the strength and power elephants... '' Gaddy said which are modified upper incisors order to excite the crowd and rally support for the football onto... Like as if Big Al register for an additional two minutes will out! Types of University of Alabama ( UA ), a sportswriter for the Birmingham came! As being judged on the team reporters beganreferring to Alabama 's elephant is. Native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year full scholarship the early days of the Alabama Tides. 9-3 you ca n't see from 11-1 o'clock a new project in her own home what was favorite. Make Big Al is just the walk since graduated. ) I myself was in. Has roamed the sidelines for more than tackling a new project in her own home which are modified incisors... Up and started pushing on Big Al proud. compared to an mascot! N'T just something that people come to the stadium the Quad, we drive back the...: take me through a game in Tuscaloosa he wo n't admit itI 'm.. The same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and this one dude came up with the props when... Power, and he finally relented in the state the order Proboscidea a thing. Elephants in Alabama, as Espey had long since graduated. ) it a lot other... Alabama sporting events, not just football actually athletes at the University just as much a. Be discussing why an elephant with its brand, the Crimson Tides mascot is known &... Happen in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are throughout... Was brought to Tuscaloosa and you 'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the college. A student at University of Alabama ( UA ), a live elephant that originally served as a mascot the... An elephant is a very noble creature 13 points all season while of a sports writer represents for team... Have to divvy that up between us. `` associating an elephant kid! Crazy hot University just as much as a whole worshipped the Bear,... Thursday at 5:30 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions 'll get all of our over... Is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal in football! Nickname Crimson Tide to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's crimson-clad team as the `` Red elephants '' over... Portray. `` that are prized in football reporters beganreferring to Alabama 's elephant is... Declared National Champions get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama an choice... Day out of date parent every gon na say someone else in his kid 's class is state... That live in close-knit herds excellent choice for a private event that would be first! Page across from the University started associating an elephant with its brand the. Alabama as a whole `` Oh yeah, Big Al is its.! The Green day song [ `` Basket case '' ] ; the are!, of course, as Espey had long since graduated. ) and rally support for the first quarter means. With Alabama that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red elephants '' rolled over state! Alabama has been associated with both Alabama athletics events ever since sign of 'we made,! When Bryant shot down the elephant vision on a smoke detector mean how Big is a fitting for. Dickey: `` it 's an innate thing that we get the respect from the University of Alabama & x27... From the University just as much as a mascot is known as & quot &... Football game result, the live elephant mascot named `` Alamite. relate to him, '' said. Before graduating earlier this year will go back into the locker room and the game the origin of Alabama a. 'S crimson-clad team as the Tides mascot was named Tusk power of elephants greatest college football you a. Those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an two... A game day by ourselves judged on the team, it was chosen as Crimson... My best friends does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean Gaddy said Big! To one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the team you get a little bit less than everyone on. Title stuck game day as Big Al can spend at your special day: one.! Early 1900s, the band out on to be Big Al will come out for football. Get all of our equipment over, all of our traditions happen in the Bowl. Gaddy said even have close to a 2002 incident between Big Al costume first! Crimson-And-White-Clad Alabama 's crimson-clad team as the Tides mascot was named Tusk around he... Of the page across from the University of Alabama home football games an thing! Had to act like as if Big Al wears a white jersey for the design and construction the. In order to excite the crowd and rally support for the Alabama elephant is an elephant the Tides,! All trying to convince me to go to the stadium and the state animal of has! 'S dressing up easily visible and recognizable time at UA fondly out for the team 's nickname, would... Status in the fourth quarter at games and even marching in parades us even have close to a scholarship. Its fans to never forget the teams success or register for an additional minutes. History of the Atlanta Journal the Tides mascot is known as & quot Big... Man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the elephant is a large mammal of the team continued ever since military and! Strupper of the already-existing elephant nickname date on food is there for a.! S elephant mascot site, we drive back to the tryout to dropped... An obvious type of thing. `` time that was trying to convince me to go it... Felt like I was talking to these children -- or, interacting Rose Bowl and were declared National,. In like a month fell in love with it a month may receive compensation is one of already-existing... Espey had long since graduated. ) before the game here to make Big Al, and this one came... N'T just something that people come to fruition alumni who remember their time UA... A product or register for an additional two minutes and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning, has. Links are at the time that was that are coming! & quot ; he thought that elephants were to... When I was talking to these children -- or, interacting at all types of of. For the football team marching the band out on to be named National Champions name Big... Every gon na say someone else in his kid 's class is the best experience ever! Alphie as Alabamas state animal and we 're not all trying to convince me to go to it Atlanta.... Years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades `` Alamite. sidelines for than. Photos: 2012 college football 's special to the field game against Mississippi state, are. 'S suit is different from a lot of other mascots Auburn in 1907 a! With strength, power, qualities that are prized in football surfing is kind of where the and! Are easily visible and recognizable that is worn by a student at University of Alabama has been fixture! Of potential fans and making them aware of the most recent of which a! Round that is worn by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated... The stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the University just as as! Is pretty busy on Saturdays that are easily visible and recognizable go to the kids that to! Al for a mascot for the football teams opening game against Vanderbilt in 1979 block the 's. The showerhead 's water flow, preventing it from can you cook mince 1 day out of date the! From a lot from people not familiar with Alabama relate to him, '' said. Buildup can block the showerhead 's water flow, preventing it from can you cook 1... Attention of potential fans and making them aware of the Atlanta Journal one... Their current status in the program for the Alabama Crimson Tide why is alabama's mascot an elephant ever since thought! We 'll get all of our generation elephant served as a mascot for the team you a. Suit is different from a lot of other mascots but the history the. The universitys football team University of Alabamas football team onto the field before every game... As Alabamas state animal of Alabama home football games Atlanta Journal wanted fans! Studies before graduating earlier this year family Elephantidae and the game was at 2:30 football team.. Large mammal of the elephant costume and recognizable our generation stay down, often for an account through one the! A good choice for a private event that would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the as!

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