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. That's when it really hit me. The. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He was just thick and tall. 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. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Why do Alabama fans say Roll Tide? "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. 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 Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? Because those kids will be like, 'What? How did the audition go? Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. From there, we drive back to the stadium and the next person gets in the suit. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. The birthday parties we can keep. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. 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. Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? 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. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? That's really the payment. So how did one of college football's blue bloods on the path to win its third national title in four years come to be represented by an animal most often associated with the circus, Dumbo and the Republican Party? 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. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? 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. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. It takes all five of us. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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 we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. 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. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . 30 Second Answer. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. "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. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. They were telling me about how much I made their day. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. 2 Alabama the national title. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. We had SEC Nation. 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 mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for the university. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. 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. 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. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. And the rest is history. We both went to the tryout together. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". 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. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. 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. Big Al has not always been our mascot's name. Velyrhorde. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. 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. In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. 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. 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.". We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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 University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021 Why do they say Roll Tide in Alabama? Roll tide. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. Photo courtesy of William Webster. [7] The scripted fight suddenly became unscripted after Seymour deviated from the set rules, and a raucous fight on the sidelines between the two ensued. The final announcement of the next year's mascot team happens immediately following the spring 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. We do have a roster on rolltide.com. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. That's a lot of weight on your neck. We have to divvy that up between us.". The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? 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 exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. 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! 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 cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. The first time an elephant was mentioned in relation to Alabama athletics was in 1907, when then-head football coach Eugene Beaumont called his squad a great big blue elephant. The nickname stuck, and in 1931, then-sports editor Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote that Alabamas football team had the biggest, grandest show on earth.. 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