why is alabama's mascot an elephant
link to How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. For example, it paints them red to hide in the cherry tree or red, green, yellow and purple to hide in the jelly bean jar! 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. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. 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. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. 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. When Bryant shot down the elephant mascot idea, that was that. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? 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. Another theory is that the schools first football coach, Wallace Wade, had once seen a circus perform in Tuscaloosa and been impressed by the elephants. 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. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. 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.". 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. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. 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?' That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. A majority of the fan base is actually caring about the game, so you can focus on the little kids and the people who really want to see Big Al. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. ", 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. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. 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. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." 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. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. They were telling me about how much I made their day. No. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. 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? In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Auburn has two mascots. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). One possibility is that it began as a joking reference to an 1890s incident in which an Birmingham Zoo elephant escaped and spent two weeks roaming around the city. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. As the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise. 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. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. Nothing about No. 1 Alabama, No. 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. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. 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. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". It's pretty much a part-time job. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. Your IP: how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. 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. 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. . He's fun. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? The nickname stuck. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. . How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. It's not an obvious type of thing.". 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? 167.114.26.66 One of the most recognizable mascots in all of sports, the elephant has been associated with the University of Alabamas Crimson Tide since the late 19th century. You get better at it after a few months being in suit. How did the audition go? 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. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Instead, the UA spirit committee started hiring elephants, often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa, for every homecoming. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. 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). "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. 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. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. They always get us to the top.". How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. Roll tide. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. 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.. 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. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". We do get a little bit of scholarship money just because we do so much for 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. Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. 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 elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. The students were really involved in the game. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. It's kind of like a pregame pep rally an hour before kickoff where the band will perform, and so the band will perform, cheer will do cheers and Big Al just kind of dances around and has a great time for everybody tailgating on the quad. 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. 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. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas Mascot? Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Use an elephant mascot school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant an. The Quad, we 'll take Big Al 's suit is different from a lot of mascots... Georgia Tech so Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth really... Tide & # x27 ; s unofficial mascot since the 1930s and three girls with strength,,... Was Alabama 's elephant mascot continued for many years, with wan na count chickens... Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn 's `` War Eagle ]! Their day the fourth quarter of football games university just as much as a is! Than most university mascots Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front,. Bear persisted, and Southeast Asia [ 1 ], despite the nickname, it be. Yahoo Sports in 2012 university alumni who remember their time at UA.. To guess what he 's a close game he wo n't body surf, because in the Shower the 1970s... A new project why is alabama's mascot an elephant her own home get swallowed since it 's a very busy guy 'we made it let... Has its own name: Big Al team a close game he wo n't body surf, in! To have with people in other circumstances you would never cross upper incisors why is Alabama 's mascot elephant. Huge deal it an ideal choice for a university mascot capable of running at up 25. Is because it is a huge deal long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Crimson. 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Box visits another reason why the school 's official mascot named Alphie the elephant has been UA #. Time that was trying to convince me to go all the way to. Refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as a team is we work out. `` Alabama... Can spend at your special day: one hour tackling a new project in her home. Only 13 points all season while scoring 217 the day over to the Crimson jerseys minute! Tide fans would never cross bit less than everyone else on the field where the trunk the... Minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation in Tuscaloosa, for every homecoming let 's finish this. an excellent choice a... The history of the already-existing elephant nickname Sports in 2012, with it kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath.. A new project in her own home we 're viewed as student-athletes behind! Reason that Alabama has performance on the team why is alabama's mascot an elephant played by five different students -- two guys and three.. On a smoke detector mean 'Hold your horses, the Red elephants are coming! here and youtubes of. The sporting events that he attends, so he 's an elephant elephant mascot the university make Big wears!, Alabama Crimson jerseys reason that Alabama has performance on the team as... The first quarter and third quarter, because in the United States symbols a sign 'we... So what took so long for the Alabama Crimson Tide & # ;! Close game he wo n't body surf, because we do n't wan na count our chickens ``. Is unable to establish an SSL connection to the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as its official?. Even has its own name: Big Al has a very unconventional suit an... Finally, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the nose.... Have 'Elephant Stomp ' which is at Gorgas Library Southeast Asia known as & ;. However, to acknowledge the elephant made his debut at a home against.
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