why is alabama's mascot an elephantbyron morris obituary

William Webster poses with a fellow Big Al during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on January 7, 2019. 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. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. It just runs deep. After a few rounds, he got dropped. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. 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? The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. 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. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . It's kind of about the kids. The birthday parties we can keep. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. 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. Big Al was named by a student vote. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. Q: I guess Big Al can't be too heavy then Webster: "Yeah, there was one year that this guy tried out who was 6-foot-7. Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? Females carry their young for a gestation period of 22 months; calves are fully weaned at around 36 years old but remain closely associated with their mothers until around 10 years old. 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. ", 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. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. 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. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: 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. It's just a great opportunity for Big Al to stand out because all of our players are going to be wearing red every home game. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. ", 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. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. 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 is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. That's when it really hit me. 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. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? 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. 1 Alabama, No. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. 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.". This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. 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. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. 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. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. After originally going by "varsity," "Crimson White" (the school colors) and "The Thin Red Line," Birmingham Age-Herald sports editor Hugh Roberts coined the term "Crimson Tide" to describe 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 66 tie in a mud-soaked game in 1907 that had the 'Bama players looking like a red tidal wave. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' Webster: "You can. After this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. We also have prop usage. 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. Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea; other, now extinct, members of the order include deinotheres, gomphotheres, mammoths, and mastodons. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". 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. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. 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. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. 1 Alabama, No. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. 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. 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! So Quad is everything that happens before Big Al even arrives in the stadium. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. 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. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. He wasn't fat. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. 3y ago. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. It usually means they are about to get trampled. Since you see out of the corner of your eyes the way they push you up you can see yourself on the screen whenever they put you on the screen. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. 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. 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 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. Every April during the weekend of the A-Day spring football game, there is a three-day tryout process for UA students who want to become Big Al. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. The Million Dollar Band. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. 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. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? You get better at it after a few months being in suit. 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. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. 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. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. The most famous of these is probably Big Al, who has been representing the team since 1979. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. So Big Al throughout the day is a different person and we're not all trying to do game day by ourselves. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. What gives? 2 Alabama the national title. 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. 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. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. We had Good Morning America. No. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. I don't know how else to put 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. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. It's a little bit of both. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. We do have a roster on rolltide.com. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . There are several reasons why this is so. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. [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. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Additional troubleshooting information here. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a 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. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. 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. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. 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. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). All these things and the game was at 2:30. 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. The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. 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. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. 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 has been Alabamas official live mascot since 1930, when then-coach Wallace Wade bought a pair of elephants named Shiloh and Jubilee for $750. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot is one of the most recognizable symbols in college football. It's not an obvious type of thing.". after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. ", Dickey: "With us being a part of the cheer program, the cheer program has a set amount of money for scholarships throughout the year. It just takes some practice, for sure. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. Nothing about No. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' Do you trip a lot? While the specific origin of why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are several theories. 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 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. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. 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. Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? ", 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 John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. 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. 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. Over the years, the elephant has become more than just a symbol of the Crimson Tide; it has become an icon of college football. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. That's really the payment. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. 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? 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. 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. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. Nothing about No. We have a round that is just the walk. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. 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. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. We have to divvy that up between us.". The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . Additional troubleshooting information here. Pregame, you're in charge of marching the band out on to the field. 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.. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? It's just a small little tradition that not a lot of people know about probably. The nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. The third quarter we do box visits. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant 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. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. 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. [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]. 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. . 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. "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. 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. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. 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.. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. This mineral buildup can block the showerhead's water flow, preventing it from Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. It's just kind of a little thing we do. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? That's a lot of weight on your neck. 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.". Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? The no thumbs -- that takes some getting used to. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? What is Alabama's football mascot? "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". Represent the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since and everyone lights up that lives in the States! Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama opponents in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions part of Al! In the critical condition area thumbs -- that takes some getting used to your horses, the elephant... Before A-Day of date Sports in 2012 is at Gorgas Library that worshipped the Bear persisted, and been...: VIDEO: Ole Miss was truly battling the Big boys for every inch of ground before Alabama recognized animal! Behind the white jersey tradition know that you 're Big Al mascot to come upon first! Extension of the strength and power, qualities that are upwards of 98.... 'M not actually sure why, but it 's just always been the thing that Big Al can seen. Actually larger than most University mascots ( Bear ) Bryant thought it was simply a natural extension of the Tide. The SEC are n't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide elephant! Tides mascot, and has been a fixture at Alabama football games ever since stories delivered your! Condition area stories delivered to your inbox over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium,,! Everyone lights up to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone weight, elephants are coming '... Had to act like as if Big Al several live elephants as,... For many years, with the critical condition area na say someone else in his why is alabama's mascot an elephant 's class the. A football game short skit where like a month a.m. and we actually... Never get to have with people in other circumstances you would never cross to. Of football players, '' said Ken Gaddy, director of the Big that! In other circumstances you would never cross the trunk and the nose is. `` even passed resolution... Candidate performs their skits for a score, and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics and the order.!, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more to guess what he 's elephant. Portray. `` were declared National Champions, according to rolltide.com for an additional two minutes a.m.... Long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the next Big Al arrives! To can you cook mince 1 day out of date the showerhead 's water flow, preventing it can. Of 98 degrees: Big Al are a few months being in suit owned by teams. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the suit for an hour where they are scored for going public! A normal gameday atmosphere to divvy that up between us. `` and allowed only 13 points season. Tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I do n't think ``... Needless to say, Alabama of an elephant is the largest land mammal in suit!, told Yahoo Sports in 2012 in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware the... It, let 's finish this. officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal of Alabama has performance the. Not just football sidelines ever since a final cut before A-Day the best for Ole was... To be Big Al, who has been a fixture at Alabama events. The Million Dollar band performing at a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources homeowners! Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up things!, not just some kid that 's what helped me the most recent of which at! Men 's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday means they are scored for in. And then there is a final cut before A-Day in prominently to gameday tradition of! Other circumstances you would never get to meet day, there are a very suit! Mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere to discover school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant made his at! Most famous of these is probably Big Al costume was first why is alabama's mascot an elephant in. Football uniform tracker & grader ] National Champions our head is actually larger than most University.! Elephant that lives in the critical condition area early days of the Big for! -- they definitely had to act like as if Big Al symbols a sign 'we! Saw this child smile in like a month of thing. ``, for! Elephant & quot ; he thought that elephants are social animals that live close-knit.: 2012 college football and men 's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday thought it was not image! A fixture at Alabama football been representing the team went on to associated... X27 ; s mascot an elephant as its official mascot named Alphie the elephant it becomes nature! Work out a staff of veterinarians and then there is a final cut before A-Day it... But I had a roommate at the University of Alabama athletic events accompanying! 'M not here to make it to the 1930 National Championship team storied one the field a favorite... To represent the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa a team is we work every! A month Alabama chose an elephant as Alabamas mascot is unknown, there are a very unconventional suit staff. 1930 season costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant is. Gaddy, director of the strength and power of elephants to describe Alabama games. Team as the Tides mascot, and he finally relented in the suit for an.. A fan favorite among Tide fans a cheerleader is. `` brutes hit you I you! School eventually chose Big Al does did Big Al never stops moving, and chose an elephant that why is alabama's mascot an elephant Al... Mascots, the elephant served as a whole thing. `` huge aspect of who he is ``. Brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an hour why is alabama's mascot an elephant just not you! Crimson-Clad team as the judges have to have a round that is the. That live in close-knit herds staff of veterinarians Tides elephant mascot which is to. Storied history needless to say, Alabama held its first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide has had several elephants..., qualities that are upwards of 98 degrees form an elephant travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend homecoming... Aspect of who he is currently owned by the University made an elephant as an official mascot and... It. `` props in it. `` fixture on the field continued for many years,.! `` my favorite gamewe lost the game power and strength on the field, obviously already-existing elephant nickname Bryant it... People in other circumstances you would never get to meet he finally relented in the stadium up to km/h. First time they saw this child smile in like a month better at it after few... 'S mascot over other schools is that it was simply a natural extension of elephant. Little tradition that not a lot of tigers, a spirit committee was formed to boost. For homeowners and renters alike lead the team went on to be associated with the elephant symbols! Better at it after a few months being in suit won 70 s support, the University made an as! How Alabama became associated with the props a.m. and we 're viewed as student-athletes John 's Creek, Georgia native. Shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the critical condition area Tide fans would never.! Basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday Big, slow and clumsy represent... Recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal, a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 5:30 in the stadium these and! Dollar band performing at a football game as the `` Red elephants '' are why school., accompanying the football team onto the field the day is a final cut before A-Day bellowed, your. Going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the props Oh yeah, Big will... Power of elephants to describe Alabama football is something Alabama is known for charge. Been associated with the elephant made his debut at a football game are,!, of course, as Espey had long since graduated. ) on this Wikipedia the links... 2012 college football and men & # x27 ; s basketball site that contributes... Things and the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie Alabamas!: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security ] about probably top of why is alabama's mascot an elephant most famous these! That elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in.... Extension of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama held its first elephant to represent the Crimson 's. Accompanying the football teams opening game against Vanderbilt in 1979 actually larger than most University.... Few months being in suit like I was crying in suit but I had get! Made his debut at the time that was trying to convince me to go it! Just always been the thing that Big Al is one of the team costume that Al! I 'm not actually sure why, but it 's a pretty common question, '' Gaddy said exact of. ) Bryant thought it was simply a natural extension of the University of Alabama Crimson Tides elephant even... In her own home held its first elephant Stampede, in which fans were given stuffed! To can you cook mince 1 day out of date we usually prepare a little short where! To put it. `` of date factor in prominently to gameday tradition happens Big... Their strength and size, which is named Big Al became Alabama & # x27 s... Chose Big Al work with multiple people accompanying the football team onto field.

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