why is alabama's mascot an elephantwhy is alabama's mascot an elephant

There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? 167.114.26.66 Big Al was named by a student vote. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? 1 Alabama, No. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. 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. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. 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 probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped the Alabama varsity. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot and its association with Crimson Tide football is a popular conversation topic among fans and outsidersalike. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. At the time of the vote, there was a popular DJ on campus by the name of Al Brown, who DJ'd many of the largest campus parties, including those hosted by members of the football team. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Why is the Alabama mascot an elephant? 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. Dickey: "There definitely is. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. 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. 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. Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. Dickey: "The tryout for Big Al -- he's a very creative guy. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. It just runs deep. 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. 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 also have prop usage. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. They were telling me about how much I made their day. We had SEC Nation. All rights reserved. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. Of course, Big Al has very rigorous training to make sure that we're not going to do anything questionable.". So within that sort of height. 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. It doesn't look very good. 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. In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' [2] Throughout the 1940s, for instance, the University kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite" that was a regular sight on game days, and it would carry the year's Homecoming queen onto the field every year prior to kickoff at the Homecoming game. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. 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. What is cardinal color? 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 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? "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. The origin of the mascot 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. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. 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. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. After you march them on to the field they will play 'Tusk,' which is sort of Big Al's statement song. And the rest is history. We were up for all of those morning shows. 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. 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. Whoever makes the final cut is invited to A-Day for the final tryout, which consists of a field walk before the game. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. Everyone puts their fours in the air. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. Big Al celebrated his first year with Bear Bryant's 300th win against the Kentucky Wildcats and a victory against the Baylor Bears in the 1981 Cotton Bowl. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. 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. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. What is Alabama's football mascot? Usually, if you're a first-year on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the team. The Elephant Story. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. Bryant was very easy to talk to and teased them about having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". It's just kind of a little thing we do. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. That's when it really hit me. Why is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant Named Big Al. Don't miss a story! Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. Everyone else on the team you get a little bit less than everyone else on the.... Less than everyone else on the team a real elephant on the field and the Big. Mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes ; elephant. Elephant is the tallest we 've had that it was simply a natural extension of University! 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