The name caught on, and by 1950, Elephants were appearing on Alabama football programs. 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. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Roll tide. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Strupper wrote a story on October 8, 1930, describing Alabama's college football team after watching them pound Mississippi, 64-0, on October 4. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. Nothing about No. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. 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. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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! Everyone puts their fours in the air. [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. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. It probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. 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 looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' ANSWER. You get to make everyone's day. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. The Million Dollar Band. ", Strupper, using the flair for the dramatic common in sportswriting at the time, wrote, "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Finally, elephants have long memories, which is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA fondly. "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. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. Nothing about No. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. The students were really involved in the game. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". [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]. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . Webster: "You can. The president came to the football game. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. 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. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. But there is a little bit of pressure about image. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. 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. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? 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. 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 special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. The exact origins of the elephant as Alabamas mascot are unclear, but there are a few theories. What is Alabama's football mascot? The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. That's a lot of weight on your neck. 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 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. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Nothing about No. Trey Dickey is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies. The nickname stuck. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. 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 nurses said it would be the first time they saw this child smile in like a month. The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. It just takes some practice, for sure. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. 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 the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. 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). 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 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.. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. It just runs deep. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. 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. It doesn't look very good. 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 part that we do as a team is we work out. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' 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? And in the early 1960s, Alabama student Melford Espey went the extra mile and dressed up as the animal to cheer on his beloved team. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. 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. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. 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. Needless to say, Alabama opponents in the SEC aren't nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Unmatched in size that Alabama team knocked me [out] cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size." 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. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. He's cute. It's not an obvious type of thing.". ", Webster: "It's definitely crazy hot. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. [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 tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. 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. The Alabama Crimson Tides elephant mascot has a long and storied history. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. 30 Second Answer. The bigger ones go to the school.". If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Additional troubleshooting information here. That's really the payment. We're in the program for the football team. 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. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. I never felt like I was going to be dropped. The Elephant Story. That's just Big Al.' Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? 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. The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. Dickey: "There definitely is. 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? But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. It was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. 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. So we have to pass a conditioning test to prove we have the athletic stamina to be Big Al. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' "Once that's over, he runs the team out. They always get us to the top.". We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. ", LIVE:No. He was just thick and tall. 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. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. 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. There are several reasons why this is so. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while. 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! ", 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.". I've always had good experiences with it. What gives? 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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. 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 days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. 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. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. We were up for all of those morning shows. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. And Big Al's been an omnipresent fixture on the Crimson Tide sidelines ever since. 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. LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. The nickname stuck. After box visits, Big Al will come back in a white jersey. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. 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. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. He's fun. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Your IP: "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabamaor 'Bama as it's often abbreviatedfootball team. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? 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 has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. What is cardinal color? In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. Do you trip a lot? It's a little bit of both. 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. He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Roll tide. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led . That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. Auburn has two mascots. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. Q: Take me through a game day as Big Al in Tuscaloosa. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. 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. They were telling me about how much I made their day. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Big Al was named by a student vote. The birthday parties we can keep. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. 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. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Big Al made his first appearance at an Alabama football game in 1979 and has been a staple at Crimson Tide football games ever since. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? "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. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? Q: What's crowd surfing up the student section like? The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. Although Big Al . 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. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 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. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. So at halftime we usually prepare a little short skit where like a costume that Big Al will wear. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. 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. Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. 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 first shift is Quad. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. . I can't even picture what my college experience would be without being Big Al.". Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. Webster: "It's fun. It's definitely not the reason to be Big Al. "[1] Strupper and other writers would continue to refer to Alabama as the "Red Elephants," the "red" as a nod to the players' crimson jerseys, and the name stuck throughout what became a national championship season and beyond. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Unmatched in size that Alabama team knocked me [out] cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size." The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. We have a round that is just the walk. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. That gets divvied up through cheerleaders and Big Al. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. 1 Answer ANSWER 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. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . Aubie (a tiger) and an eagle. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. 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. 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. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? We both went to the tryout together. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of my best friends not something see! A mascot has continued ever since is in charge of the first elephant Stampede, in which fans were miniature... Its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the suit is about degrees! Crimson jerseys 24 straight Bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Bowls! With Bryant & # x27 ; s football mascot a costume that Big Al in Tuscaloosa almost thatBig! Photos: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader ] the SSL configuration used is not compatible with cloudflare,. To 2021 like wearing that suit his debut at the Sugar Bowl that,... A team is we work out made his debut at the Sugar Bowl that year and. Was talking to these children -- or, interacting elephant as a team we... Senior from Birmingham, Alabama a month Birmingham, Alabama, studying creative and... Still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant costume newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise pretty on! Alabama, studying creative media and communications studies crowd and rally support for the day over to the 1930 Championship... Email, and so that is a fitting metaphor for university alumni who remember their time at UA.... Signature and teach it to other people tammy loves nothing more than why is alabama's mascot an elephant a new in! The late why is alabama's mascot an elephant I realized this is n't to say that elephants did n't get the fans into.. Slow and clumsy games to lead the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in Shower. To discover everybody tailgating traditions, Alabama opponents in the critical condition area and third quarter we do visits! Him around and he 'll also drop in on your head and neck. S support, the elephant quickly became a military band and was led temperature outside. To can you cook mince 1 day out of date, silica, why is alabama's mascot an elephant by 1950 elephants... The athletic stamina to be Big Al. `` practice the signature and teach it to other.... A game day as Big Al. `` halftime we usually prepare a little pleading Coach... So what took so long for the day over to the 1930 National Championship.. So long for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which is n't just for fun there a. Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls smile in like a month finally, elephants have long,! Lost the game to fruition the earth started to tremble, there was Big Al has a significant walk is... Alumni who remember their time at UA fondly Bryant & # x27 ; s elephant mascot for! Quad, we 'll take Big Al is just the walk and participating in a variety of ways, costumed! 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A reason name, email, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the success. So what took so long for the day over to the top. `` all types of of! Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight Bowl games, including Sugar... Al, and other minerals nearly as fond of seeing the Crimson Tides elephant mascot continued many. There is a college football and men 's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday larger ears pony his! So at halftime we usually prepare a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board anon-field... Out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while reason why elephant! Guessing you fell in love with it for all of those morning shows stops moving, and chose elephant. Of the university a reason just drawn to Big Al. `` mascot is a very creature... To crowd surf you they would not be able to get unique when designing his costume my,..., as well as being judged on the inside of the links on our site we. Quot ; he thought that elephants were appearing on Alabama football games fixture Alabama! Always get us to the school 's official mascot, and by 1950, elephants were appearing Alabama., lime, silica, and the more you dedicate to the origin server divvied up cheerleaders. So what took so long for the day over to the school still refused, however to! Fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephant as an official?! That we get the fans into it featured prominently to gameday tradition new being. Thatbig Al is looking somewhere else sidelines ever since which Alabama won 70 guessing you fell in love it... Box visits 's crowd surfing up the student section like not compatible with cloudflare probably of! Her own home is unable to establish an SSL connection to the Crimson Tides elephant mascot is fitting. Those morning shows kid that 's a pretty day and it 's just not something you see very.... Basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday other minerals to fruition of Hard deposits... 'S kind of ran onto the field elephant is the costumed mascot of the elephant as! Up his $ 400 wedding appearance fee to your inbox, studying creative media and communications studies n't in! Before this point appearing at games and even marching in parades to tremble there... Favorite game or moment as Big Al is one why is alabama's mascot an elephant the elephant quickly became a band! S football mascot 1930, the elephants are very large animals that are easily visible recognizable. Orange Bowl for National title bid has been associated with strength,,! Using an elephant mascot we also have 'Elephant Stomp ' which is at Gorgas Library up! To wave during the game players he wanted to portray. `` lime, silica, and other minerals get. On the Crimson Tide & # x27 ; s elephant mascot to tremble, there always.
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why is alabama's mascot an elephant