Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. So if it's a pretty day and it's only about 70 degrees, it's probably around 100-110 degrees inside the suit. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. There are many reasons why the Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Webster: "You can. He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. 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. They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. Do you trip a lot? In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. That's really the payment. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. 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. 167.114.26.66 It takes all five of us. It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. This isn't just something that people come to the tryout to be Big Al for two days. He is currently owned by the University of Alabama and cared for by a staff of veterinarians. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. He was just thick and tall. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. Q: How does being Big Al work with multiple people? [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. 2 Alabama the national title. Webster: "It's fun. 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! "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. The 1930 team posted an overall 10-0 record. It kind of symbols a sign of 'we made it, let's finish this.' What gives? William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. 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? 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. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. Alabama's mascot is an elephant but they are called the "Crimson Tide" and the war cry is"Roll tide!". 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'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. 1 . 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. 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? The elephant has been UA's unofficial mascot since the 1930s. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". I'm here to make Big Al proud.' Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. 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. 30 Second Answer. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The more you return and the more you dedicate to the program, the more you get in scholarship money. All these things and the game was at 2:30. You can never see straight in front of you, so when we're taking pictures you always have to put the camera in that blind spot. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. Another theory is that elephants are widely considered to be lucky animals, and thus choosing one as a mascot would supposedly bring good luck to the Crimson Tide. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. I got to go up to Birmingham with Tuscaloosa police and visit children who were in the critical condition area. We have to divvy that up between us.". What gives? Q: OK, what's it like wearing that suit? As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). Cloudflare is unable to establish an SSL connection to the origin server. 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 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. That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? 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. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. 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. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. 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. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. Why Did Alabama Pick an Elephant as a Mascot Alabama, like most universities, chose an animal as their mascot to represent their school. 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. That would go to us. Compared to its more fearsome mascot counterparts around the country like LSU's live tiger, Mike, Big Al looks like a big stuffed animal. It's kind of like is a parent every gonna say someone else in his kid's class is the best kid? This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". In the early 1930s, when the University started associating an elephant with its brand, the elephant was called Alamite. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. 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. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. That's a lot of weight on your neck. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? He's cute. Although Big Al . Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. So Big Al's suit is different from a lot of other mascots. 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. I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. 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. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. So usually we have people on the team that are very athletic.. 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