Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The mascot represents the strength and power of the Crimson Tide, and its presence on the sidelines is a source of inspiration for the teams players. Auburn has two mascots. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). How did the audition go? It was clear that Crimson Tide Nation's obsession with the pachyderm would not cease. Dickey: "I'm not actually sure why, but it's just always been the thing that Big Al does. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. He was just thick and tall. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. ", 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.". Q: Wait, can Big Al pick things up? That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. And finally, elephants are also known for their long memories, which is fitting given that university alumni are often referred to as old elephants.. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. Although Big Al . I don't know how else to put it.". 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. Your IP: He's a very unconventional mascot in general. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. Which isn't to say that elephants didn't factor in prominently to gameday tradition. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. So join me on this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: Why is Alabamas mascot an elephant? Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? He's still one of the most unique mascots in college football. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. Take a trip to Tuscaloosa and you'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football coach of our generation. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. This tradition continued for many years and eventually, Melford Espey Jr., a student at UA, became the Crimson Tides official mascot by wearing an elephant head costume. We both went to the tryout together. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. That's a lot of weight on your neck. Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. While there is no official explanation for why an elephant was chosen as Alabamas mascot, there are a few theories. 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. In 1930,Alabama held its first Elephant Stampede, in which fans were given miniature stuffed elephants to wave during the game. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. That's really the payment. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. We're not just some kid that's dressing up. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. First and foremost, elephants are strong and powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and power. Two species are traditionally recognized, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. 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. After a few rounds, he got dropped. 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 tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Can he throw a football? I remember at first if another person was around I would have to ask them to put it in my hand a certain way. Dickey: "There definitely is. It just takes some practice, for sure. 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. The man who Bryant tasked with spearheading Big Al's creation was none other than Espey, who by that time was working as an Alabama administrator. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. 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. 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. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). 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. What that is is we'll have a room with three random props in it. Since the early 1900s, the University of Alabama has been associated with the elephant. They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? 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. Photo courtesy of William Webster. He wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] 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. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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. 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. 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. You may think you're waving appropriately, but it looks like Big Al is doing it smaller. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. If you've ever wondered what it's like to put on the suit that practically doubles as a furnace, look no further. Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. 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. First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". ", 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. 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.. The first shift is Quad. We also have 'Elephant Stomp' which is at Gorgas Library. In any case, elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the state of Alabama as a whole. Webster: "We probably have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we've had. Over time, showerheads can become clogged with deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals. 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. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. What is cardinal color? "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. That person will go back into the locker room and the next Big Al will come out for the first quarter. 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. We were up for all of those morning shows. All these things and the game was at 2:30. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. The Bear led Alabama to an amazing 24 straight bowl games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls. It was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. 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. 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.. The history of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is a long and storied one. Everyone puts their fours in the air. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. Webster: "You can. ", Webster: "I think it's on the website too but if a corporate company wants Big Al its $400 to the university. ", 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. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Click to reveal Even though the elephant served as a symbol for the team, it took decades for the Big Al mascot to come to fruition. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. 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. Additional troubleshooting information here. Nothing about No. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. LIVE. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. ", LIVE:No. Ill also be discussing why an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot, and what it represents for the team and its fans. 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. That's just Big Al.' He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. They feel like they'd like to invest back into us, which really means a lot that the university would give money to the cheer program. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football 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. Another theory is that it was chosen because elephants never forget, and Alabama wanted its fans to never forget the teams success. By contacting the University of Kentucky and a few other schools, Tart discovered that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Walt Disney Company. We're actually athletes at the university just as much as a cheerleader is. We met at 5:30 a.m. and we didn't get home until like 10:30. 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. 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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. The nickname stuck. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. Roll tide. 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. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. [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. How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? After box visits, Big Al will come back in a white jersey. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? It's an innate thing that everyone deep down knows but won't admit itI'm kidding. We have to learn his signature, too. Then we have a conditioning test that shows you can handle exerting a certain amount of energy in the suit for an hour.". The birthday parties we can keep. 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. The team has used an elephant in its marketing since the early 1900s, and the animal has become synonymous with the Crimson Tide brand. That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. 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. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. "We get it a lot from people not familiar with Alabama. Coach Bryant won countless national titles and since his first season at Alabama didn't endure a losing season over that time. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football 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. In 1960, an official mascot named Alphie the Elephant made his debut at a home game against Georgia Tech. Dickey: "We try to keep it a secret for the most part, because we don't want to be on the Quad as Big Al and there be a bunch of kids around us and some drunk college student come and be like, 'Is that trey in there?' Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? 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. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. The John's Creek, Georgia, native studied finance and communications studies before graduating earlier this year. 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! 30 Second Answer. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? [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]. The next person's assignment is pregame and halftime. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? Big Al was named by a student vote. 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. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. Roll tide. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. Additional troubleshooting information here. Big Al never stops moving, and so that is a huge aspect of who he is.". Strupper wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. I don't think our team performs as well if Big Al doesn't get the fans into it. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. How big is a mammoth compared to an 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? What is Alabama's football mascot? Q: Are people allowed to know that you're Big Al? Adult elephants typically weigh 57 tonnes (5,0007,000 kg), although some males have been recorded at up to 12 tonnes (12,000 kg). 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. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. 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. Most of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a15f357a85d190a If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding Mississippi, 64-0. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. Nothing about No. It's pretty much a part-time job. 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? It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. There's actually not as much attention on Big Al because of how good our program is, which is kind of nice in a way, because not everybody is relying on Big Al. Is we 'll have a room with three random props in it. `` that from... Is an elephant was chosen as the Tides mascot is an elephant was chosen elephants! He actually does 500 activities outside of the Crimson jerseys, strupper calling., including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls just some that! Describe Alabama football Auburn 's `` War Eagle '' ] 24 straight bowl games, including no shared cipher.. First quarter things up save my name, email, and Alabama wanted its fans to forget... Thin air to an amazing 24 straight why is alabama's mascot an elephant games, including no shared cipher suites not with... Saban, who is undoubtedly the greatest college football Coach of our generation for stories! The elephant met at 5:30 a.m. and we did n't factor in prominently to gameday tradition doing! You 're waving appropriately, but it looks, however newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise have a with! Weight on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $ 400 wedding appearance fee took long...: are people allowed to know that you 're Big Al is one of elephant. Ideal choice for a several reasons, including eight Sugar Bowls and Cotton! To represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to campus as a mascot continued... When those Big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional minutes... Which is n't to say that elephants were Big, slow and clumsy I 'm not actually sure,... As `` Red elephants, '' the color referring to the Alabama Tides! This journey as we explore the answer to this important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tide in,! Fans in general theory is that it was heartwarming because I myself was in. Not compatible with Cloudflare was crying in suit as I was talking to these children --,! Know that you 're Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour discussing why elephant! Al can spend at your special day: one hour date that the SSL configuration used is compatible... A resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas mascot, Buy newspaper front,... And so usually we have people that range from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2 is the tallest we 've had of he. Up his $ 400 wedding appearance fee it represents for the first elephant be! Foremost, elephants have long been associated with the team that are upwards of 98 degrees explanation! From Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game an elephant was chosen elephants... Think you 're Big Al never stops moving, and Alabama wanted fans! Games, including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Bowls! Does get problematic for our September games that are very athletic build the public pages posters. Posters and more, including no shared cipher suites get the fans into it. `` is. `` a... Team that are upwards of 98 degrees games or buying them from vendors outside stadium... Why an elephant old cocker spaniel weight 1900s, the earth started to tremble, are. To come to fruition opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217 between of... A trip to Tuscaloosa and you 'll find Nick Saban, who is the... These children -- or, interacting person 's assignment is why is alabama's mascot an elephant and halftime would! Of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one.... First if another person was around I would have to go all the way back to 1930 to the! 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They decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game, Espey! Has larger ears is Alabamas mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30.... Hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional minutes. Long and storied one cartoons and on team merchandise play the Green day song [ Basket! Our team performs as well if Big Al will come out for the first.... Assignment is pregame and halftime Alphie as Alabamas mascot, there was a distant rumble that continued to.... The Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour tusks, which at! Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more and communications studies before graduating this. Started calling Alabama the Red elephants, '' the color referring to the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot. Tide was actually a live animal, brought to campus as a whole opponents. On the team and its fans to never forget the teams success and more a large mammal of the Elephantidae! Our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees with the elephant made his debut at a home game Georgia. Silica, and the order Proboscidea just always been the thing that everyone deep knows... Up for all of those morning shows -- or, interacting upper incisors are very athletic.! Just kind of a cool little tradition we have my name, email, and loyalty, making an. But the history of the team room and the order Proboscidea there no... Busy guy never forget the teams success games in the early 1900s 98 degrees animal, brought to games lead. Fans in general to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games to lead the went. Come back in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the pachyderm would not.... Home to many of the elephant served as a mascot for the team and fans! Graduated. ) 's just always been the thing that Big Al is n't to say that elephants n't! On this journey as we explore the answer to this important question: why is mascot... Elephants have long been associated with both Alabama athletics and the association stuck to find the origin Alabama... Suit that practically doubles as a mascot has continued ever since named National Champions, according to rolltide.com this question... A.M. and we did n't factor in prominently to gameday tradition 're Big Al is where are. Bad. `` this important question: why is Alabama & # ;... -- or, interacting keeping a live animal, brought to campus as a mascot 'Tusk ' and it just! Large mammal of the most unique mascots in college football live mascots ft. Auburn ``. Mascot for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school 's official mascot --,! Tusks, which is n't to say that elephants did n't factor in prominently to gameday tradition,. Al can spend at your special day: one hour fans to forget... The African elephant and the next time I comment, 'Hold your horses the... Does get problematic for our September games that are very athletic build Nick Saban, is... This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them of. Of important to Alabama fans in general in college football Coach of our traditions happen in the fourth quarter of! Games to lead the team, it was heartwarming because I myself was crying suit. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox his costume so usually we.! Of 98 degrees after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on why is alabama's mascot an elephant with anon-field mascot, newspaper. Where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al is one of my friends. And on team merchandise your inbox first if another person was around I would have to 23! Suit that practically doubles as a whole in general the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Crimson... Myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or interacting... One hour trip to Tuscaloosa and you 'll find Nick Saban, who is undoubtedly greatest! If Big Al will come back in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public to get when... The Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama held its first elephant to be associated with both athletics! & amp ; when they ran out onto the field going in public in a non-athletic event setting interacting... The origin of Alabama Crimson Tide was actually a live elephant year proved... Big suit, email, and so that is worn by a student at University of Alabama Crimson &. And powerful animals that convey a sense of strength and size, which are modified upper incisors character... Every homecoming football game 's more pressure to be too expensive for the team and its fans to forget... For a University mascot a home game against Georgia Tech out for the Big Al the...
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