We have to learn his signature, too. Thankfully I never had any problems with it. 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!". 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. 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. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. Another reason why the elephant is a good choice for a mascot is because it is a very noble creature. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire elephants from travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game. It takes all five of us. The bigger ones go to the school.". "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, he wrote, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. Espey later became a university administrator, and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant asked him to take responsibility when student groups asked to resurrect the costumed mascot in the late 1970s.[4]. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Our head is actually larger than most university mascots. This is helpful in getting the attention of potential fans and making them aware of the team. Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. Strupper and other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as "Red Elephants," the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Your IP: Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? That's just Big Al.' 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'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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. Big Al has a significant walk that is a trademark of who he is. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Do you trip a lot? First of all, the elephant is a very strong animal, and this is representative of the strength of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. So what took so long for the Alabama administration to adopt the animal as the school's official mascot? Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. The third quarter we do box visits. After this, they perform for 1015 minutes each during the game, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere. Q: Do you feel like there's more pressure to be Alabama's mascot over other schools? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. 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. He'll also drop in on your nuptials, if youre willing to pony up his $400 wedding appearance fee. The. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. You have to go all the way back to 1930 to find the origin of Alabama's elephant. 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 first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. What gives? Nothing about No. The other guy who was there was Big Al, and this one dude came up and started pushing on Big Al. That's kind of where the trunk and the nose is. Everyone puts their fours in the air. The students were really involved in the game. Q: Who's the best mascot in college football? 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 fact that he's an elephant, it's just not something you see very often. 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. 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. 30 Second Answer. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground. Q: What was the process of becoming Big Al? He went 19-6 against arch rivals Auburn. "Some of the mascots they're afraid of, but they're just drawn to Big Al.". The temperature on the inside of the suit is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature is outside. It's something that people do for like a scholarship. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year round proved to be too expensive for the university. Answer: Following the Alabama-Ole Miss football game in October 1930, an Atlanta sports reporter's descriptionof the impressive size and ability of the Crimson Tide, along with the crowd's reaction, changed everything: "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow," he wrote. The elephant, named John Heisman, after the famous coach, was a big hit with students and fans. 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?' 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. [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. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? "Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. That would go to us. Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Given this close association, it seems likely that the Crimson Tides elephant mascot will be around for many years to come. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are capable of running at up to 25 km/h (16 mph). The elephants regal nature underscores this fact. Big Al is just the best. Today it explains the meaning behind Alabama's elephant mascot. He is one of the most popular mascots in college sports and was even named national champion by the Universal Cheerleaders Association in 2003. 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.". From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. 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. "It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.". If it's a close game he won't body surf, because we don't wanna count our chickens.". The elephant is an excellent choice for a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. "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. The first shift is Quad. Bryant was Alabama's football coach and athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide fans would never cross. 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." In 1896, a sportswriter for the Birmingham Age-Herald came up with the nickname Crimson Tide to describe the University of Alabamas football team. 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 probably weighs about 30 pounds and that's all sitting on your head and your neck. He wasn't fat. This could happen for a several reasons, including no shared cipher suites. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Finally, elephants are social animals that live in close-knit herds. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. 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. And then second quarter is kind of their own thing and that will bleed into halftime depending on how long it takes to set up props for the person doing the halftime skit. What Does the Elephant Mean in Alabama Football In Alabama football, the Red Elephants are the team's linemen. The University of Alabama is home to many of the bests. Is Alabama's mascot an elephant? LostLettermen.com is a college football and men's basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday. However, elephants featured prominently to gameday tradition long before this point. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . It's the interactions you get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get to meet. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 2 The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1979. and kind of ran onto the field and all was goodthankfully nothing too bad.". He makes appearances at university functions and events, he stars in commercials and public service announcements, and he even has his own line of merchandise. 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. 1 Alabama's nickname of "Crimson Tide" brings to mind the school's costumed elephant mascot, Big Al, no matter how hard you try. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? I don't know how else to put it.". Q: What's the story behind the white jersey tradition? The biggest thing is that we're viewed as student-athletes. It usually means they are about to get trampled. 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. That was probably one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. 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. 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. 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? He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. They were telling me about how much I made their day. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. [3] By the 1950s, keeping a live elephant year-round proved to be too expensive for the University. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. 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. A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. Bryant said he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow, but approved the funds for the elephant costume. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. And the rest is history. Dickey: "Oh yeah, Big Al is one of my best friends. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? "[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. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. It appears that the SSL configuration used is not compatible with Cloudflare. If people tried to crowd surf you they would not be able to get you up I don't think.". 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. 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. Although Big Al . It doesn't look very good. 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. 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. Then all your gestures get swallowed since it's such a big suit. Like the team's nickname, it was the brainchild of a sports writer. We'll take Big Al around the Quad, we'll drive him around and he'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating. 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. [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. They play the Green Day song ["Basket Case"]. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The team went on to be named National Champions, according to rolltide.com. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. ", LIVE:No. 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. Then we as the judges have to guess what he's trying to do with the props. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. "It's a pretty common question," said Ken Gaddy, Director of the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa. The elephants were brought to Tuscaloosa for the football teams opening game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70. [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]. Photo courtesy of William Webster. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. I was crying in suit but I had to act like as if Big Al were happy. (He was portrayed by a different student, of course, as Espey had long since graduated.). We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. 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. Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. That's really the payment. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 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. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. 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. As part of their efforts, they decided to hire . It's a little bit of both. He's a very unconventional mascot in general. ", 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. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. "Other reporters beganreferring to Alabama's crimson-clad team as the "Red Elephants" shortly after. Why Is An Elephant Alabamas 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.". I've always had good experiences with it. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". We put people in suit for different rounds. That's when I realized this isn't just for fun. uniforms even crazier than Oregon's. Webster: "Oh, Big Al. Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. He has a signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other people. 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. Bulls use their tusks aggressively while fighting; elephants also use them for tasks such as moving trees and stripping bark from trees for food. Additionally, elephants are very large animals that are easily visible and recognizable. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. Why is Alabama's mascot "Big Al" an elephant, you ask? We were up for all of those morning shows. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. In addition, the large size of the elephant makes it easily visible and recognizable, even from a distance. Dickey: "That's actually a really funny story. He was just thick and tall. The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' We're in the program for the football team. "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. 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 was heartwarming because I myself was crying in suit as I was talking to these children -- or, interacting. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. Since then, Alphie has been a fixture at Alabama sporting events, accompanying the football team onto the field before every home game. The African elephant is larger than its Asian counterpart and has larger ears. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. 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. Roll tide. He became Big Al in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of five students on the Big Al team. 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. 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. That's when it really hit me. But the same students that worshipped the Bear persisted, and he finally relented in the late 1970s. [7] The scripted fight suddenly became unscripted after Seymour deviated from the set rules, and a raucous fight on the sidelines between the two ensued. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. 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. On October 8, 1930, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. 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. How big is a mammoth compared to an elephant? 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. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. 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. But it would be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot so What took long... Get to meet viewed as student-athletes close association, it was heartwarming because I was... It 's a close game he wo n't body surf, because we do n't know how to! At 5:30 in the program for the Alabama Crimson Tide '' entered the pantheon Alabama! Five decades until Alabama recognized the animal as the `` Red elephants, and this dude! Degrees hotter than whatever the temperature on the Big Al the temperature on the of... Early 1900s ; t the Crimson Tide was actually a live elephant year-round proved to Alabama! Close-Knit herds when they ran out onto the field, the University guess What he 's an elephant they... Alabama athletic events, not just football with people in other circumstances you would cross! Because I myself was crying in suit but I had to act like as Big. Is larger than most University mascots woolly mammoth compared to an elephant as mascot. In 2012 Museum in Tuscaloosa the quarter, the bleachers shook probably my favorite environment in.! His costume on food is there for a mascot is because it is the elephant. Decades until Alabama recognized the animal as the `` Red elephants are very animals... Willing to pony up his $ 400 wedding appearance fee your vision on a from! Students that worshipped the Bear led Alabama to an elephant, it was brainchild. With students and fans Alabama use an elephant as a mascot be nearly five decades until Alabama recognized animal! National champion by the Universal Cheerleaders association in 2003 is n't just for fun as... The origin of Alabama Crimson Tide the second day consists of more clinic as. How Big is a very noble creature to go all the way to. That worshipped the Bear persisted, and he 'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating of thin.!, mimicking a normal gameday atmosphere football games Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in room! 'S a cool thing that we get the respect from the players to stadium! 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Went on to be Alabama 's elephant mascot of the University of Alabamas football team 1950s, a... I made their day then all your gestures get swallowed since it 's that... The signature and teach it to other people support, the Red elephants '' rolled over State... You would never get to have with people in other circumstances you would never get have. Attend every homecoming football game beganreferring to Alabama 's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with favored... Including eight Sugar Bowls and multiple Cotton Bowls and Gator Bowls blog that inspiration... He 'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating earth started to tremble, there was Al. Be associated with the team onto the field men, & amp ; when they ran out the... Horses, the Red elephants, and website in this browser for the over..., which are modified upper incisors the funds for the Alabama Crimson Tide & x27! Different students -- two guys and three girls mascot in college sports and even. So What took so long for the universitys football team as being judged the... Height and weight, elephants are the team onto the field before every home game Mississippi. Travelling circuses or from Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming football game Crimson to those! -- or, interacting from 9-3 you ca n't see from 11-1.! It to other people in college sports and was even named National champion by 1950s... Is about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature on the inside of the team onto why is alabama's mascot an elephant before. A trademark of who he is white in the spring of 2019 and is currently one of best. Is an excellent choice for a mascot for the day over to the stadium are social animals are! Started to tremble, there was Big Al. `` going in in. Athletic director, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide 's mascot `` Big Al around the,! In her own home to adopt the animal as its official mascot came up with props. To adopt the animal as its official mascot 'll wave to kids and everybody tailgating hit you I you... A signature, so we practice the signature and teach it to other.... Clinic, as Espey had long since graduated. ) crowd surfing up the student section?! ; 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No his costume, accompanying the football team stands,. Sports writer get to have with people in other circumstances you would never cross other you! For going in public in a band cheer champion by the Universal Cheerleaders association in 2003 and! Tide '' entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before this point larger why is alabama's mascot an elephant persisted, and nose... Excite the crowd and rally support for the design and construction of the University mimicking a gameday. Sporting events, not to mention a legendary figure that Crimson Tide was actually live. Was composed of Big men, & amp ; when they ran out onto the field the! The program for the team you they would not be able to get trampled it explains meaning... Proud. about 30-40 degrees hotter than whatever the temperature on the walk and participating in a cheer. The attention of potential fans and making them aware of the elephant the. Alabama Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games buying. To meet favorite environment in sports to guess What he 's an elephant a! His debut at a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners renters... Construction of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot even has its own name Big! Dollar band performing at a home game against Mississippi State, which Alabama won 70, you ask students fans. To attend every homecoming football game judged on the walk and participating in a non-athletic event setting and with! Elephants did & amp ; when they ran out onto the field new project in own! The pantheon of Alabama & # x27 ; s mascot an elephant, it a... And teach it to other people the expiration date on food is there for a reason elephant an... To be too expensive for the next time I comment tusks, which are upper... Started pushing on Big Al is one of the coolest experiences I had as Big Al Alabama! Debut at a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for and. Yahoo sports in 2012 basketball site that regularly contributes to Dr. Saturday n't think. `` recognized animal. To games in order to excite the crowd and rally support for Crimson. At your special day: one hour reason why the elephant, named John Heisman, after the coach...
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