The Enduring Legacy of Big Al: A History of the University of Alabama Mascot
For countless students and fans, Saturdays in the fall at The University of Alabama consist of cheering on the football team and watching Big Al on the sidelines. The story of how the elephant became synonymous with Alabama Crimson Tide athletics is a fascinating journey that spans decades, marked by colorful anecdotes, dedicated individuals, and the eventual embrace of a beloved mascot.
The Genesis of an Elephant: From Anecdote to Nickname
The association of the elephant with Alabama football can be traced back to October 8, 1930. On that day, a sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, penned an article about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Strupper, known for his dramatic flair, described the Alabama team of 1930 as 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."
In a particularly memorable passage, Strupper wrote, "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow." He then declared, "Hold everything, folks, here come the elephants!" This vivid imagery, likening the Alabama team to a herd of powerful elephants, resonated with fans and the media alike.
Despite the immediate impact of the "elephants" moniker, it wasn't until nearly five decades later that the University officially recognized the animal as its mascot. However, elephants featured prominently in gameday tradition long before this point.
Alamite: The Live Elephant Era
Throughout the 1940s, the University maintained a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." This majestic creature was a regular sight on game days, famously carrying the year's Homecoming queen onto the field every year prior to kickoff at the Homecoming game. Alamite became a symbol of the University's spirit and a beloved figure among students and alumni. The elephant was named Alamite, and it was later followed by Alamite the Second. Alamite’s “job” was most important on the day Homecoming fell.
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However, by the 1950s, the University found that keeping a live elephant year-round was becoming prohibitively expensive. The era of the live elephant mascot came to an end, but the connection between Alabama and the elephant endured.
The Unofficial Years: Student Enthusiasm and Early Costumes
In the early 1960s, Melford Espey, Jr., then a student, took it upon himself to keep the elephant spirit alive. Espey was the first to wear an elephant head costume to portray the Crimson Tide's unofficial mascot. This early iteration of the elephant costume, while not officially sanctioned, demonstrated the students' continued affection for the elephant mascot.
A big year for the development of Big Al was 1959 when a campus club called “The Jasons” purchased a baby elephant “straight from the jungle,” according to a February 1959 Crimson White article.
Walt Tart and the Birth of Big Al
The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. 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. 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.
Tart took the initiative to contact the University of Kentucky and a few other schools to learn more about their mascot costumes. He discovered that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Walt Disney Company. He received a price quote from Disney for the design and construction of the elephant costume.
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Realizing that funding for the costume would have to come from the athletic department, Tart and Paige arranged a meeting with Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who was not only the football coach but also the athletic director of the University.
Bryant's Blessing and Official Recognition
Coach Bryant was initially skeptical of the idea, teasing Tart and Paige about the prospect of having a real elephant on the field and the mess it would make. However, after being assured that it was just a person in an elephant costume, Bryant grinned and admitted that he knew all along.
Bryant, known for his keen understanding of the importance of tradition and symbolism, recognized the potential of an elephant mascot to further galvanize fan support. He remarked that he thought elephants were very smart and a little slow but ultimately approved the funds for the elephant costume.
With Bryant's approval secured, the University officially recognized the elephant as its mascot in 1979. This marked a significant milestone in the evolution of Big Al, solidifying his place in the University's history and culture.
The Debut and Evolution of Big Al
The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1980. Big Al made his first official appearance at the 1980 Sugar Bowl when UA played 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. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans.
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Between the present day Big Al and the original Big Al, there have been several different suits. In the 1980’s Big Al was seen with smaller ears and they were not super floppy. The Big Al suit in 1992 featured blue eyes, eye black, and a white “A” on his jersey. Austin, a Huntsville native, was the first woman to portray Big Al, the elephant mascot for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. She portrayed Big Al from 1992-94.
Big Al Today: Tradition and Tryouts
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 day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. The second day consists of more clinic, as well as being judged on the walk and participating in a band cheer. Later that afternoon, the candidates come either prepared with a minute-and-a-half skit or they can make an impromptu one at tryouts. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. Whoever makes the final cut is invited to A-Day for the final tryout, which consists of a “field walk” before the game. This is where they are scored for going in public in a non-athletic event setting and interacting with the public. After this, they perform for 10-15 minutes each during the game, mimicking a “normal” gameday atmosphere.
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. This is due to a 2002 incident between Big Al and Seymour of Southern Miss during a game in Tuscaloosa.
“It’s fun,” Dickey said. “Crowd surfing is kind of a five minute lay-down-catch-your-breath situation. Big Al gives out high-fives to fans prior to the game against Western Kentucky.
Logos, Uniforms, and the Evolution of the Brand
The University of Alabama's visual identity has evolved over time, with various logos and uniform designs contributing to the overall brand. The script A, for instance, was copyrighted by Alabama as an alternate logo in 1962. This fact has been used to dispel the misconception that Alabama copied the Atlanta Braves' script A.
Fans often have strong opinions about uniform designs. Some prefer a purist approach, while others are open to incorporating modern elements. Ideas such as adding the Alabama A to the thigh pads or a small A on the waist or at the top of the crimson pinstripes have been suggested. The vault A logo is also a popular choice among fans.
Many appreciate the older logos and designs, such as the charging elephant featured on early/mid-60's glasses. These vintage designs evoke a sense of nostalgia and connect fans to the University's rich history. There is a growing trend of bringing back old logos on clothing, tapping into this sentiment.
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