What Makes An Elephant Alabama’S Mascot?

The Alabama Crimson Tide, known as the “Red Elephants”, have been associated with the “elephant” since the 1930s. The mascot, Big Al, has been worn on the sidelines for over 30 years, and the story of how Alabama became associated with the “elephant” dates back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade assembled a great football team. The decision to adopt an elephant as the mascot was inspired by Everett Strupper’s vivid imagery.

During a game against the University of Mississippi, a fan in the stands referred to the Alabama linemen as “elephants” because they were larger than the Ole Miss players. Journalists soon began referring to them as the Red Elephants. In the early 1960s, Alabama student Melford Espey dressed up as the animal to cheer on his beloved team. The original nickname of the team is the Red Elephants, and that’s why the elephant mascot, “Big Al”, is on the sidelines of games.

The Big Al costume was first officially worn in 1980, but the elephant became UA’s unofficial mascot in the 1930s. Although elephant costumes appeared at games, the Crimson Tide linemen were referred to as “red elephants” because of their size and uniforms. As Yahoo Sports noted in 2012, elephants became a big part of game days.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are playing in their first Final Four ever in Arizona, and the team’s mascot, Big Al, symbolizes their fierce, athletic, and fast nature.