What’s the story behind Alabama choosing an elephant as its mascot, and where does the term 'Crimson Tide' originate?

Although elephants are not native to North America, let alone the Tuscaloosa region, it may seem curious that an elephant represents the University of Alabama’s football team. Yet, every home game features a student donning a doe-eyed elephant costume, now an iconic presence at one of the state’s most prestigious institutions. Why is that?

The connection between elephants and the University of Alabama football team dates back to 1930, according to the school. That year, Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper shared a memorable moment from an Alabama-Ole Miss game. He wrote, "At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, a distant rumble grew louder. An excited fan in the stands shouted, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out marched this Alabama varsity team.” Strupper was so impressed by their size that he described them as ‘knocking me [out] cold, men I had seen play last year now looking like they had nearly doubled in size.’ From then on, Strupper began calling them the 'Red Elephants,' and the name stuck.

Although the elephant had become a symbol for the team, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the Big Al mascot truly took shape. Student Melford Espey was the first to wear an elephant costume at games, much to the approval of the iconic coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Thanks to Bryant’s encouragement, the university officially adopted the elephant as the team’s mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. (By this time, Espey had already graduated, so a new student took over the role.)

Today, Big Al appears at all kinds of University of Alabama sports events, far beyond just football games. If you're willing to pay his $400 appearance fee, Big Al might even show up at your wedding. The catch? He’ll only stick around for up to one hour. Roll Tide!

What does the term 'Crimson Tide' actually mean?

Hugh Roberts, the sports editor for the Birmingham Age-Herald, is often credited with being the first to refer to Alabama’s football team as the 'Crimson Tide.'

Roberts coined the term to capture Alabama's impressive performance in their rain-soaked 6-6 tie against the heavily favored Auburn in 1907, with the team sporting crimson-and-white uniforms. Henry 'Zipp' Newman, who became the sports editor of the Birmingham News at just 25 years old, played a key role in popularizing the nickname.