Naming a Franchise: The Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide are one of the NCAA’s most storied institutions. Their football program has experienced almost unparalleled success since Nick Saban’s return to college football in 2007. They also happen to possess one of the most unique monikers in college athletics. What the hell is a “Crimson Tide” and why is it represented by an elephant?
The University of Alabama got its nickname from the sports editor of the local Birmingham Age-Herald. The editor used the phrase “Crimson Tied” in a recap of the 1907 Iron Bowl. The Tide wore white against the Auburn Tigers and their jerseys were subsequently stained “crimson” by the red mud. Auburn was heavily favored going into the game and Alabama pulled off the 6-6 tie. This was somehow seen as some sort of miraculous victory. Not only was it inherently not a win, but one could hardly call a 6-6 final score riveting or particularly noteworthy. Times sure have changed. Super Bowl LIII ended with a final score of 13-3 and viewers were playing Hokey Pokey with their electric outlet by the middle of the third quarter. Anyway, “Crimson Tide” immediately took off with the fan base and replaced “Thin Red Line,” which honestly served as more of an anemic placeholder than a legitimate moniker.
Alabama’s elephant mascot, Big Al, has two origin stories. The first being Rosenberger’s Birmingham Trunk Company put “good luck” tags on the football team’s luggage for their trip to the 1927 Rose Bowl. The company’s mascot was a red elephant that was prominently featured on the tags. Reporters met the team at the airport and immediately associated the large players with their elephant luggage tags.
The second story dates back to a 1930 matchup against Ole Miss. Everett Strupper, the former Hall of Fame running back for Georgia Tech, covered the game. He wrote that as the stadium shook in anticipation of the Crimson Tide taking the field, a fan screamed from the stands “Hold your horses, the elephants are coming.” Sure enough, the Tide rumbled onto the field. Strupper was in awe of the size of Alabama’s players and remarked, “Men that I had seen play last year looked like they had nearly double in size.”
Throughout the 1940s, Alabama owned a live elephant named “Alamite” that was a regular presence at football games. However, the cost of keeping a live elephant proved to be too much for the university. Instead, the Crimson Tide decided to rent elephants from traveling circuses. Alabama officially phased out this practice by the end of the 1950s.
Despite the great lengths the university went to associate it’s athletics with the gentle giant, the elephant did not become the official mascot of Alabama until 1979, when the costumed rendition made his debut. The loveable elephant mascot we know today was designed by Disney and approved by head coach/athletic director, Bear Bryant.
Today, Big Al is an icon at trailer parks across the country. They say that Big Al is present wherever Pabst Blue Ribbon, camo pants, and Oakley sunglasses come together.
