This is Big Al. He is the mascot of the week. He is also University of Alabama's official mascot. I googled up some pictures of him and drew him, using the pictures as a model. I think I will alternate element of the week and mascot of the week.
Big Al is just a goofy guy that runs around, in a costume. Some schools
(such as Colorado) keep real, live animals. Big Al has to move around in every sport just like every mascot. But unlike the players, who have to travel for one sport, he has to move around for both basketball, and football.
Alabama has an elephant, but there are two stories of how he came. Both of the stories come from the 1930 season.
One story says that the Alabama football team was borrowing some suitcases from a company. The company's logo was of an elephant standing on a red suitcase. When the team arrived in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, some people associated the elephant to their logo.
The other story was like the linemen of the Alabama football team were so big, a fan called them "the red elephants". From then on, the Alabama linemen were known as "the red elephants. Then someone wanted an elephant mascot. Whatever the story, Alabama did not accept the elephant as an official mascot until 1979. The name 'Big Al' was a student vote.
Make sure that he doesn't mess with this guy, who he hates!
Big Al is just a goofy guy that runs around, in a costume. Some schools
(such as Colorado) keep real, live animals. Big Al has to move around in every sport just like every mascot. But unlike the players, who have to travel for one sport, he has to move around for both basketball, and football.
Alabama has an elephant, but there are two stories of how he came. Both of the stories come from the 1930 season.
One story says that the Alabama football team was borrowing some suitcases from a company. The company's logo was of an elephant standing on a red suitcase. When the team arrived in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, some people associated the elephant to their logo.
The other story was like the linemen of the Alabama football team were so big, a fan called them "the red elephants". From then on, the Alabama linemen were known as "the red elephants. Then someone wanted an elephant mascot. Whatever the story, Alabama did not accept the elephant as an official mascot until 1979. The name 'Big Al' was a student vote.
Make sure that he doesn't mess with this guy, who he hates!
What do you think about mascots? Do you think they are a good idea or just a distraction. I'm glad they don't keep a real elephant because elephants are endangered.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there is only one person who wears the mascot and how do they get the job anyways?
Hi James, thanks for the great report on the U of A's big Al. Mascots are
ReplyDeletevery interesting. We wonder if you will sometime report on Bucky, Brutus, Sparty, Herky, etc.
Love, Nanny and Poppy
The funny thing about the name, "Big Al" is that is what Opa sometimes called your mom that while we were growing up. I don't think she liked it, even though she has always been a little skinny Al.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know Michigan has never had a costumed mascot on the sidelines during ball games. However, for one year they had two live Wolverines named "Biff" and "Bennie" that were on loan from the Detroit Zoo. They ended up being too vicious and were returned to the zoo.
ReplyDeleteI like this feature. There are a lot of memorable mascots in the NCAA. My favorites are the Demon Deacon, Orange, and, of course, the Stanford Tree.
But what if it was Wakeforest, Whats their Mascot ?
ReplyDelete