If you connect the dots, you will see the elephant. If you make a connection of the elephant with me, you will understand my being drawn to elephants. The first time I saw an elephant was in a Homecoming Parade for the University of Alabama in downtown Tuscaloosa sometime in the 1950s. Can you connect the dots? Elephants have been ‘connected’ with the Alabama Crimson Tide since the 1930s and there was a time when there was a live mascot in Tuscaloosa. I’m connected with Alabama Football, riding the wave of elephant mania as much as I ride brooms.
Although the elephant did not officially become the mascot until 1979, the legend of elephants in Tuscaloosa dates back to the beginning era of Alabama football and Coach Wallace Wade in the late 20s. The earliest account involves the owner of Rosenberger’s Birmingham Trunk Company who outfitted an undefeated 1926 team with “good luck” luggage tags for the trip to the 1927 Rose Bowl. The company displayed their trademark on the tags — a red elephant standing on a trunk. Reporters at the Rose Bowl associated the team’s large size with the elephants on their luggage tags and a few dots were connected. Equally entertaining, a second story involved an account of the 1930 Alabama – Ole Miss Game in which the reporter wrote “…. the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, ‘Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,’ and out stamped this Alabama varsity.” More connecting dots… and sports writers continued to refer to the team as the Red Elephants. Even today, Big Al, the current mascot dances down the field in the pregame show to a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk, music that combines Tuscaloosa and elephants. During the game, the sound of ACDC’s Hell’s Bells along with an elephant roar, calls out to the defensive elephants, wearing war paint, to answer the opposing team’s third down attempts at Bryant Denny Stadium.
As the largest land animal in the world, elephants are also among the smartest, strongest, and most loyal of creatures. YouTube videos record their love of music, dancing, painting, rescuing their wayward baby elephants, and demonstrating brute strength and endurance. Baby elephants weigh as much as 260 pounds when born, which indicates that female elephants are probably the toughest beings on earth especially after enduring the mood swings of a 22 month pregnancy. Amen to that struggle. And they provide the Alabama Crimson Tide with the ideal mascot by being the ultimate animal in a sea of baby-like Tigers.
I collect anything elephant themed, especially red ones. Numbered in these items are artwork, original paintings, coffee mugs, glasses, pillows, figurines of all sizes, jewelry, clothing, shoes and on and on. My blood continues to flow crimson since the first time I saw that magnificent animal parading through downtown Tuscaloosa with the band playing “Yea Alabama.” All the connecting dots draw a picture of a majestic animal with a sense of humor. How can you be humble when you are as awesome as the tradition of elephants in Tuscaloosa. I believe anything unrelated to an elephant is “irrelephant.”
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