<P> In the early 1960s, Melford Espey, Jr., then a student, was the first to wear an elephant head costume to portray the Crimson Tide's unofficial mascot . Espey later became a university administrator, and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant asked him to take responsibility when student groups asked to resurrect the costumed mascot in the late 1970s . </P> <P> The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart . He was meeting with the homecoming chairman Ann Paige in 1979 as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade . He told Ann that several schools in the Southeastern Conference had obtained mascot costumes and proposed that the University of Alabama should get one as well . After contacting the University of Kentucky and a few other schools, Walt was able to discover that their mascots were designed and constructed by the Disney company . He contacted Disney and received a price quote for the design and construction of the elephant costume . Since funding for the mascot costume would have to come from the athletic department, Walt and Ann set up a meeting with Coach Bryant, as he was not only the football coach, but also the athletic director at the University . Bryant teased them about having an elephant on the field and the mess it would make . They assured him that it was just a person in an elephant costume and not a real one, to which the Coach gave a big grin and said he knew all along . He said he thought elephants were very smart but a little slow, but overall, the meeting went very well as Coach Bryant said they could have the funds for the elephant costume . </P> <P> The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. Student Hugh Dye earned the honor to bring "Big Al" back to life in New Orleans, followed by Kent Howard and Maury Smith to kick off the inaugural 1980 season and roam the sidelines . </P> <P> Big Al celebrated his first year with Bear Bryant's 300th win against the Kentucky Wildcats and a victory against the Baylor Bears in the 1981 Cotton Bowl . Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans . As the Crimson Tide does not feature a prominent logo on their helmets or uniforms, Big Al's likeness appears on much of the merchandise . </P>

How did alabama crimson tide get its mascot