The Elephant in the Trunk by Kayla Montgomery
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| FEATURE | The Elephant in the Trunk by Kayla Montgomery AS HE WAS MAKING HIS WAY home to Dothan, Alabama, Hugh Dye had a few things on his mind. He had just finished his finals for the fall 1979 semester and was daydreaming of sleep, first and foremost, and reuniting with his hometown friends after the finals fog had faded. As he zipped along U.S. Highway 231 in his Mercury Bob- cat—with its large glass hatch on the back—he began noticing the stares and inquisitive eyes of passing drivers on the four- lane road that weaves its way south from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico. He didn’t think much about it until he stopped at a gas sta- tion. “I stopped to get a Coke and walked around my car to get in the front, and that face was right in the center of the glass,” Dye laughed. “I thought, well, no wonder people are staring.’” Those curious Alabama drivers had just become the first to get a glimpse of The University of Alabama’s official new mascot, Big Al, with his large elephant head staring at them through the back of the Bobcat. For a mascot that now has his slightly influenced by the fact that own introductory song played by Auburn University had created its the Million Dollar Band to wel- own official mascot a few months come him into stadiums, Big Al prior. had a rather unceremonious wel- Students had been wanting a come to the state of Alabama. In mascot for quite a while, said Kath- the summer of 1979, several groups leen Cramer, then-cheerleading at the University came together coordinator who retired as senior and decided that it was time to give associate vice president of student the school its own official mascot, affairs from the University in 2012. which may or may not have been Cramer was one of the contingent 30 | ALABAMA ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017 | 31 working on the elephant’s creation. hey say an elephant never “Coach Bryant objected because he forgets, but since Big Al is found elephants slow and clumsy, forbidden to speak, no one so the students passed a resolution Twill ever know if he remembers his saying they wanted a mascot,” Cra- ride in the back of Dye’s Bobcat. mer said. But if he does, he certainly doesn’t Student leaders and an alumni carry a chip on his shoulder. Big affairs representative went to meet Al is a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving with Bryant on the issue, Cramer mascot, said Jennifer Thrasher, explained. “He predictably said, two-time Alabama graduate and ‘Thanks so much for your enthu- former cheerleader who is now siasm, but The University of Ala- the coordinator of spirit groups. bama doesn’t have a mascot and Today’s Big Al operation consists that’s the way I plan on keeping it.’ of five students, each with their A student leader said, ‘Coach, if own suit to accommodate the more that’s true, then why do you have than 400 appearances Big Al makes an elephant lamp on your desk and each year. why are there elephants on the ath- To land a spot as Alabama’s letic tickets?” that. My GBA 490 professor was beloved Big Al, students interview Bryant ultimately agreed to the on the panel, too, so I knew I was with Thrasher before they even idea, Cramer said. Various incanta- in trouble.” demonstrate their in-suit skills. “I tions of an elephant had been worn Dye was the sole student want to make sure this is someone to represent the University before, selected to wear the suit, which who will be a good ambassador for but this new ver- was slated to arrive by homecom- the University—a positive repre- sion, created by ing, but instead arrived at the Bir- sentative,” she said. “When they Disney in New mingham Airport at the end of the go to an appearance, they’re by York, became fall semester just in time to debut the first official at the 1979 Sugar Bowl. It was When Huge Dye arrived at home, he Big Al. decided Dye would pick up the donned the suit to show his family. Although he suit on his way home to Dothan was hesitant to following finals. He didn’t think try out for the twice about fitting an elephant into role originally, his car until he arrived. “I get to the Dye relented to airport thinking I’ll be able to pick the urging of friends and decided up this package and be able put it to compete for the gig. What in my car,” Dye said. “It’s actually in he didn’t know at the time was this crate that is at least 8 or 9 feet that tryouts would be a panto- tall.” mime performance in front of a Dye and airport employees panel and a crowd of students, as cracked the crate open and there, the pachyderm suit had not yet on the sidewalk of the Birmingham arrived. “I was petrified—I’d never Airport, Big Al made his Alabama done anything like that before,” debut before being stripped from Dye said. “I’d played sports in front the mannequin and stuffed in the of crowds before, but nothing like trunk. 32 | ALABAMA ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017 | 33 34 | ALABAMA ALUMNI MAGAZINE variety of events as Big Al: appeart- ing at multiple national champion- ships, performing a coordinated dance at a wedding, traveling to New York City to participate in ESPN productions and performing in the Country Music Awards and in a music video for a Brad Pais- ley song “Country Nation.” But, his favorite memory is starkly dif- ferent. A family friend requested that Big Al surprise a child who was losing his sight. “His parents wanted him to see Big Al before he lost his vision,” Sullivan said. “I knocked on the door, and he themselves. The first impression calmer, like the visits with children. answered. The appearance was not people get is not who Big Al is, but “We had a little girl last summer jumping around—the little boy just who that student is.” who has since passed away, and all sat in my lap for an hour. His While 85 of those 400 appear- she wanted to do was rub the fur,” parents cried, and I had croco- ances are required athletic Thrasher said. “So Big Al sat there dile tears in my eyes in the suit.” events—all football games, men’s and let her do that as long as she and women’s basketball home and wanted to do it.” fter a pit stop in Dothan postseason games, and gymnas- Justin Sullivan, who spent five for the holidays, Dye tics and volleyball home games, years with the organization between packed up the pachyderm Aonce again to head to New Orleans the remaining 300-plus run the his undergraduate and graduate gamut from countless other Ala- careers, said that these calmer, quiet where Big Al would make his offi- bama athletic events to weddings, moments are the loudest memories. cial debut—this time in front of birthdays and visits with children. He participated in a wide a stadium full of eager Alabama “They have the ability to reach out and make the day of so many young kids—so many sick kids,” Thrasher said. “We’ve had so many sick kids whose wish is to see Big Al. There’s been experiences where (the students) told me they were in tears and glad nobody could see through the suit.” While some events, like foot- ball games, require constant move- ment from the mascot and extreme coordination between all five team members to ensure that no one is in the suit for more than an hour, others are much quieter and much SUMMER 2017 | 35 fans ready to cheer the Tide on to a While the exterior of Big Al may livan, Big Al’s legacy changes with national championship at the 1979 have changed in the four decades each and every fan, supporter and Sugar Bowl. since Dye originally wore the suit— alumnus. The debut didn’t come with- the wool sweater he originally wore “When people think of the Uni- out a few snags, though, as Dye’s was not conducive to avoiding a versity, they think of the ‘A’, they roommate had to engineer a coat heat stroke—and the Big Al con- think of football and they think of hanger contraption to secure the tingent has now multiplied by five, Big Al,” Sullivan said. “To a kid, it’s head in place and Dye had to learn the spirit of the mascot is still the a friend; it’s where my mom and to not only to maneuver in the suit, same. “This is not about yourself; dad went to school; it’s kindness. but maneuver inside a refrigerator it’s about the University,” Dye said. To an adult, it’s my alma mater; box—the method used to smuggle “I was hoping and praying that it’s, ‘I’m proud of that.’ It’s athlet- Big Al onto the field for his presen- there was a legacy there for Big Al, ics, it’s football and it’s academics. tation. When the box came off in and that it would become part of the Whenever you see him, every single the center of the field, a semester’s institution.” memory and dream you had at the worth of anticipation came to a Over the years Big Al has become University comes to you in a heart- head.