The answer, according to Alabama's athletics site, dates back to a sportswriter during the 1930 season — one of the Crimson Tide's national title years — when the team was coached by Wallace Wade.

Alabama's unofficial mascot from 1930 through the 1970s was an elephant, though Big Al did not make his debut until the 1979 Sugar Bowl game vs. Penn State (a 14-7) victory by Paul "Bear" Bryant's ...