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Earlier origin of Alabama elephant mascot
Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:47 pm
Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:47 pm
There are two stories, perhaps both true, about how Alabama's football squad became associated with the elephant, both dating to the coaching tenure of Wallace Wade (1923–1930).
The earliest account attributes the Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk Company for the elephant association. Owner J. D. Rosenberger, whose son was a student at the University, outfitted the undefeated 1926 team with "good luck" luggage tags for the trip to the 1927 Rose Bowl. The company's trademark, displayed on the tags, was a red elephant standing on a trunk. When the football team arrived in Pasadena, the reporters greeting them, including syndicated columnist Grantland Rice, associated their large size with the elephants on their luggage. When the 1930 team returned to the Rose Bowl, the company furnished leather suitcases, paid for by the Alumni Association, to each team member.
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The earliest account attributes the Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk Company for the elephant association. Owner J. D. Rosenberger, whose son was a student at the University, outfitted the undefeated 1926 team with "good luck" luggage tags for the trip to the 1927 Rose Bowl. The company's trademark, displayed on the tags, was a red elephant standing on a trunk. When the football team arrived in Pasadena, the reporters greeting them, including syndicated columnist Grantland Rice, associated their large size with the elephants on their luggage. When the 1930 team returned to the Rose Bowl, the company furnished leather suitcases, paid for by the Alumni Association, to each team member.
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Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:49 pm to BamaGradinTn
thank u i was wondering
Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:50 pm to BamaGradinTn
This is way cooler. Thanks for digging it up
Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:50 pm to BamaGradinTn
What about the other one?
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quote:
The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. On October 8, a sportswriter wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game. The writer, using the flair for the dramatic common in sportswriting at the time, wrote that an anonymous fan yelled out "Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!" upon hearing the rumble of the first team coming on the field. The name stuck throughout what became a national championship season and beyond.
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This post was edited on 1/16/15 at 2:51 pm
Posted on 1/16/15 at 2:52 pm to BamaGradinTn
I had actually never heard that. Awesome!
Posted on 1/16/15 at 3:03 pm to BamaGradinTn
Early Volunteers preparing for the big game:
Posted on 1/16/15 at 3:18 pm to BamaGradinTn
Nice! Always neat to learn little things like that.
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