History Of The Crimson Tide

Humble Beginnings

In 1892, the sport of football was introduced to the athletes and students of the University Of Alabama by W.G. Little of Livingston,AL. It's popularity grew rapidly and on November 11, 1892, Alabama played it's first game. The opponent was a mixture of athletes from various Birmingham high schools, and Professor Taylor's school. They proved no match for the university squad as Alabama would win 56-0. In 1896, the board of trustees forbode teams from traveling off campus. Only two games were played the next year, and football was completely abandoned the next. After many student protests for the football and travel bans to be lifted, football was again being played at the university, and continued year after year until the First World War halted play in the 1918 season.

The Nickname and the Mascot

Early football teams were simply know as the Varsity or the Crimson White after the school colors. The nickname Thin Red Line was used by sports writers until 1906. The nickname Crimson Tide was penned by Hugh Roberts, of the Birmingham Age-Herald, after the 1907 Alabama-Auburn game. In a game that was played in a sea of red mud, Alabama played heavily favored Auburn to a 6-6 tie. After the game, Roberts dubbed Alabama the Crimson Tide. Zipp Newman, of the Birmingham News, probably popularized the name more than anyone else.

In the 1930 Alabama-Ole Miss game, Coach Wallace Wade started his second string in the first quarter. They were still bigger than the Mississippi first string but Ole Miss was hanging tough. Sports writer Everett Strupper, of the Atlanta Journal, wrote "At the end of the (first) quarter, 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." Several other writers referred to the Alabama linemen Red Elephants and the name stuck. That is how Alabama came to be associated with elephants. Now, the Crimson Tide mascot is an elephant fittingly named Big Al.

 

The Tide continued their streak the following year going 10-0 and another trip to the Rose Bowl. In a game of defence, the Crimson Tide played the Stanford Cardinals to a 7-7 tie but would win the national championship yet again. After 3 years of mediocrity, the Tide would roll again in 1930. The last year for Coach Wallace Wade would gain Alabama another undefeated season and national championship. They beat Washington State in the Rose Bowl by a score of 24-0. Coach Wade would end his career at Alabama after 8 years with a record of 61-13-3 and 3 national championships.