Crimson Tide Rolling Through the Years [INFOGRAPHIC]
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Timeline: Shining Moments
1892 - The University of Alabama established its first official team consisting of 19 players. The team was named "Thin Red Line." In comparison to its size in 1892, the 2014 team consists of 116 players. This is roughly six times as many players over the span of 122 years.1907 - The Evolution of The Crimson Tide & Roll Tide
After the Auburn-Alabama game played in Birmingham, the Alabama white jerseys stained by the red mud, coined the color term "crimson." When Alabama varsity ran the field, it looked like a tide was rolling through, gaining the team chant "Roll Tide."
1922 - Million Dollar Band
This title stemmed from a loss during an Alabama-Georgia Tech game. When an Atlanta sports writer asked W.C. "Champ" Pickens, an Alabama alumnus, "You don't have much of a team; what do you have?" He responded, "A Million Dollar Band."
1929 - Denny Chimes
President George Denny was honored for bringing the University of Alabama to national prominence with this structure built of limestone and Virginia Bricks, honoring his native state. The structure has bricks that recognize past UA football captains dating back to the 1940s. After captains are picked at the end of the season, captains are recognized through the Alabama football captain's Walk of Fame. Each platform has the captain's hand and footprint.
1930 - 1979 - A Stampede of Elephants
This terminology gained prominence when Everett Strupper, sports writer of the Atlanta Journal, observed and wrote about the Alabama and Ole Miss game. He said, "At the end of the 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. It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size."
At the time, the team was commonly known as The Crimson Tide and the elephant wasn't adopted as the school's official mascot until 1979. Despite not being the official mascot, the elephant became part of the school's traditions by the 1940s. It was in the 1940s that a live elephant mascot named "Alamite" made regular appearances in Tuscaloosa. This tradition slowly formed the commonly known Big Al mascot, as we know him today, debuting at the 1979 Sugar Bowl. It was officially part of the tradition when the Crimson Tide beat Penn State in the national championship.
Rivalries
Iron Bowl
The first game was played on February 22, 1893. This game is played each year by two of the largest public universities in Alabama, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn University Tigers. The first game had 5,000 attendees. Now, millions watch the game live each year and tickets are almost instantly sold out.
The University of Alabama's rivalries with the Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers also draw record levels of attendance.
The first game was played on February 22, 1893. This game is played each year by two of the largest public universities in Alabama, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn University Tigers. The first game had 5,000 attendees. Now, millions watch the game live each year and tickets are almost instantly sold out.
The University of Alabama's rivalries with the Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers also draw record levels of attendance.
Ongoing Traditions
Walk of Champions
Two hours before every home football game day, the football team walks to the front of the stadium and fans can line up to cheer and wish them good luck as they walk to the stadium.
A-day
Every spring, there is an internal scrimmage between the new recruits (the white team) and the Crimson team. This makes it an Alabama v. Alabama game. Fans come to cheer on the Crimson tide with the entire campus, "101,000 friends."
Fight Song
The Million Dollar Band plays "Yea Alabama!" after every touchdown and at other sporting events. The lyrics are:
Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you;
Hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For 'Bama's pluck and grit
Have writ her name in crimson flame!
Fight on, fight on, fight on, men!
Remember the Rose Bowl we'll win then!
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!
Two hours before every home football game day, the football team walks to the front of the stadium and fans can line up to cheer and wish them good luck as they walk to the stadium.
A-day
Every spring, there is an internal scrimmage between the new recruits (the white team) and the Crimson team. This makes it an Alabama v. Alabama game. Fans come to cheer on the Crimson tide with the entire campus, "101,000 friends."
Fight Song
The Million Dollar Band plays "Yea Alabama!" after every touchdown and at other sporting events. The lyrics are:
Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you;
Hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For 'Bama's pluck and grit
Have writ her name in crimson flame!
Fight on, fight on, fight on, men!
Remember the Rose Bowl we'll win then!
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!
University of Alabama's Football Team Stats
U. of A. has won 28 conference championship victories and 850 official victories. They have had 15 national championship seasons. They have also appeared in 62 postseason bowls, an NCAA-record, and obtained 34 bowl victories. They have had 10 undefeated seasons, 9 of which were perfect.There have been 20 University of Alabama players and 4 former coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame since its opening in 1951. Mark Ingram became Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner on December 12, 2009. Seven former Alabama football players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, ranking fifth among all colleges. 314 University of Alabama players have been drafted into the National Football League (NFL) since the league began holding drafts in 1936.
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Named after Paul W. Bryant and Dr. George Denny, the first game in the stadium was held on Sept. 28, 1929 versus Mississippi College. Paul William "Bear" Bryant was the University of Alabama
Head Coach from 1958-1982 and the tradition of his houndstooth hat lives on. It is the 10th largest non-racing stadium in the world, 7th largest stadium in the United States, and 4th largest
stadium in the SEC. The original seating capacity was 12,000 and has since reached a current capacity of 101,821.
Expansions
1937 - first expansion - seating capacity increased to 18,000
1950 - seating capacity increased to 25,000
1961 - seating capacity increased to 43,000
1966 - seating capacity increased to 60,000
1988 - First upper deck was added to the west side of the stadium - seating capacity increased to 70,129
1998 - seating capacity increased to 83,818
2006 - seating capacity increased to 92,138
2010 - seating capacity increased to 101,821
Alabama Coaching Records at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Expansions
1937 - first expansion - seating capacity increased to 18,000
1950 - seating capacity increased to 25,000
1961 - seating capacity increased to 43,000
1966 - seating capacity increased to 60,000
1988 - First upper deck was added to the west side of the stadium - seating capacity increased to 70,129
1998 - seating capacity increased to 83,818
2006 - seating capacity increased to 92,138
2010 - seating capacity increased to 101,821
Alabama Coaching Records at Bryant-Denny Stadium
| Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace Wade | 1929-30 | 6-0 | 1.000 |
| Frank Thomas | 1931-46 | 37-3-1 | .915 |
| Harold "Red" Drew | 1947-54 | 18-3-1 | .841 |
| J.B. "Ears" Whitworth | 1955-57 | 2-4-1 | .357 |
| Paul W. "Bear" Bryant | 1958-82 | 72-2 | .973 |
| Ray Perkins | 1983-86 | 11-2 | .846 |
| Bill Curry | 1987-89 | 4-2 | .667 |
| Gene Stallings | 1990-96 | 22-4 | .846 |
| Mike DuBose | 1997-2000 | 9-8 | .529 |
| Dennis Franchione | 2001-02 | 6-5 | .556 |
| Mike Shula | 2003-06 | 19-10 | .679 |
| Nick Saban | 2007- | 50-6 | --- |
Roll Tide Roll!
Through the ages, the Crimson Tide has been a team of triumph and tradition. As the University of Alabama continues to excel in academia and athletics, who knows what the future holds!Sources:
http://www.rolltide.com/trads/football-origin.htmlhttps://ua.edu/history.html
http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/alab-m-footbl-mtt.html
http://www.sa.ua.edu/uatraditions.cfm?p=4
http://www.sa.ua.edu/uatraditions.cfm?p=4
http://www.sa.ua.edu/uatraditions.cfm?p=4
http://www.sa.ua.edu/uatraditions.cfm?p=4
http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2011/10/6/2430963/alabamas-homecoming-elephants
http://www.sa.ua.edu/uatraditions.cfm?p=4
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/sports/ncaafootball/13heisman.html?_r=0
http://www.rolltide.com/facilities/bryant-denny.html
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/426238/bamauniformgrafic01.jpg
http://uagameday.com/football/activities.php
Crimson Tide Rolling Through the Years [INFOGRAPHIC], Courtesy of The SUPeStore