| Oski the Bear | |
|---|---|
 Oski in front ofBowles Hall | |
| University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Conference | ACC |
| Description | AnthropomorphicBear |
| First seen | September 27, 1941 |
Oski the Bear (Oski) is theofficial mascot of theUniversity of California, Berkeley ("Cal"), representing theCalifornia Golden Bears. Named after theOski Yell,[1] he made his debut at a freshman rally in theGreek Theatre on September 25, 1941.[2][3] Prior to his debut,live bears were used as Cal mascots.[4]Oski's name, design, and character were developed by William “Rocky” Rockwell, who was the first student to play the role, andWarrington Colescott, an editor ofThe Daily Californian and famedsatirist.
Since his debut, Oski's activities have been managed by theOski Committee, which also appoints a new Oski whenever a replacement is required. Historically, persons who played Oski were male and of short stature (under 5'7"), although the gender requirement was dropped around 1974.[5]
Oski's identity is protected by the Committee, and other than Rockwell, no other Oski has revealed their name.[6] There is a volunteer advisor that can provide guidance to the committee.[1] To that end, there may be multiple members of the Committee who wear the suit, depending on their schedules.[5]
Oski was controversially suspended for two weeks in January 1990 for throwing a cake towardsOregon State fans. Some of the cake landed on the father of Oregon State point guardGary Payton.[7]
In 1999, theAssociated Students of the University of California (ASUC) passed a bill calling for a makeover of the "poorly constructed and pathetic version of a bear". The ASUC president vetoed the bill.[8]
Given therivalry with UC Berkeley and Stanford University, Oski frequently fights with Stanford's unofficial mascot,the Stanford Tree. During the 1988Big Game, Oski and the Tree became entangled in an altercation that required security to intervene.[9]
In 1995, an inebriated Oski and the Tree fought at a nationally televised basketball game, which was later narrated byCharley Steiner on that evening'sSportsCenter and resulted in global coverage. Stanford police announced that misdemeanor charges could be filed against both parties, although none were ultimately filed. Since then, all Oskis participating in Big Games have had to bebreathalyzed before entrance.[6]
After 1946, Oski was the charge of a special committee. This group of men between 5'2" and 5'4" in height and possessed of considerable gymnastic ability, determined Oski's schedule, planned his stunts, and took turns assuming his character.
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