I'm sure I will get a lot of crap over this post, but here goes anyway.

Oski's History

Oski. He cavorts along Memorial Stadium sidelines. He hugs kids on Cal Day. He drinks through a straw in his eyehole, a gross but mesmerizing trick. This fall [2006], Berkeley's lovable bear mascot turns 65, with no signs of stopping. Which means, for over six decades, a parade of undergraduates have sweated it out under a stuffy bear head, wool sweater and size-15 tennis shoes. Moreover, they're under a super-duper, heavy-duty, triple-strength oath to keep it a secret from everyone forever and ever. It's enough to make you wonder, as your attention drifts between plays at a Cal football game, what is Oski all about? How did the goofy grin, high-stepping gait, clasped hands and rumors of permanent intoxication become a Cal institution?

Oski came to life in 1941.  Prior to his birth, Berkeley students used to use live bears at sporting events.  But after a referee was mauled in 1940, campus administration sought a new mascot. [That's a lie.  But administration officials were genuinely worried about the unpredictability of live bears].

In the autumn of 1941, a student named William Rockwell donned a homemadebear head fashioned around a football helmet.

He dressed in baggy pants, a large letter sweater, oversized shoes and white gloves. In front of thousands of Cal fans at Memorial Stadium, he led cheers, waved to children and flirted with girls. In later games, he walked on the crossbar between goalposts and tried to grab the football from referees. The bear never revealed his true identity to others.

Oski's creator, William Rockwell

via www.coe.berkeley.edu

Oski is named after old Berkeley cheer:

Oski Wow-Wow!
Whiskey Wee-Wee!
Olee! Muckie-eye!
Olee! Berkeley-eye!
California! Wow!

Oski became so popular that Rockwell's studies suffered.

After flunking a midterm in ME 102, he enlisted in the Navy, served as a decorated fighter pilot in WWII, and after the war, returned to finish school. With his impending graduation, the engineer anticipated the need for a system to manage and guard Oski's identity year after year. Like so many academic institutions, Oski required a committee.

The Oski Committee thrives today. Its members are undergraduates who decide who will play Oski and who induct fellow committee members. Since the group is also pledged to secrecy and anonymity forever and ever, its workings are mysterious.

Oski is now selected by the Oski Committee, a governing body that oversees all aspects of caring for the lovable, 5-foot-7-inch, size 15 tennis shoe wearing Bear. Oski's identity is unknown to everyone, with the exception of the committee.

In recent years, Oski's acvtivities have changed quite a bit.  He still drinks beer, often times through his eyes.  However, he no longer flirts with girls or flips up their skirts [boo!] due to sexual harassment policies. He no longer shimmies up the goal posts for threat of liability [boo]. He no longer climbs, defoliates, brawls with, or otherwise harasses the Stanford Tree per an agreement between the two universities [double boo!]. He no longer throws cake into the crowd at a basketball game or pie at an opposing chancellor.

In 1999, Oski was shrouded in controversy. The ASUC Senate introduced a bill to update Oski's tubby, old-fashioned look. It was eventually vetoed, but not before the public came to his defense. Oski himself appeared at an ASUC meeting and scribbled on a blackboard: "For over 50 years, I have worked very hard to represent everything that is great about Cal. Please respect that."

Arguably one of Oski's greatest moments came when he beat the living crap out of the Furd tree. Link.  Link. [Note: The second link has some annoying "play by play".  Also, if you can find better videos of this, please post].

In fact, the Stanfurd Tree's first appearance was marked by - you guessed it - an ass kicking by Oski.

The first tree recalls the incident:  "And I got tackled by the Berkeley Bear." 

"Yeah, the Berkeley Bear ran over and knocked me down, and the Band broke formation to come and save me," Hutson says.

It was not the kind of debut one would associate with an enduring symbol [uh, yeah it was]. Link.

Some pics of Oski in action

An early ass kicking for the tree:

via www.stanfordalumni.org

Oski says: "Pimpin' ain't easy!"

via www.oski.com

Oski crip-walking:

via www.oski.com

Oski isn't afraid of shattering traditions: "Walking is so out of style!"

via www.oski.com

Time for a Jenny Jones Makeover?

In 1999, Oski was shrouded in controversy. The ASUC Senate introduced a bill to update Oski's tubby, old-fashioned look. It was eventually vetoed, but not before the public came to his defense. Oski himself appeared at an ASUC meeting and scribbled on a blackboard: "For over 50 years, I have worked very hard to represent everything that is great about Cal. Please respect that."

First off, I love Oski.  He represents character and creativity that many other "modern mascots" lack.  His sweater, pants, and shoes are all great parts of his wardrobe, and I've never seen him tuck a jersey into basketball shorts.  Yet, there's something about his face that bothers me.  It looks like it comes from an era before modern technology and he looks slightly related to Goofy.  Part of me would like to see an Oski facelift - something that will keep his character  but bring his face into "pimpmode" instead of "dorkmode." It would also be nice if he could resume kicking the tree's ass.   What do you all think?

Please vote, make comments, add photos and videos as well.  Let's celebrate our mascot.

[Note: Much of this material came from sources at oski.com]