Hobbling over, his gloved hands clasped behind his hunched back, a grinning bear with vacant eyes and a yellow cardigan approaches you as you walk down Sproul Plaza. It’s Oski the Bear, UC Berkeley’s infamous mascot, and he’s headed your way.
As Cal’s mascot, this iconic albeit questionably designed bear has been gracing UC Berkeley’s sports games since his initial live debut 80 years ago in 1941. However, to get to our modern, infamous Oski, it’s been quite the journey.
Cal fans were proudly proclaiming “Go Bears” long before Oski appeared on the scene. In fact, UC Berkeley’s mascot has been the “Golden Bear” since a Cal track and field meet in 1895, when Cal fans attributed their win to a blue banner donned with a golden bear.
This iconic bear has been gracing UC Berkeley’s sports games since his initial live debut in 1941. However, to get to our modern, infamous Oski, it’s been quite the journey.