As the Pac-12 Conference era comes to an end after more than a century, we count down the top 50 moments in University of California sports.
moment: The fight between Stanford Tree and Oski was more than a moment in time. These two iconic mascots have battled it out on the football field and the basketball court. On Saturday, November 19, 1988, Oski and Tree had an unforgettable fight in the big game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley. The mascots tried to seriously damage each other, but security stepped in to stop them. Then, on Thursday, February 2, 1995, at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Tree and Oski got into another brawl, and police had to step in and this time kick Oski out of the arena.
story: The University of California had been using a live bear cub as its mascot until problems arose, so Rocky Rockwell and Warrington Colescott, editor of The Daily Californian, came up with an alternative: Rockwell designed the costume and was the first to wear Oski Bear, named after the “Oski Wah-Wah Yell” used at UC football and basketball games.
Oski made his first public appearance at a freshman pep rally at the Greek Theatre on September 25, 1941, and his first appearance at a University of California sporting event two days later, on May 27, 1941, when the University of California defeated Saint Mary’s University in a football game.
Oski’s stories are legendary, perhaps most famously occurring in January 1990 during a basketball game at UC Harmon Gymnasium, when he threw a cake at Oregon State fans in the stands, causing part of it to land on the father of Oregon State point guard Gary Payton. Oski was suspended for two weeks for the tactic.
But when the Stanford Tree made its debut in 1975 — introduced as a parody of a mascot during the football halftime show — Mr. Oski had some formidable competition.
Troy Taylor quarterbacked the University of California in the big game on Nov. 19, 1988, which ended in a 19-19 tie, but when asked about his memories of that game last November as he prepared for his first big game as Stanford’s head coach, Taylor vividly remembered one incident that happened off the line that day.
“I remember it was also in this match that Oski and Tree got into a fight,” Taylor said. “And it was a real fight. They were trying to hurt each other. I think it was in between series, but I remember Oski trying to rip Tree apart and getting ripped apart. I remember Oski pointing his finger at Tree and putting up one of his four fingers saying, ‘It’s not over yet.’ It’s going to continue someday. I was like, this is weird, am I living in a cartoon world or something.”
Security had to rush in and break up the brawl, but as Taylor says, it got pretty brutal.
The Oski vs. Tree II match took place at Stanford’s home field. This rematch took place during a timeout during an ESPN-televised basketball game at Maples Pavilion on February 2, 1995. Now, for a description and commentary of the match, check out the video below.
This hostility towards the mascots led to special rules being put in place for the 1998 Big Game to prevent fan violence like the year before. Essentially, Oski and Tree were put into protective custody. Security was beefed up at the game, the mascots received police protection, and they were not allowed to participate in the halftime show. Mascots were asked to stay within a 30-yard radius of their school’s cheering section. And – here’s the best bit – police were instructed to give Tree and Oski Breathalyzer tests before the game.
There was no comment from Oski, as he is notorious for not speaking out, and the identity of the student donning his costume remains a secret.
*Top 50 Moment No. 27: Papa Bear, 2022
* Top 50 Moments No. 28: Desegregation, 1923
The Top 50 list only considers specific acts that occurred while a team or athlete was enrolled at UC and does not include season-long or career-long accomplishments.
Leslie Mitchell of the California Bears History Twitter site helped select the top 50 moments.
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