The Oski Yell

The Oski Yell is the University of California Berkeley spirit yell from which Cal's mascot, Oski the Bear, derives his name. Although Oski appeared in 1941, the yell was first performed around the turn of the 20th century. The yell's origins are uncertain, although the University of Illinois originated a similar yell in 1911 (with a different last line). The lyrics are:

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

A parody called Bossy Cow Cow exists at UC Davis (which was originally established as a farm for the use of Berkeley's College of Agriculture). This variation of the cheer originated in the 1920's:

: "Bossy Cow-Cow!": "Honey Bee-Bee!": "Oleo! Margarine!": "Oleo! Butterine!": "Alfalfa! Hay!"

The Oski Yell is currently almost never heard, its function overtaken by spirit songs such as "Big C," "Fight for California," and "Sons of California."

Bossy Cow-Cow, however, is still used today by UC Davis's California Aggie Marching Band-uh!

The Oski Yell is still however in use in a modified form by Pigskin PeteCite web|url=http://cfldimension.tripod.com/pete2.html|title=Pigskin Pete] at games played by the Canadian Football League team the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

: "Oskee Wee Wee": "Oskee Wha Wha": "Holy Mackinaw": "Tigers ... Eat'em RAW!!"

This Oski Yell was created in the early 1920sCite web|url=http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1149545415288|title=Vince Wirtz creation] by Vince WirtzCite web|url=http://oskiouioui.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_archive.html|title=Vince Wirtz] whose version was different, and who developed the choreography of the cheer as performed by Pigskin Pete.

: "Oskee Wee Wee": "Whiskey Wa Wa": "Holy Mackinaw": "Tigers ... Eat'em RAW!!"

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.csua.berkeley.edu/~yoda/cal/traditions.html#oskiyell California Traditions and Symbols]
* [http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/99legacy/11-10-1999a.html "Cal's original Oski recalls mascot's glory days…"]
* [http://ucrc.berkeley.edu/ UC Rally Committee]
* [http://www.oski.com/ Oski.com photos and links]