The longstanding rivalry between Stanford and UC Berkeley has seen wins and losses on both sides, but when it comes to the best mascot, the Golden Bears are barking up the wrong tree. Cal’s bear, Oski, may be lovably goofy. It does not compare, however, to the brains, beauty and bark of the Tree, whose lack of an official name does not deter it from being the best mascot the Bay has ever seen.
One of the main reasons the Tree is so amazing is the sheer amount of adversity it overcame to reach our fields. Stanford history fanatics might already know that the Tree is technically not even Stanford’s official mascot. Instead, it is a member and representative of the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (LSJUMB).
The last time Stanford had an official mascot was in 1972. Physically appearing in our football games since 1952, “Prince Lightfoot” was a racist caricature of a Native American man that functioned as Stanford’s mascot. But in 1972, 55 Native American students decided to put an end to the stereotypical and racist depiction. They convinced then-University President Richard Lyman to drop the football’s team name of the “Indians” and abandon Prince Lightfoot altogether. This left Stanford without a mascot.
Luckily, students would not stand for this tragic mascotless existence. In 1975, a student vote crowned the Robber Barons the new mascots, but administrators refused to implement it. This did not deter the student body, however. The LSJUMB began including several options for mascots in their performances, including the fan-favorite Tree. The idea took off, and the Tree continues to be a staple of Stanford sports games today.
Meanwhile, the story of how Cal’s Oski bear came to be is much more straightforward. He simply appeared in 1941 and has not left since. His Wikipedia page is barely three paragraphs long.
Talk about boring.
The most interesting thing about him is the fact that no one knows who plays him. No wonder they need to keep up some mystery; it’s not like Oski has anything else going for him.
The Cal kids are clearly jealous of the Tree, too. From fights on the court to football-worthy tackles to Tree kidnappings, Cal cannot stand the beauty and grace of our leafy friend. Sure, the Tree might rank among the top 10 worst mascots according to the Dallas Observer, Bleacher Report and ESPN, but that just proves it’s so iconic that it’s impossible to ignore. After all, it’s better to be known than to be forgotten.
Some mascots go for intimidation, but the Tree brings something infinitely more important: originality. You never know exactly what the Tree will look like from one year to the next, as each new wearer creates a quirky costume that’s uniquely their design. What stays consistent is the Tree’s mildly disheveled and chaotic, yet also lovable, look, which truly reflects the unique Stanford spirit.
Meanwhile, Oski is just a bear. You know who else has a bear as a mascot? Brown. Cornell. UCLA. The Coast Guard Academy. There’s so many more I haven’t named. Bears are one of the most quintessential mascots for a university, and Cal is far from original — not even changing Oski’s brown coat to Berkeley blue and yellow. Stand Oski next to a bunch of these other bears and you might be able to tell it’s him, but that’s only because of his terrifying smile and eyes that stare into your soul.
The Tree also shines when it comes to capturing the crowd’s attention. Picture this: a football game, crowds roaring and suddenly, there it is, the Stanford Tree, twirling and flapping its branches in a dance that’s part interpretive art, part chaos. The Tree’s dance moves are as unpredictable as they are endearing — a reminder that school spirit doesn’t always have to take itself too seriously. Oski wishes he could match this dynamism and skill.
There are some who say the Tree is a stupid mascot because a mascot is supposed to be intimidating, not silly. To them, I say to consider the long game here. A bear might, at best, live around 25 years in the wild. Trees, on the other hand, can live for millennia. A tree knows how to weather the seasons and to stand firm through storms and sunshine alike, a fitting metaphor for Stanford students. While the bear might be fierce today, trees are the ultimate survivors, standing tall and green for generations.
The Stanford Tree truly brings wit, style and whimsy to our games, a pedigree that Oski could only hope to reach half of. It’s clear that the roots of our win in this mascot battle run deep.
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.