Named after the Oski Yell,[1] he made his debut at a freshman rally in the Greek Theatre on September 25, 1941.

[4] Oski's name, design, and character were developed by William “Rocky” Rockwell, who was the first student to play the role, and Warrington Colescott, an editor of The Daily Californian and famed satirist.

Historically, persons who played Oski were male and of short stature (under 5'7"), although the gender requirement was dropped around 1974.

One faculty member is aware of the students on the Oski Committee to provide accountability for any incidents.

[6] In 1999, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) passed a bill calling for a makeover of the "poorly constructed and pathetic version of a bear".