Cal Traditions

The Berkeley campus is rich in traditions, from school colors to annual events, from pomp and circumstance to just plain fun. Here are a few to note:

Blue and gold, the university's colors, were chosen in 1873. Blue was considered because of the sky and landscape, the student cadet uniforms, and the number of Yale graduates who were instrumental in founding and leading the university. Gold was considered because of California's designation as the Golden State and for the color of many native wildflowers. When a committee was unable to decide between the two, student Rebekah Bragg of the Class of 1876 suggested using both colors.

The Chancellor's Receptions for New Students are among the oldest continuous traditions at Berkeley. With the help of faculty, staff, and seniors, the chancellor and his or her spouse in the fall and spring formally greet new students at receptions held at University House, the chancellor's residence on campus.

Welcome Week previews the fall semester with workshops, open houses, and orientation activities for new students. Welcome events continue for the first few weeks of classes.

Oski, taken from "Oski, wow, wow!," a popular cheer in the campus's early days, was the name given to various live bear cubs that started out as Berkeley mascots. As the cubs grew, however, the practice of using them as mascots was quickly and wisely abandoned. The current Oski made his debut at a freshman rally in 1941, and he appears at most Golden Bears events to this day. His identity is secret, and he never speaks. "Go Bears!" is a traditional salute among alumni and friends of the university, heard at every Cal sports event.

Sather Tower, built in 1914 with funds from Jane K. Sather, is as symbolic of Berkeley as Oski. The tower is popularly known as the Campanile, after the tower in St. Mark's Square in Venice.

The Hanging of Danny Deever is the tune mournfully tolled by the Campanile bells on the last day of regular classes in a term. After it is played, the bells are silent for the entire examination period. The tune was first played by chance at the end of the spring semester of 1930. Several students later asked that it be played on the final day of classes that fall. The tradition is now one of the oldest surviving campus rituals.

Homecoming (and the Parents Weekend at Homecoming) is an annual event that welcomes alumni, parents, current students, and friends to enjoy a weekend together on the campus. Reunions celebrating the anniversary of a class's graduation are held every five years.

The Big Game between Cal and Stanford dates back to March 19, 1892. This football game embodies the rivalry that exists between the two Bay Area schools. The winner of the game gains possession of the fiercely coveted Stanford Axe until the rival team wins the next Big Game. Pranks frequently accompany the event.

Big Game Week precedes the playing of the Cal-Stanford football game each fall. The week starts with "Blue Monday," when Cal students who are discovered wearing red are singled out for public embarrassment. During the week, some student residences are decorated, and a Big Game bonfire rally is held on Friday night in the Greek Theatre.

Bonfire rallies on the eve of athletic events began in 1891, increasing in popularity as intercollegiate competition developed. The Big Game Rally is called the Axe Rally if Cal is in possession of the Axe. The rallies used to be held where the Valley Life Sciences Building now stands but were moved to the Greek Theatre in 1903. Cal recently launched a new rally during Homecoming, which is held on the Friday night before the game.

The Axe first appeared at a Stanford-Cal baseball game in 1899. After the game, Cal students wrestled the Axe from the Stanford students and — with the help of the San Francisco police — made it safely back to Cal. The Axe remained at Cal and was displayed annually during the Axe Rally on the night before the Cal-Stanford Big Game. In 1931, however, 21 Stanford students invaded campus, and — with one posing as a photographer wanting a picture of the Axe — they tear-bombed the Cal students and reclaimed the axe. Three years later, Cal and Stanford alumni agreed to award the Axe annually to the winner of the Big Game.

The Golden Bear can be traced back to the spring of 1895, when a 12-man track team competed in a series of meets on the East Coast — the first university athletic team to compete outside the state. The team carried with it two blue silk banners bearing "California" and the state grizzly bear embroidered in gold. The team was wildly successful. At the jubilant homecoming reception, the banners inspired English professor Charles Mills Gayley to compose the song, "The Golden Bear." From then on, the Golden Bear became the mythical guardian of the university.

Card stunts began during half-time at the Big Game of 1908, when both Cal and Stanford students appeared in white shirts and caps that were one color on the outside and another color on the inside. By reversing the caps, simple designs such as block letters could be produced. The caps eventually evolved into stiff cards that are still used today in animated stunts.

The Victory Cannon, weighing 750 pounds, was donated by the class of 1964. During all home games, it resides on the hill above Memorial Stadium and is fired whenever Cal scores or wins the game.

The Daffodil Festival is a week-long event sponsored each spring by Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, which sells the flowers to raise money for charity.

Charter Day marks the birthday of the University of California in 1868, when Governor Henry H. Haight signed the legislative act creating the institution. First celebrated in 1874, Charter Day was a student affair for its first 17 years. In 1892, the event became a formal academic ceremony. Because the official anniversary on March 23 often falls during spring break, Charter Day has been celebrated in April in recent years.

The Charter Banquet is a formal affair honoring Charter Day and hosted by the California Alumni Association in March. Alumni and other notables attend the banquet. The Alumnus/a of the Year (selected by CAA) is honored, and the recipient gives the keynote address.

Cal Day, the annual open house, draws more than 30,000 visitors in the spring to free performances, lectures, tours, athletic competitions, hands-on exhibits, and a multitude of other events displaying the cultural and intellectual diversity of the campus. Cal Day is held after admission offers are announced, and many prospective students and families take advantage of the day to visit the campus and help them make their final decision on enrolling. Many of the campus's colleges and schools host information sessions and special programs for prospective students on Cal Day.

Ludwig's Fountain, located in Sproul Plaza, is named in honor of a German short-hair pointer named Ludwig. After the Student Union was completed, he discovered the nearby fountain and became famous for standing haunch-deep in it, waiting for students to play with him. He was so popular, in fact, that the Regents named the fountain after him in 1961. But his presence on campus lasted only until the fall of 1965, when his owners moved from Berkeley to Alameda.

The Big "C" was first formed on March 18, 1905, when the men from the classes of '07 and '08 joined together to build a "C" in the Berkeley hills. They formed a human chain to relay the building materials up the slopes during a heavy rain. Today it remains the sophomores' responsibility to take care of and guard the "C"— particularly before the Big Game, when Stanford students sometimes try to deface it.

Commencement Convocation is the only universitywide event at which graduating seniors from all academic disciplines come together and celebrate their achievements at UC Berkeley. After the late 1960s, the university did not hold an overall graduation ceremony, choosing instead to focus on departmental graduations. In 1989, after a request from the Senior Class Council, the university initiated the event.

The Cal Marching Band is an enduring tradition that captures the spirit of Cal. The band has roused the loyalties of thousands of Cal fans since the first Cadet Band was formed in 1891. The Men's Octet and the women's a cappella group, the Golden Overtones, have been providing vocal entertainment at Berkeley events for years.