A custom California Golden Bears jersey borrows from traditions that go back to the 1800s. Cal's blue and gold were chosen in 1873, and the Golden Bear became the campus symbol after an 1895 track team trip. If you are deciding what to put on a custom Cal jersey, those two stories, plus a mascot who arrived in 1941, give you plenty to work with.
1873: Why Cal Has Two Colors
According to UC Berkeley's own history of campus traditions, a student committee in 1873 set out to choose a single school color and could not agree between blue and gold. Student Rebekah Bragg Cummings suggested using both. Blue honored the university's founders, most of whom were Yale graduates, and gold matched California's nickname, the Golden State.
That compromise is still the foundation of every Cal jersey. When you pick colors for a custom order, you are picking from a pairing that is more than 150 years old.
1895: How the Bear Arrived
In 1895, Cal's 12-man track team traveled to meets on the East Coast carrying two blue silk banners embroidered with the word "California" and the state's grizzly bear. When they came home, English professor Charles Mills Gayley wrote a song called "The Golden Bear," and the bear became the symbol of the campus.
Oski and the Big C
Oski the Bear made his debut in 1941 at a freshman rally. Years earlier, on March 18, 1905, students from the classes of 1907 and 1908 built the Big C. Both are fair game as themes for a custom jersey.
Number Ideas From Cal History
- 73 for 1873, the year of the blue-and-gold compromise.
- 95 for 1895 and the track team that brought the bear home.
- 41 for 1941, Oski's first appearance.
- 12 for the 12 members of that 1895 track team.
Each one works as a regular jersey number, so nobody will think it looks out of place.
Name Ideas for the Back
- OSKI, short and instantly recognizable to Cal fans.
- GOLDEN BEAR or BEARS.
- BIG C, paired with 05 for 1905 if the style allows a leading zero.
- Your surname with a class year if the jersey is for a Cal graduate.
Picking a Color Scheme
Cal football jerseys appear in several looks. Player jerseys for Jeremiah Hunter #3 and Isaiah Ifanse #22 come in black alternate, the version pictured above, and Ifanse #22 also shows up in a navy alternate. Jaydn Ott #1 appears in a black Vapor Limited style. A few guidelines:
- Navy or blue is the most traditional, honoring the blue half of the 1873 pairing.
- Gold accents make numbers pop on darker jerseys.
- Black alternate is a modern option if you want something different from blue.
Before You Order
- Write out your name and number exactly as you want them and double-check spelling.
- Decide whether you want the number on the sleeves as well as front and back.
- Check the size chart; football-style jerseys run larger than a T-shirt.
- Read the seller's custom-order policy before submitting.
Care
Turn the jersey inside out, wash on cold and hang to dry. Gold numbers and trim keep their shine longer without dryer heat.
Compare Custom Options
To see how different names and numbers look on blue, gold and black, browse this group of custom California Golden Bears jerseys before you settle on a design.
Cal fans already wear a compromise from 1873 and a bear from 1895 every time they put on blue and gold. A custom jersey with a 73, a 95 or OSKI across the back just makes that history a little easier to spot.