It might be the perfect cuddle partner and companion for children of all ages; and come in various colours and sizes, but not many know the story behind the Teddy Bear. It is actually named after Theodore Roosevelt, the late United States President.
Roosevelt and the bear
Theodore Roosevelt was a game hunter. One day, he went on a bear hunting trip with a group of people on invite from Andrew H. Longino, the Governor of Missisippi. While others in the group managed to spot bears, Roosevelt did not locate even one.
To ensure the President didn’t feel dejected, his assistants cornered and tied an old black bear to a willow tree. They suggested Roosevelt shoot the bear, however, the President refused to shoot the bear as it would be very unsportsmanlike of him to shoot a bear he had not even located.
Newspapers were quick to publish this event and the word quickly spread across the whole country.
A cartoon and an idea
Seeing the detailed pieces in the newspaper, Clifford Berryman, a political cartoonist, decided to create a satirical cartoon of Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot the bear. His cartoon appeared on November 16, 1902 in the Washington Post. Then, upon seeing the cartoon, Morris Michtom, a candy shop owner in Brooklyn, had an idea. He and his wife used to make stuffed animals, so Michtom decided to make a stuffed toy bear and dedicate it to Roosevelt. He called it Teddy’s Bear.
Michtom then sought permission from Roosevelt for using his name to mass produce the stuffed bears. Once he received the same, he founded the ideal Toy Company and started producing Teddy’s Bears that we all fondly call today as Teddy Bear.
Picture Credit : Google