Teddy
Bear History
By Sharon Lauer
On November
14, 1902, the 26th President of the United States, Theodore "Teddy"
Roosevelt, went to Mississippi to settle a border dispute between
Mississippi and Louisiana. While there, Roosevelt agreed to join
in a bear hunt. Accustomed to a strenuous, physical hunt, he was
a bit dismayed by the unfamiliar method of using packs of dogs
to track and chase prey leaving the hunter to only wait for his
animal
Hunting
conditions proved unfavorable for the president and late into
the day he still hadn't had success. Determined to find a suitable
quarry for his president, guide Holt Collier set off to find him
a bear. Tracking a 235 pound bear to a water hole, he clubbed
it over the head and tied it to a tree. Roosevelt was then summoned
to shoot the bear and claim his prize. The president was unimpressed
by the bound, dazed, and bleeding bear. Saying, "Spare the
bear! I will not shoot a tethered animal." He refused his
prize and forbade anyone else from claiming it.
Reporters
with the hunting party spread the news of Roosevelt's fair play
nationwide. Among those inspired by the story was political cartoonist
Clifford Berryman. Berryman drew a cartoon of the incident portraying
the tethered bear sitting innocently with huge, scared eyes. The
cartoon captioned "Drawing the Line in Mississippi"
was featured on the front cover of The Washington Post on November
16, 1902.
The
cartoon was reprinted in newspapers all over the country and Roosevelt's
popularity soared. For the remainder of his political career his
mascot was Teddy's Bear and Berryman continued to use it all his
cartoons. It signified to the public how Roosevelt could not be
swayed from doing what he thought was right. It is debatable how
much of a role it played in his re-election in 1905.
As news
spread of Roosevelt's adventure and Berryman's cartoon the imagination
of New York toy storeowners Morris and Rose Michtom was sparked.
Using Berryman's Bear as a guide, they designed a bear very unlike
the toy bears available at the time. Toy bears were typically
portrayed on all fours with features similar to real bears. The
Michtoms new bear was sweet and cuddly, filled with excelsior
stuffing and adorned with black buttons for eyes.
Rose
made two of the bears and they were placed in the store's window.
They became an instant success. The Michtoms then asked President
Roosevelt for permission to call the bears "Teddy's Bears"
and the Teddy Bear was born.
The
demand for Teddy's Bears was so strong that within a year of its
creation the Michtoms closed their candy store. With the help
of the wholesale firm, Butler Brothers, the first teddy bear manufacturer
in the United States was founded. They called it the Ideal Novelty
and Toy Company. It remained a successful business and in 1938
changed its name to Ideal Toy Company.
The
term Teddy Bear (without the s) first appeared in the October
1906 issue of Playthings Magazine. Soon even the Steiff Company
was using it for their bears and it became the accepted term.
The
teddy bear is the most popular plush toy and it's possible it's
the most popular of all toys. While other toys have enjoyed their
popularity and then disappeared, the teddy bear has stood the
test of time. They are bought for our new babies, our friends,
and our loved ones. There just doesn't seem to be an occasion
where a teddy bear isn't just the right gift. We dress them up,
make them musical, and treasure them as collector's pieces and
beloved friends.
Sharon
Lauer is a free lance writer and the marketing director for http://www.everyoccasiongiftshop.com
and http://www.simplythebestbaskets.com. She regularly writes
articles on various aspects of gifts and gift giving.
