National Teddy Bear Day is observed annually on September 9th. We have all had a special cuddly teddy as a child. Some of us still have our teddy bear from our childhood. Whether or not you still have your childhood teddy, today is the perfect day to celebrate your childhood friend!
In 1902, American President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub while hunting in Mississippi. This incident made national news. Clifford Berryman published a cartoon of the event in the Washington Post on November 16th, 1902. The caricature became an instant classic.
.
The Berryman cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt and the cub inspired New York store owner Morris Michtom to create a new toy. Morris Michtom wrote President Roosevelt to ask permission to name the new toy a “Teddy Bear”.
- 1899 – In Germany, the first stuffed bear was created by Margarete Steiff, who registered 23 patents for her design.
- 1902 – In the US, Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn shopkeeper, sold the first Teddy bear in November, named after President Theodore Roosevelt (with his permission).
- President Roosevelt later attended a wedding where 3,000 Teddy bears were used as part of the wedding decorations.
- 1906 – Teddy bear was first included in the Oxford dictionary.
- By 1907, one million Teddy bears had been sold.
- 1944 – Smokey the Bear became the mascot for the US Forest Fire Prevention Campaign: “Remember, Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.” Since 2008, Sam Elliott has been the voice of Smokey the Bear.
- 1958 – Another well-known bear came into publication—Paddington Bear.
- They aren’t just for children – 40 per cent of teddy sales are for adults, and a quarter of us still has our childhood companion.
- The correct term for a teddy bear collector is an ‘arctophile’.
- Animation movie giant Walt Disney produced the first colour cartoon film featuring teddy bears – Alice and the Three Bears – in 1924.
- The largest US teddy bear museum is in Santa Barbara, CA.
- The Teddy Bear Museum of Naples, FL, closed in 2005. It had been open for 15 years.
Sources:
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
