The Teddy Bear is Born
In November 1902 TR was on a bear hunt in Mississippi with the state Governor Andrew H. Longino.
Rousevelt was determined to bag a bear, but after three days no luck. Holt Collier, a guide who had ridden with the Confederacy, tracked down an old black bear near death and tied it to a willow tree for the President to shoot.
Roosevelt refused. He called it unsportsmanlike. It wasn't a “Fair Chase.” The bear was later put down due to its injuries.
Berryman's cartoon first ran in the Washington Post on November 16, 1902. It was so popular that during TR’s presidency Berryman continued to draw the teddy bear as a Roosevelt side kick.
It didn’t take long for the popularity of the Teddy Bear to catch the imagination of Brooklyn candy store owner Morris Michtom. Morris thought he could have his wife Rose stitch up some stuffed bears and see how far it would go.
Michtom then got the idea of sending a letter and a stuffed bear to the president to see if he could get TR's permission to use his name. TR said he didn't think his name would help them to sell bears in Brooklyn, but he thought it was a fun idea. Rose got to work stitching stuffed bears they'd no call Teddy's Bears. The toy caught fire.
Based on the success of the Teddy Bear the Mictom’s went on to establish Ideal Toys.
