Spare the Bear!

America's favorite toy, the Teddy bear, is honored on November 14th, when in 1902, legend has it, President Theodore Roosevelt spared the life of a bear cub on a hunting trip.

When the story hit news rooms, Clifford Berryman, a political cartoonist for the Washington Post, depicted Teddy Roosevelt with a bear cub next to him.

The popularity of the cartoon encouraged toy makers to create and sell stuffed versions of the Teddy bear. The huggable toys have become favorite companions for children worldwide, including the sitter shown here.

Pictured: Robert Brackman, 1898 Russia–1980 USA, Somewhere in America, about 1933–34, oil, 30 1/8 x 25 1/8 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor.