09/09/2026
It’s National Teddy Bear Day (September 9th), and we couldn’t let the day pass without talking about the man responsible for the Teddy Bear.
Have you ever wondered why the stuffed animals so many children cling to as snuggle buddies, loyal friends, and fearsome monster-under-the-bed fighters are called Teddy? It’s not a species, genus, or family of bear. No, the Teddy Bear is named after one of the coolest men in American history: President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt.
A year into his first term, President Roosevelt joined the governor of Mississippi on a bear hunting trip. Of the hunters in the party the president was one of few who did not locate a bear. The presidents’ assistants cornered and tied a black bear to a willow tree, beckoning him to shoot his prize. President Theodore Roosevelt refused, viewing it as awfully unsportsmanlike. News of the most famous big-game hunter in the country refusing to shoot a bear hit the papers and inspiration struck the masses.
Inspired by the story, candy shop owners and stuffed animal makers Rose and Morris Michtom created a stuffed bear honoring the man whose respect of wildlife was placed before his own ego. With the president’s permission the Michtoms created “Teddy’s Bear”.
Every year, your Tampa Rough Riders collect, sort and distribute thousands of Teddy Bears to hospital patients, cancer survivors and their families, centers for abused women and children, community health centers, special needs day care centers, and foster children throughout Florida.
So, the next time you see a Teddy Bear, remember the man behind the stuffed animal.
Please make a donation that helps us support our Teddy Bear charity program and keep the legacy of the Rough Riders and President Theodore Roosevelt alive for future generations.
Click on this link: https://rr-donation.netlify.app/
