Northeast
On this day in history, February 15, 1903, the first Teddy bear goes on sale
The first “Teddy bear” was put on sale on this day in history, Feb. 15, 1903.
Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the stuffed bear was first sold by Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn, New York, resident who owned a candy shop, the website for the National Parks Service (NPS) says.
Michtom’s wife, Rose, who made stuffed animal toys, actually created the first teddy bears.
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Michtom was inspired to call the toys “Teddy’s bear” after reading a political cartoon published in the Washington Post on Nov. 16, 1902, notes the parks service website.
The cartoon was drawn by artist Clifford Berryman. It satirized an incident on a hunting trip in Mississippi in which Roosevelt refused to shoot and kill a black bear that had been tied to a willow tree.
The first Teddy bear was put on sale on this day in history, Feb. 15, 1903. (iStock)
Roosevelt was known to be a skilled hunter.
He thought it was “extremely unsportsmanlike” to shoot a bear that had been tied up, says the NPS website.
“I’ve hunted game all over America and I’m proud to be a hunter. But I couldn’t be proud of myself if I shot an old, tired, worn-out bear that was tied to a tree,” Roosevelt reportedly said at the time.
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The news of Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot the bear spread quickly around the country, resulting in the cartoon — and, eventually, the stuffed toy.
“Michtom decided to create a stuffed toy bear and dedicate it to the president who refused to shoot a bear,” says the site.
President Theodore Roosevelt gave permission to Morris Michtom to use his nickname, “Teddy,” for the new stuffed bear toys. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Rose Michtom “cut out some pieces of fabric and sewed on some button eyes and put it in the window with the name, ‘Teddy’s Bear.’ It was an overnight hit,” says the website for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
The president later gave Michtom permission to use his nickname for the new product — and the toys quickly became popular, notes the museum.
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The success of the Teddy bear resulted in a career shift for the Michtoms.
The president later gave Michtom permission to use his nickname for the new product.
In 1907, Michtom and his wife founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.
Although initially the company focused on Teddy bears, it eventually became known for producing a series of collectible dolls, the website Collector’s Weekly says.
The success of the Teddy bear resulted in a career shift for the Michtoms, who had previously owned a candy shop. They soon switched to making and selling toys, according to Collector’s Weekly. (iStock)
The Teddy bear’s popularity over traditional dolls also drew concerns from at least one figure, notes the Smithsonian Museum of American History’s website.
In 1908, five years after the toy was first sold, a minister in Michigan “warned that replacing dolls with toy bears would destroy the maternal instincts in little girls,” said the Smithsonian.
In 1963, for the Teddy bear’s 60th birthday, Benjamin Michtom — the son of Rose and Morris Michtom — attempted to unite the original bear with a descendant of its namesake.
“What does a 79-year-old doll want with a 60-year-old bear?”
“He first contacted Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, to offer her one of the original Teddy Bears if she would pose with it,” says the Smithsonian.
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Longworth apparently declined the offer, reportedly asking, “What does a 79-year-old doll want with a 60-year-old bear?”
Undeterred, Benjamin Michtom then reached out to Kermit Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s grandson, and asked if he would allow his children to be photographed with the bear, the Smithsonian reported.
Theodore Roosevelt’s grandchildren participated in a photo shoot with the original Teddy bear and refused to part with it — taking it home, according to the Smithsonian. (iStock; Getty)
Benjamin Michtom intended for the bear to be given to the Smithsonian Institution after the photo shoot, but Mark and Anne Roosevelt had other plans.
They took a liking to the bear and hid it from their parents.
“A letter from Mrs. Roosevelt to Mr. Michtom said, ‘I was about to get in touch with the Smithsonian about presenting them with the original bear when the children decided they didn’t want to part with it yet,’” said the Smithsonian.
Eventually, the original Teddy bear was given to the Smithsonian Institution in January 1964, the website notes.
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PORTLAND (WGME) – The wife of Democrat Graham Platner, who is running for U.S. Senate in Maine, is responding to stories in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about sexually explicit text messages Platner allegedly sent to other women during their marriage.
CBS13 reached out to the Platner campaign for comment Monday but did not hear back.
According to multiple reports, Platner calls the stories “gossip.”
Amy Gertner, his wife of nearly three years, called the former staffer’s claims a “betrayal” and an “invasion of our privacy.”
Platner says the Wall Street Journal and New York Times ran stories without any evidence, based solely on gossip from a former staffer.
The wife of Democrat Graham Platner, who is running for U.S. Senate in Maine, is responding to stories in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about sexually explicit text messages Platner allegedly sent to other women during their marriage. (WGME)
He says claims made by that staffer, former State Representative Genevieve McDonald, are untrue.
Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, says she trusted McDonald with the most private chapter of their lives.
“I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend. In the months since, I have had to watch as she spread malicious gossip to anyone who would take her call,” Gertner said.
“The situation he’s in right now that’s most uncomfortable, I think, is that he and his wife seem to be telling different versions of the story,” USM Political Science Professor Ron Schmidt said.
Gertner defended her husband in a video she posted.
“I find it really shameful that there’s a group of media outlets, and people who are willing to spread gossip, instead of talking about real issues that Graham is running on like healthcare and education and childcare,” Gertner said.
The wife of Democrat Graham Platner, who is running for U.S. Senate in Maine, is responding to stories in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about sexually explicit text messages Platner allegedly sent to other women during their marriage. (WGME)
She says being newly married while going through infertility and a Senate campaign is hard, but she says they are working on their marriage and mental health.
“I knew the man that I married had been through an immense amount of violent, active combat,” Gertner said. “No marriage is perfect, and I don’t want a perfect marriage. I want my marriage.”
“If this is a case of mistakes made early on in the marriage, and they’ve had marriage counseling, then the best thing to do is to say ‘I made a mistake. It was a while ago. It was related to something else, and it doesn’t have a bearing on where I am right now,’” Schmidt said.
A Platner supporter, who attended Sunday’s town hall meeting with the candidate, says the focus needs to be on policy, not personal matters.
“I think people should really continue to engage with Platner and the campaign around affordable housing, universal healthcare and issues that really matter to us,” Auburn Community Organizer Safiya Khalid said.
The wife of Democrat Graham Platner, who is running for U.S. Senate in Maine, is responding to stories in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times about sexually explicit text messages Platner allegedly sent to other women during their marriage. (WGME)
“Graham and I have a great marriage,” Gertner said. “And we love each other deeply. We deserve better. I think Mainers deserve better.”
Platner has apologized for other controversies like now-deleted Reddit posts calling himself a communist and blaming victims of rape, and a nazi-symbol skull tattoo his military unit got that he’s since covered up.
Through it all, he’s still leading in the polls.
Schmidt says Democratic voters like what Platner stands for, but he says the controversies are certainly a concern, especially with Senator Susan Collins, in his view, doing a good job distancing herself from President Donald Trump.
Massachusetts
Winners’ circle: Tracking every 2026 spring high school championship – The Boston Globe
Championship season is upon us, and we’re tracking every title winner in Massachusetts this spring.
From the golf sectionals in late May to championship weekend June 11-14, a four-day stretch in which 31 titlists will be crowned across boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, boys and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ rugby, boys’ volleyball, softball, and baseball, we’ll have you covered.
Find all the dates, brackets, seedings, matchups, and links to our postseason previews here.
Follow us on X @GlobeSchools, Instagram @BGlobeSchools, and Facebook to stay up to date.
Over at Globe.com/Schools you’ll find our daily scoreboard, nightly Takeaways, game coverage, videos, live streams, and our weekly Varsity News newsletter (sign up for free) to keep you in the know.
Division 1: Lexington girls, St. John’s Prep boys
Lexington girls graduate to two-time Division 1 track champions, St. John’s Prep sprints to boys’ title
Division 2: Billerica girls, North Andover boys
Billerica girls unphazed by move up to Division 2, going back-to-back as North Andover boys dominate
Division 3: Canton girls, Walpole boys
Canton girls cap greatest season with first Division 3 track title, Walpole boys win by thinnest margin
Division 4: Duxbury girls, Newburyport boys
Historic win for Duxbury girls, Mohoric paces Newburyport boys to Division 4 outdoor track championship
Division 5: North Reading girls, Weston boys
It’s four in a row for North Reading girls, two straight for Weston boys at Division 5 track championships
Division 6: Ayer Shirley girls, Abington boys
Ayer Shirley girls pick up where they left off, Abington boys twinning at Division 6 track championships
Day 1, Divisions 1, 2, and 5: Lexington boys and girls setting the pace at Division 1 track & field championships
Day 1, Divisions 3, 4, and 6: Canton girls make a strong run to first at Division 3 track championships
South: Walpole | With Tori Adams as its driving force, Walpole scores third straight MIAA South girls’ golf championship
North/Central/West: Hopkinton | Concord-Carlisle’s Sophie Redmond, Hopkinton rule MIAA girls’ golf championship for North/Central/West
With titles for Natick and Peabody and smiles for all, MIAA unified track championship ‘beyond inspiring’
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
By JEFFREY HASTINGS, InDepthNH.org
A group gathered in front of the City Hall Annex for a short presentation by Manchester True Collaborative, US Senator Maggie Hassan’s representative and Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais’s representative.
The flag raising denotes the beginning of pride month in New Hampshire.
On June 27th, the annual Pride Parade will be held in downtown Manchester and an event held at Veterans Park.
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