The Story of Billy Possum

The Teddy Bear became a very popular toy during Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency. When he left office in 1909, toymakers were concerned that Teddy bear sales would drop off, so they wanted to come up with something new. The new president William Taft was known to like possum -to eat, that is. When Taft was presented with a plush opossum toy at an Atlanta banquet (after he ate one), toy manufacturers were inspired.

The Georgia Billy Possum Company formed, churning out thousands of the stuffed toys. (The company’s slogan was “Good-bye, Teddy Bear. Hello, Billy Possum.”) The year’s Stone and Webster Public Service Journal said, “Thousands of little possums are being made, which promise to be as favorably received as was the teddy bear.”
So began the Down-With-The-Teddy-Bear! rhetoric. The Los Angeles Times, for example, wrote that “the teddy bear has been relegated to a seat in the rear, and for four years, possibly eight, the children of the United States will play with Billy Possum.”  

Of course, the Teddy bear is still around, while Billy Possum is so obscure it’s worth a blog post. Read the story of what happened at mental_floss.