Jason Crane/The Voice
Colonel/president Theodore (T, TR, Teddy) Roosevelt threw strikes Saturday in Aurora. First, in the afternoon he was entertaining at the Santori Public Library of Aurora and in the evening at the Paramount Theatre. He struck the fancy of the audience which paid rapt attention. The performances varied significantly and a few of the high points were repeated in the evening. Nearly 50 attended in the afternoon and approximately 75 were at the Paramount, on the first floor in front of the steps going up to the balcony. See page 1 and see Saturday afternoon’s performance at facebook.com/thevoice.us.
One strike was at the end of the second performance when he produced a teddy bear and asked, as long as the performances were free admission, who would bid for the teddy bear. The story of how originally it was teddy’s bear started when the Rough Rider was on a hunt in the forest out West and refused to shoot a wounded cub near a tree. One manufacturer wanted to produce a bear and with the former president (1901-1909) giving permission, sales would increase. Teddy’s bear evolved into teddy bear. The reprisor threw a strike with the teddy bear to the gentleman in the back row, right, who offered the highest bid, $75. and then TR’s hat was passed and stuffed with green bills.
The money went to the sponsor, Quentin Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion, Post 84, led by Commander Mike Eckburg. The Post was named after Theodore Roosevelt’s young son, Quentin, a pilot who was killed over France, on Bastille Day, July 14, 1918.
Joe Wiegand, who said he is one of approximately 60 Theodore Roosevelt reprisors, enjoys the role, “because I have an audience.” He has been filling the role since 2008 and sees it as a public service to develop a sense of participation in the political realm. He has been host to other TR reprisors in a convention in North Dakota. Both TR and Joe Wiegand are vitally interesting. There must be more next week.