The name first given to an orphaned little black bear cub rescued from the New Mexico's Capitan Gap Fire of May 4, 1950 by Native American volunteer fire fighters who called themselves the Snowballs. The little bear was later renamed and became the living symbal of Smokey Bear.
Hot Foot Teddy was rescued by the Snowballs, a rookie crew of Native American volunteer firefighters from Taos Pueblo, NM...and NOT by a U.S. Army crew as history has falsely reported.
by talk2me-JCH2 April 16, 2023