Scoopy's Story

The year was 1943 and the world was in the midst of a world war. Eleanor McClatchy, then president of McClatchy Newspapers, asked Walt Disney to design a symbol for the Sacramento, Fresno and Modesto Bees. Disney agreed to do the project in exchange for a McClatchy donation of $1,500 to the Army Relief Fund. What came from Disney’s inkwell was the first, and as far as we know, the only Disney-designed symbol for a newspaper or any other outside company in the world. McClatchy named the character Scoopy. He has come to symbolize the energy, enthusiasm and diligence of our newspaper and the friendliness of our workers.