Negro Leagues Baseball | USPS Stamp of Approval

This year marks the 105th anniversary of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” The iconic tune debuted in 1908 and since then has become a staple at American ballparks. (To celebrate the song’s 100th anniversary in 2008, USPS issued the 42-cent .) Have you been singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” since you were a child? Well, it’s time to test your knowledge of the song.

If you can correctly answer all three of the following questions, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one copy of Play Ball! A Celebration of Baseball’s Greatest Moments. This wonderful 8½” x 11”, 40-page softbound book features the vivid paintings of artist Graig Kreindler, as well as 16 collectible stamps: the 2001 Legendary Playing Fields (10), the , and the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Stars (4) stamps.

Let’s get started!

1. Singer/songwriter Jack Norworth was inspired to write the lyrics to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” after seeing a sign for an upcoming game at which now-closed ballpark?

2. Which famous radio announcer helped start the Wrigley Field tradition of singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch of every game?

3. In the 1949 film Take Me Out to the Ball Game which two stars, who were known for their acting and singing prowess, belted out a verse of the titular song?

For this contest we’re trying something a little different. To enter, send your answers, along with your name and address, to: USPS Stamps, 1300 Mercantile Ln, Ste 139C, Largo MD 20774.

Of those who answer correctly, two people will be randomly chosen to receive a copy of Play Ball! If you don’t know all the answers this time around, don’t worry. You’ll have several more chances to win over the course of the season. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, June 8. Good luck!

This contest is now over. The correct answers are: Polo Grounds, Harry Caray, and Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Congratulations to our randomly selected winners, William J. Graham of Staten Island, New York, and Helen Lento of Fairfax, Virginia. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Ninety years ago today, the New York Yankees played their first regular-season game at Yankee Stadium. Think you know all there is to know about this important day in baseball history? Prove it and you could win!

If you can answer all three of the following questions correctly, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one copy of This wonderful 8½” x 11”, 40-page softbound book features the vivid paintings of artist Graig Kreindler, as well as 16 collectible stamps: the 2001 Legendary Playing Fields (10), the 2010 Negro Leagues Baseball (2), and the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Stars (4) stamps.

Ready?

1. Who hit the first home run at Yankee Stadium?

2. Yankee Stadium hosted four All-Star games. Give the four years in which those games were held.

3. The final game at Yankee Stadium was played on September 21, 2008. That night, who was the Yankees’ starting pitcher?

To enter, send your answers, along with your name and address, to uspsstamps [at] gmail [dot] com. Of those who answer correctly, three people will be randomly chosen to receive a copy of Play Ball! If you don’t know all the answers this time around, don’t worry. You’ll have several more chances to win over the course of the season. The deadline for entries is 11:59 EDT, Friday, April 19. Good luck!

The contest entry period is now over. The correct answers are: 1. Babe Ruth 2. 1939, 1960, 1977, 2008 3. Andy Pettitte

Congratulations to our winners: Jeremy Freed, Gregg S. Garfinkel, and Diane Goatey. And thank you to everyone who entered. Check back next month for a chance to win.

If you’ve got a baseball fan on your holiday gift list this year, then we have the perfect thing for you!

Play Ball! is available from The Postal Store. Click the image for more info.

is the perfect keepsake for baseball fans and stamp collectors alike. The 40-page softbound book is filled with the vivid paintings of artist Graig Kreindler, whose extraordinarily detailed work captures our national pastime’s biggest icons in action.

The book tells the story of baseball on stamps and comes complete with 16 postage stamps: The ten Legendary Playing Fields stamps issued in 2001, the two 2010 , and the four very popular Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps issued earlier this year.

We have five copies of Play Ball! to give away today. To enter all you have to do is send your name and address to uspsstamps [at] gmail [dot] com. Winners will be chosen at random. The deadline for entries is midnight EST, Tuesday, December 18. Good luck!

Over the past few years, artist Kadir Nelson‘s stunning creations have been showcased in several U.S. Postal Service projects. His artwork will appear on the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Stars stamps, which are set to be released later this year. His evocative paintings also helped make the 2010 Negro Leagues Baseball stamps come to life.

Nelson, the author of , checked in this week to talk a bit about the development of the 44-cent Negro Leagues Baseball commemorative stamps. (They’re still available—in sheets of 20, blocks of 10, or blocks of four through the Postal store.)

How did you become interested in Negro Leagues baseball?

I was commissioned to do a painting on Negro Leagues baseball while I was a junior at Pratt Institute. Upon researching the leagues I came across the Ken Burns documentary, Baseball. I was captivated by the history of baseball and was quite charmed by Buck O’Neil’s recollections of the leagues. I was hooked on the leagues from then on. I loved the story most of all. I found it endlessly fascinating that a group of determined baseball players and owners could create such a beautiful successful institution by themselves and hold on to the dream of integrating Major League Baseball by way of their professional play, attitudes, and presentation. The idea that something beautiful was created from something as negative and ugly as discrimination was particularly poignant for me.

Is there one player you’ve most enjoyed depicting in your work?

I loved painting all of the players, but if I had to pick one player, it would be Satchel Paige. He was tall and lanky and seemed to be always smiling inside and enjoying his life. There always seemed to be a humorous undertone with him. If I could choose another, it would be Josh Gibson. He was the epitome of what Negro Leagues baseball meant to me. Gibson represents both the triumph and the tragedy of the leagues. He was visibly strong and well equipped to play baseball on any platform, but because of the discriminative environment of Major League Baseball and the country, he was not allowed to play on the grandest stage in baseball. His is a story that represents the endless series of “what ifs” that arise from discussions about the Negro Leagues.

Can you talk a bit about your artistic process in regards to the Negro Leagues Baseball stamps?

I went through numerous sketches and ideas during the process of creating the visuals for the stamps. I found a great photo of Rube Foster that I felt represented the subject and the era. Composing the background was a bit of a challenge. We tried several approaches and wound up using an action scene that depicted the brand of fast-paced baseball that was a signature to both Rube’s preferred style of play and that of the Negro leagues.

Was it an enjoyable project for you?

Creating the Negro League stamps was one of the most fulfilling projects I’ve worked on to date. It came at the end of a series of paintings I’d finished on the Negro Leagues and felt like the perfect fit for where I was at the time. I’m very proud of them.

Looking back now, what aspect of the finished stamps do you like the most?

I can’t say I like one thing over another in regard to the stamps. I love everything about them. But of course, I may be biased.

USPS Stamp of Approval

Tag Archives: Negro Leagues Baseball

Let’s Celebrate “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” With A Contest

Play Ball! Baseball Season Giveaways Begin Today

Play Ball! The Perfect Gift for Baseball Fans

Stamp Artist Kadir Nelson Talks Negro Leagues Baseball