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- Circa - 1996
- Issuer - USPS
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- Scott Number - 3083
- Face Value- 32¢ (each)
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On July
11, 1996, the United States Post Office
issued four 32¢ Folk Heroes
commemorative stamps at the Postage
Stamp Mega Event in Anaheim,
California. The stamps; Paul Bunyan,
John Henry, Pecos Bill, and Mighty
Casey featured paintings by artist
David LaFleur.
Ernest Lawrence Thayer created Mighty Casey, the folk hero baseball player
pictured on this U.S. stamp. His comic
poem "Casey at the bat" was first
published the San Francisco Chronicle
in 1888.
Little leaguers and major leaguers alike can relate to the almost
unbearable tension of the moment. With
two outs in the bottom of the ninth
inning, Casey, the Mudville team's
leading slugger, came up to bat with a
chance to win the game. As Thayer tells
it, "Ten thousand eyes were on him as
he rubbed his hands with dirt, five
thousand tongues applauded when he
wiped them on his shirt.
The excitement grew like a bubble. Casey stepped up to the plate, Doffing
his hat to the fans and staring
defiantly at the opposing pitcher. Eve
after he watched the first two balls go
by for strikes, he remained calm. The
hushed crowd watched "his face grew
stern and cold, they saw his muscles
strain, and they knew that Casey
wouldn't let that ball go by again." He
Sung at the next pitch, and the "air is
shattered by the force of Casey's
blow." But then the bubble burst. The
Poem ends with a rueful lament. "There
is no joy in Mudville - Mighty Casey
has struck out."
The First day cover pictured above
features the artwork of Fred Collins.
It depicts a sullen Casey after the
game, wearing a ninetieth century uniform
with a Bib-Shield front jersey. Making
First Day Covers his life's work,
Collins hand painted FDCs have been
produced since 1978. An involved member
of the philatelic community, his
reputation for superb quality has
continued to grow.
Golden Replicas Postal Commemorative Society First Day Covers feature a 23
karat gold leaf replica of the stamp.
The cachet also comes with an
information card about the stamp, and
in this case the "Casey At Bat" poem,
which is sampled above.
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1996 Mighty Casey -
Folk Heroes FDC & USPS Postage
Stamp |
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1996 Folk Heroes
Mighty Casey Stamp |
1996 Golden Replicas Postal Commemorative Society
Folk Heroes Mighty Casey FDC |
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
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