1996 Olympic women's Softball

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic games, the Postal Service issued twenty 32-cent 1996 Centennial Olympic Games stamps on May 2, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia. The pane of stamps features twenty Olympic athletes in action; men’s cycling, women’s diving, women’s running, men’s canoeing, the decathlon, women’s soccer, men’s shot-put, women’s sail boarding, women’s and men’s gymnastics, freestyle wrestling, women’s softball, women’s and men’s swimming, men’s sprinting, men’s rowing, beach volleyball, men’s basketball, equestrian, and men’s hurdles.

The stamps have Backprint - printing which intentionally appears on the back of a stamp. As It reads on the Back of the Women's Softball Postage stamp: "Women's Softball will make it's first appearance in the 1996 Games. The United States team is the world Champion and one of the teams favored to win a medal." Team USA went on to win the gold, with an 8-1 overall record, and defeating China in the Gold Medal Match, 3-1.

The back of the First Day Covers read; "Women’s softball will make its debut at the 1996 Olympic Games. The game was originally developed as a form of indoor baseball by George W. Hancock of the Farragut Boat Club of Chicago in 1887. In 1895, Lewis Rober of the Minneapolis Fire Department adapted the rules for outdoor play, creating the modern version of the game.

In the United Sates, softball is a popular alternative to baseball for women at both high school and college levels. Although softball resembles baseball, the rules differ several ways: softball pitching is done underhand; the base-runner must stay on base until after the ball is released from the pitcher’s hand; the ball is larger, with a regulation circumference of 12 inches. Also, in softball the infield is smaller – the distance between bases is 60 feet, and the pitcher’s mound is 46 feet away from home plate for men, and 40 feet for women.

Americans are familiar with “soft pitch” softball. However, the “fast pitch” version of the game is much more exciting and competitive. The pitch can be delivered to the batter at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour in fast pitch softball! As a new sport, the world will watch women’s softball with much anticipation; the U.S. team is considered a top medal contender."

The Player on the First Day Cover below is Dot Richardson. A 1982 USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree, Richardson is a two-time gold medal-winning Olympian softball player at shortstop, in 1996 and 2000. Dr. Dot Richardson was named as the head softball coach at Liberty University on July 17, 2013.

Women's Softball 1996 Olympics U.S. Postage Stamp FDC

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