Sports

On September 22, 1981, the USPS inaugurated its Sports Series (sometimes called the American Sports Personalities Series), honoring some of America’s most notable athletes. 

On July 17, 1976, Queen Elizabeth II presided over the opening ceremonies of the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. These were the first and only Summer Olympics held in Canada.

On July 6, 1933, the first All-Star game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. It’s become a beloved annual tradition held nearly every since.

Olympic swimmer Helene Emma Madison was born on June 19, 1913, in Madison, Wisconsin.  “Queen Helene” won three gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics and broke multiple world records.

On June 12, 1939, the Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, New York. Often referred to as simply Cooperstown, it’s become the home of baseball, with more than 300 inductees over the years.

Vincent Thomas Lombardi was born on June 11, 1913, in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. One of the most successful coaches in NFL history, the Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.

On June 3, 1888, the now-famous poem “Casey at the Bat” was first published in the San Francisco Daily Examiner. It’s been performed and recorded thousands of times and adapted to several other media, become the most famous baseball poem in history.

Jim Thorpe said he was born on May 28, 1888, in Indian Territory. A world renowned athlete, he helped popularize football in the United States and was the first athlete to win both the decathlon and the pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics.

Edward Patrick Francis Eagan was born on April 26, 1897, in Denver, Colorado.  He’s the only person in Olympic history to win gold medals in both Summer and Winter sports.