FRAMED & MATTED U.S. UNUSED POSTAGE STAMP FOR BASKETBALL

This U.S. postage stamp was issued on August 25, 1991 in Springfield, Massachusetts to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the sport begun by Canadian James Naismith.  In 1891, he moved to take a job as a physical education teacher at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.  During his time there, Naismith was in charge of boisterous class that could only play indoor games during the cold New England winter.  The students grew rowdy, leading the school’s director, Dr. Luther Gulick, to give Naismith a special task.  He gave him 14 days to create a new game to be played indoors that would provide an “athletic distraction.”  The game couldn’t require too much space, should help to keep track athletes in shape, and “make it fair for all players and not [be] too rough.”    

It’s been claimed that once he developed the basic ideas for the game, Naismith wrote out the 13 rules in about an hour.  The game proved popular and Naismith soon decided to publish the rules to share with more people.  So on January 15, 1892, he published the 13 rules of basketball in The Triangle, a local physical education journal.  

 Naismith never wanted fame or recognition for creating basketball, but he did get some satisfaction in seeing it made an official Olympic sport at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.  Naismith died three years later on November 28, 1939.     

The second picture shows a close up of the stamp.  It is matted in black mat. The frame is black wood (approximate size is 3 X 4 1/4 inches). Frame comes with stand. NOTE: Mark at bottom left of picture is only a reflection. This makes an excellent gift for anyone who loves the sport of basketball. 

The Stamp is UNUSED U.S. POSTAGE STAMP.  FREE Shipping.

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