To obtain a high-resolution image of these stamps for media use only, email mark.r.saunders@usps.gov.

COOPERSTOWN, NY— Today’s official first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, was the first of five ceremonies taking place in the cities where four of baseball’s most iconic legends built their careers.

Visit this link to watch the live webcast today at 10 a.m. EDT:  USPS Major League Baseball All-Stars First-Day-of-Issue Ceremony.

Orders for the stamps prior to their issuance have exceeded more than two million Stamps Batted In (SBI). The Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps honor Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees; Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians; Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. 

“Today the Postal Service honors the memory of four great players whose unchanging dreams and exceptional skills propelled them to success,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in dedicating the stamps. “Our Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever Stamps salute the accomplishments of Ted Williams, Larry Doby, Willie Stargell and Joe DiMaggio—truly remarkable men. We’re pleased to honor baseball and these four excellent players, especially since the sport reflects so much of what is unique in American culture.”

Joining Donahoe in dedicating the stamps was Hall of Famer Tony “Mr. Padre” Gwynn; Willie Stargell’s wife Margaret Weller-Stargell; Larry Doby’s son, Larry Doby Jr.; a granddaughter of Joe DiMaggio, Kathie Stein; National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Chairman, Jane Forbes Clark; U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors member Louis Giuliano and Brian Kenny of the Major League Baseball Television Network.

Responding to customer demand, in addition to the sheet of 20 stamps depicting all four players dedicated in Cooperstown and available nationwide today, the Postal Service will issue limited quantities of individual stamp sheets honoring each player at select Post Offices in their team’s cities at www.usps.com/play-ball beginning tomorrow.

The SBI competition began in April. Williams was leading throughout the spring and summer until DiMaggio fans took over the lead late last week with a ninth inning come-from-behind play to bat in the needed orders to edge ahead.

July 21 First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremonies

Larry Doby, Cleveland, OH

• July 21 at 10 a.m., Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, near Progressive Field, home of the Indians.

Joe DiMaggio, Bronx, NY

• July 21 at 11 a.m., Bronx Post Office, 558 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451. In conjunction with the festivities, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz will proclaim this historical recognition of a sports icon as “Joe DiMaggio Day!” Scheduled guests include DiMaggio’s granddaughter Katie Stein and Pulitzer award winning sports writer Dave Anderson and New York Yankees Museum Curator Brian Richards.

Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh, PA

• July 21 between 6:30 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. at PNC Park in Pittsburgh before the 7:05 p.m. Pirates/Marlins game for the sheet of stamps honoring Willie Stargell. Scheduled to join U.S. Postal Service Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Megan Brennan in dedicating the stamp are Stargell’s wife, Margaret Weller-Stargell; Pittsburgh Pirates Board Chairman Robert Nutting and Pirates President Frank Coonelly.

Ted Williams, Boston, MA

• July 21 at 7 p.m. in Boston’s Fenway Park prior to the Red Sox/Blue Jays game. Dedication of the sheet of stamps honoring Ted Williams. Boston Postmaster James Holland will unveil the stamp image on the field. Ted Williams Little League players will also be on the field with the Navy Honor Guard.

Customers may purchase the stamps and collectible products today by visiting this link:  www.usps.com/play-ball, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) or by mailing a check or money order to:

MLB PRE-ORDER OFFER
USPS STAMP FULFILLMENT SERVICES
8300 NE UNDERGROUND DRIVE #210
KANSAS CITY, MO 64144-0001

(For mail orders, customers should include an additional $1.25 for orders up to $50 or $1.75 for orders over $50.)

The stamps were designed by artist-illustrator Kadir Nelson of Los Angeles and are based on historic photographs. Phil Jordan of Falls Church, VA, served as art director.

Joe DiMaggio

Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999) was admired for his skill and grace as a fielder and base runner. The Yankee Clipper is best known for his incredible 56-game hitting streak in 1941—the season of “The Streak.” DiMaggio led the New York Yankees to ten pennants and nine World Series titles.

Larry Doby

Larry Doby (1923-2003) was the first African-American to play in the American League, joining the Cleveland Indians shortly after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League. The seven-time All-Star excelled as a hitter and center fielder and set an American League outfielder record for 164 consecutive errorless games.  

Willie Stargell

Willie Stargell (1940-2001) powered the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series title. Hitting 475 home runs during his career, the seven-time National League All-Star is famous for smashing baseballs out of stadiums.  

Ted Williams

Ted Williams(1918-2002) of the Boston Red Sox served during World War II and the Korean War. The last Major League player to bat over .400 for a single season, in 1941, Williams won six American League batting titles and four home run titles. Despite breaks in his career, Williams hit .344 over 19 years, including 521 home runs.  

Other 2012 Stamps
Customers may view the Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps as well as many of this year’s other stamps on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, through Twitter@USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for background on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

The following stamps and philatelic products are available at this link:  www.usps.com/play-ball/

Sheets of 20 Stamps

• Major League Baseball All-Stars (Item #469640), $9.
• Joe DiMaggio (Item #577840), $9.
• Larry Doby (Item #577940), $9.
• Willie Stargell (Item #578040), $9.
• Ted Williams (Item #578140), $9.

Uncut Press Sheets (14.5” W X 19” H - artwork suitable for framing)
Four different pristine, without perforations or die-cuts press sheets will be available: 6 stamp panes per sheet, $54:

• 2,500 sheets of each individual player: DiMaggio (Item #577884); Doby (Item #577984); Stargell (Item # 578084); Williams (Item # 578184)

Play Ball! Great Moments in Major League Baseball® History

• 40-page softbound book with 16 stamps (12 previously issued baseball stamps -Baseball's Legendary Playing Fields (10), Negro Leagues Baseball (2) and 4 of the new 2012 Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps), $24.95 (Item # 469672).

Ceremony Program

• Random stamp featuring the Cooperstown, NY, first-day-of-issue postmark, $6.95 (Item #469691).

First-Day-of-Issue (FDOI) Postmarks
First-day-of-issue black pictorial postmarks and digital color postmarks (DCP) will be available for Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York City and Cooperstown, NY. The following first-day-of-issue covers are available:

First-Day Covers (Black Pictorial Postmarks)

• Set of four covers with Cooperstown, NY, postmark (July 20, 2012), $3.56 (Item #469663)
• Set of eight; four covers with Cooperstown postmark / four covers from other cities, $7.12 (Item # 469669)
• Individual player covers with Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and New York postmark (July 21, 2012), 89 cents each:  DiMaggio (Item #577861); Doby (Item #577961); Stargell (Item #578061);Williams (Item #578161).

Digital Color Postmark First-Day Covers

• Set of four covers with Cooperstown, NY, postmark (July 20, 2012), $6.40 (Item #469668)
• Set of eight: four covers with Cooperstown postmark / four covers from other cities, $12.80 (Item # 469679)

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at http://about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.

For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional on this issue, please go to http://about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office™ Boxes. The Postal Service™ receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com®, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, Oxford Strategic Consulting ranked the U.S. Postal Service number one in overall service performance of the posts in the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

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