Larry Doby First Day Cover

The official July 20, 2012 Cooperstown, NY black and white and color first day cancels for the Baseball All-Stars: Larry Doby, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Willie Stargell...

The official Cooperstown, NYJuly 21, 2012 first day of sale (nationwide) for the Baseball All-Stars: Larry Doby, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Willie Stargell...

Official black and white and color first day of sale cancels - Cleveland, Ohio for the Larry Doby stamp.

The other stamps had cancels for New York (DiMaggio), Williams (Boston) and Stargell (Pittsburgh)..

Several post offices around the country offered special cancels for the Baseball All-Star set including the above from Aug 23, 2012 Patterson, NJ and the below from West Sacramento, Ca (July 20) which had cancels for all four players...

Raley Field is home to the Sacramento River Cats (AAA-affiliate of the Oakland Athletics).

July 26, 2012 - Camden, SC

2012 Larry Doby honored

Larry Doby (1923-2003)

July 5, 1947 a few months after Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier, Larry Doby made his debut for the American League Cleveland Indians. Doby would go on to appear in seven All-Star games and finish second in the 1954 American League MVP voting.

• 1998 inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
• 1994 the Indians retired Doby's #14 
• 2007 the Indians again honored Doby on August 10, 2007 as Larry Doby Day..
• 2010 inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame
• 2012 Indians rename Eagle Ave next to the Indians' Progressive Field as Larry Doby Way

Starting his career with the Newark Eagles 1942-1943, 1946, he would move on to the Indians from 1947-1955, 1958, Chicago White Sox 1956-1957, 1959, Detroit Tigers 1959 and finally in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons in 1962. Doby would also manage the Chicago White Sox in 1978 (becoming the second black manager in the Major Leagues following Frank Robinson)...

July 20, 2012 Cooperstown, NY - the USPS will honor Doby along with Joe DiMaggio, Willie Stargell and Ted Williams, four players who captured the imagination of the public for their exploits on and off the playing field. The stamps were designed by Kadir Nelson and based on historic photographs of each of the men.

Buck Leonard

Babe Ruth first day cover signed by Bill Terry and Buck Leonard. (both obtained through the mail)
Bill Terry (1898-1989) Major League first baseman and manager with the New York Giants, 1923-1941. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame 1954...
Buck Leonard (1907-1997)  played for the Homestead Grays 1934-1950, Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame 1972 by the Negro Leagues Committee...
A 3-time Negro League World Series champion, 12-time All-Star, Leonard also played for Indios de Mayaguez, 1940-41, Algodoneros de Terreon, 1951-53, Minor Leagues 1953, Durango 1955.

Upon receiving the above cover autographed by Buck Leonard the above typed note was sent along with the cover.

Dear Baseball Fan:
I Have recently had a stroke and am recovering from it now. I am walking, but it will take some time before I am fully recovered.
I am learning how to write with my throwing hand (Left hand), but will you please hold off on your autograph requests until at least January. Would you also please just send one item.
Thank you very much for your interest in me.
Sincerely
Walter F. (Buck) Leonard

Rube Foster - Negro Leagues

July 15, 2010...the USPS issued 2 stamps to honor Rube Foster and the Negro Leagues, which operated from 1920 into the 1960s. The se-tenant stamp features a scene painted by Kadir Nelson...
The stamps were issued at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City, Mo. In attendance as honored guests to the dedication ceremony were Mamie "Peanut" Johnson and Cleophus Brown...

Original sketch of the stamp design by Kadir Nelson, as shown on the site Beyond the Perf.

The US Postal service decided not to focus on one particular player, especially since Josh Gibson, Stachel Paige and Jackie Robinson had recently been honored as part of the Legends of Baseball, 2000. Working with art director Howard Paine, Nelson choose to create a se-tenant design with the image stretching across both stamps. The left-hand stamp shows the excitement of the game, while the right-hand stamp features Rube Foster, founder of the first successful Negro baseball league.