Bulls Get Official Postmark with Commemorative Stamp

T he Durham Bulls have now been immortalized by the US Postal service with their own commemorative postmark.

The US Postal Service has issued a commemorative Durham Bulls postmark for the Bull City post office. The USPS released a “Take me out to the ball game” stamp this summer and the special Bulls’ postmark is now available at the main post office in Durham through September.

The Durham branch held an August 28th ceremony to introduce the stamp and postmark.

For collectors, the post office sells a commemorative envelope – or cachet – with the stamp, commemorative graphics and special Durham cancellation.

About the stamp…
On July 16, 2008, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service™ issued a 42 – cent Take Me Out to the Ball Game commemorative stamp. The stamp was designed by Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Arizona.

This issuance commemorates the 100th anniversary of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” one of the most popular baseball songs of all time.

For decades, the song’s catchy chorus has been part of the musical tradition at ballparks around the country, especially during the seventh – inning stretch.

The song was born on a New York City train in the summer of 1908, when passenger Jack Norworth (1879 – 1959), an actor, singer, and songwriter who had never attended a major league ball game, saw a sign about an upcoming game at the Polo Grounds. Suddenly inspired, he took out a piece of paper and began dashing off lines about a fictional fan.

Thanks to DBBC’s Matt DeMargel for this capcom story & graphic.