Wilt Chamberlain and the world’s tallest stamp
April 1, 2008 by James Edwards
Filed under NBA Basketball
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
There is a grass roots effort to get a Wilt Chamberlain stamp.
Gee, would that be the 100 cent stamp? After all, it is the 100 point game that they want to depict.
Anyway, the effort is on and you can join.
The cause was started by sports writer Donald Hunt of The Philadelphia Tribune, a 123-year-old newspaper that primarily targets the black community. Hunt, who recalled as a child watching in person Chamberlain play for the 76ers against Oscar Robertson and the Cincinnati Royals, believes “The Big Dipper” has the credentials to join Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Joe Louis and Jesse Owens among the sports legends with their own stamps.
“People should remember the great ones,” Hunt wrote for a Feb. 15 story. “They don’t come any bigger or better than Wilt Chamberlain.”
Until you have seen Wilt play it is just hard to imagine. Right now, if Kobe or LeBron get 50 points it is the major story of the day. Wilt averaged 50 points for a season; an entire season!
So, how do you help the cause?
The best way for Chamberlain, who died in 1999, to earn a sticky square is for supporters to write letters to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee. The committee reviews proposals four times a year and passes their recommendations on to the postmaster general. The earliest Chamberlain could appear on a stamp is 2010, said Roy Betts, a U.S. postal service spokesman.
Need some convincing? Check out this YouTube of Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain.
NBA Basketball comment Wilt tended to be larger than life in so many ways.
As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.
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Wilton was a superior ball player and human being. I don’t think he got the print/television time deserved. It amazing now to see Charles Barkley who had disagreements with the press and yet he is a broadcaster. I guess it’s the times.
Wilt certainly should be honored with the world’s tallest stamp. Larger than life in every way, Uncle Wiltie, as my kids called him told the tallest “tales”. You should have heard
the one about the banquet in Russia where each athlete around a huge table stood, gave a short speech, lifted his glass of vodka and shouted “skoal” while all joined in by downing the glass of vodka in tribute. Wilt, who never drank alcohol felt compelled to join in. I can still hear him laughing as he told this story and the drunken athletes falling off their chairs. So, the tallest tales and lots of them. Also, the tallest water ski. In the early ’60’s, Wilt learned to water ski while my husband, Jim who was a very close friend to Wilt, drove the boat at Lake Berryessa. No regular water ski would
support Wilt so a custom ski was made in
Santa Rosa [my son, Chris has it at his house as a souveneir]. Wilt was not supposed to participate in this kind of activity as part of his contract with the Warriors as he might be injured and unable to play but… So there they were, Jim and Wilt learning to waterski. Herb Caen described Wilt as a mountain rising from the water. anyway, Wilt was doing pretty good but as he was being brought into shore, he didn’t know he should let go of the rope and “glide” in. As a result, he came in too fast and crashed into the rocks on shore. Scrapes and bruises but no bad injuries resulted. Wilt also had the longest memory for good deeds and he never overlooked an opportunity to “repay” those who befriended him. They say, the taller the man, the farther he will fall. But, Wilt never fell. He extended those long arms around his family and friends and held them close. A giant in every way, he deserves to have a stamp to honor him.
Wilt Chamberlain is to basketball what Babe Ruth was to baseball. A stamp is the very least that should be done to memorialize this great athlete.
Hi,
What era did Chamberlain play in? I’m from the UK and although I’ve heard of him I don’t know much about him. I’m a teacher and am doing a sports quiz for a multi school event, hope you can help me out.
Thanks
Paul
Wilt played against Bill Russell in the 60’s and with the Lakers and Jerry West in the 70’s for several NBA finals including a title in 72.