^/ VCWUi^t o( SPORTS PHILATELISTS 'MTiflNATIONAL 3S^JE» "S3 mnmuwuwiiuvziim ajiizjgjiijzj^iui^iuajarejzjvirai RiwuwHmiziistizsvzrt <•• •jarararajereja^zrainrarejzran Number 1 September — October 1980 Volume 19 SPORTING GROUND POSTMARKS by Rex Haggett, SPI This, article is based on earlier one entitled "Cricket Ground Post­ marks" which I wrote for a British stamp magazine a couple of years ago. At the time of writing it I deliberately confined it to a game which is essentially British and as a result its publication was timed to coincide with one of the five "test matches" which are an annual summer feature in this country. However I was aware that these postmarks covered many more sports than cricket and so I have decideH- ro expand the original article to in­ clude all sports as I thought that this would appeal to a wider section of SPI readers. The story starts with a quote from Alcock and Holland's book, "The Postmarks of Great Bf itain and Ireland", which reads "on numerous occasions such as race meetings, cricket matches etc., the Post Office gives facilities on the spot for xh: sending of telegrams, special stamps being used by the temporary office". N.B. "Special stamps", in this case refers to handstamp cancellers. This quote is confirmed by my own experience so far as cricket grounds are concerned, because of the examples known to me as being in collectors hands, with the exception of two on plain paper, all are used on higher value postage stamps ranging in value from sixpence to five shillings. A further quote, this time from the "Philatelic Adviser", puts a date to the origins of such cancellations: "A special events Telegraph Staff from the Central Telegraph Office in London was formed and sent to attend to and cope with telegrams, press reports etc., when the local office personnel were unable to do so on special occasions. This branch of the service commenced in 1870, and the staff was paid full wages plus an extra sevenpence an hour." 1 This has brought me to the conclusion that these sporting ground post­ marks were only inc tided to bdused to cancel stamps affixed to telegram application forms; but in the normal course of • vents such items do not reach the public. So far as I know it is, and always has been, the policy of the Post Office to destroy and repulp such documents. On this point I hazard a guess that someone on the inside saw a chance of enriching his own and other stamp collections with used higher values which would not be easily come by in the normal course of events. I do not think that the fact it was a sporting ground postmark which was the attraction - I may be wrong. If this is correct it explains the scarcity of these postmarks in collect­ ors hands because only one example of each date for known cricket post­ marks is in existence as far as I am aware. I should however amplify this statement by saying that in some cases the example is on a block of stamps and there is more than one cancellations on the block. For example Bradford Cricket Ground "JU 23 1902", is on a block of sixteen Edward the seventh one shilling stamps and bears seventeen strikes in varying degrees of clarity. (I bet the clerk had a job finding room for that lot on the telegram application form.) Before writing the original article in the British stamp magazine I had several months previously written a letter to the magazine on the subject of cricket ground postmarks which was published under "Readers Letters". In it I asked for information about Cricket Ground postmarks with a view to making a comprehensive list of them. The correspondence and interest which this letter generated was very gratifying and not only did I learn of the existence of the postmarks I was asking about but in addition infor­ mation was volunteered about other postmarks such as Hull Football Ground and various Racecourses. I was also reminded about one fruitful source of information which I had neglected to explore — the General Post Office postmark proof books, which are housed in the Post Office Records in London. Anyrate as a result of this information I subsequently made three visits to G.P.O. Records and ploughed through numerous books of postmark proofs. I was essentially looking for cricket ground postmarks but I had made a note of other sporting venues which I had come across. After I had completed the tast I came to the conclusion that racecourse grand­ stand postmarks were by far the most numerous and I think that I came away with a list of about 50 of them. (Incidentally readers might be inter­ ested in the service which the British Post Office provides at their Records Office. The proof books, which are open for inspection by postal v'storians, are really bound books of photocopies and upon payment of a ee researchers can be provided with photocopies of any pages which they equire.) I must at this point sound a word of warning. I know of one collector of cricket in this country who likes to try and find out what event was taking place on the date of these postmarks. He has in some cases met unexpect­ ed obstacles. For example cricket is a summer game yet one postmark is dated 19th February, 1898. It is obvious that the ground must have been used on that occasion for something other than cricket but no amount of reference to old newspapers and the like has so far revealed what event had taken place on that date. Then again the date on postmarks illustrated in the proof books is invariably the day on which the canceller was sent to the postmaster of the he ad office of the area in which the ground is situated. So that date will not reveal any event taking place at the ground either. Now as to the postmarks themselves I have found that they can be divided into three structural types as follows: Type 1 (Sport Ground Type 2 (Sport Type 3 (Postal at bottom) Ground at top) District at bottom) SPORTS PHILATELISTS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT-. John La Porta, 3604 S. Home Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402 VICE-PRESIDENT: Edward a Epstein, Bd. Of Education, 33 Church St., Paturson, NJ 07505 SEC-TREASURER: C A. Reiss, 1410 Illuminating Bldg., Cleveland, OH 44113 DIRECTORS: Robert M. Bruce, 1457 Cleveland Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 Margaret A. Jones, 3715 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 Max Kordylewski, 1 Perry St, London, Ont, N6C 3E7 Canada Joseph M Lacko, 1031W. Chestnut St, Union, NJ 07083 AUCTIONS: Edwin E. Parrasch, m Large Ave., Hillsdale, NJ 07642 MEMBERSHIP: Margaret A. Jones, 3715 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 SALESDEPT Arlo Scoggin, 1345 Sleepy Hollow, Coshocton, OH 43812 Sports Philatelists International is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and collecting of postage stamps and related collateral material dealing with sports (including Olympics) and recreation and to the promotion of international understanding and good-will through mutual interest in philately and sports. Its activities are planned and carried on entirely by the unpaid, volunteer services of its members. All members in good standing receive the bi-monthly issue of Journal of Sports Philately. The dues for regular membership are $6.00 per year with a one time admission fee of $1.00- Membership applica­ tions may be obtained from Margaret A. Jones, 3715 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319. EDITOR: John La Porta, 3604 S. Home Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402 ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Robert M &uce, 1457 Cleveland Road, Wooster, OH 44691 Edward B Epstein, Bd. of Education, 33 Church St, Paterson, NJ 07505 Margaret A. Jones, 3715 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 Joseph M Lacko, 1031 W. Chestnut St, Union, NJ 07083 Sherwin D. Podolsky, 16035 Tupper St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 EVian G Vincent, P.O. Box 1321 Wellington, New Zealand Olech W. Wyslotsky, 39 Harrison St, Apt. 22, Montclaire, NJ 07042 ART EDITOR: Olech W. Wvslotsky, 39 Harrison St, Apt. 22, Montclaire, NJ 07042 CIRCULATION: John La Porta, 3604 S. Home Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402 F»UBLISHER: K-Line Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 159, Berwyn, IL 60402 PUBLICITY Chris Northwood, 2825 Church St, Stevens Point, WI 54481 APS Affiliate Number 39 ADVERTISING'RATES: FULL PAGE $10.00; HALF PAGE $6.00. A discount of 10% is allowed for six insertions of identical copy. Camera ready copy must be supplied by the advertiser. Publishing deadline is the first day of January, March, May, July, September and November. NOTE: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and they do not necessarily represent those of the editor, the offioers of SPI or the position of SPI itself. All catalogue numbers quoted in this publication are from Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue unless specifically stated otherwise. SPI and JSP do not guaran­ tee advertisements, but accept copy in good faith, reserving the right to reject obiectionablt material. >-Y VWSrWSrWWVVWl^WVWWWVVi^^ President^ Message John La Porta Due to the sudden resignation of newly elected Joe Schirmer, from SPI and Olympic collecting, the Board of Directors have requested that I fill in the current term for president and I have accepted. With the continued cooperation of our newly elected officers and board, all of whom I have worked with before, I anticipate a gratifying two years. JSP now has an opening for an Associate Editor to handle the New Issues Column. The requirements are to be able to compile the latest new issues and be able to type the copy for reproduction.