w L SPORTS PHILATELISTS r INTERNATIONAL% PHILHTEIJI Number 1 September - October 1976 Volume 15 BADMINTON POSTMARKS by REX HAGGETT If the number of stamps issued is any criteria Babminton comes third in the racquet sports popularity league table, after lawn tennis and table tennis. Even so the stamps alone would not form a very large collection because as far as I am aware, there are only 26 of them to date, 16 of which have been issued by one country - Indonesia. However, I am not concerned with the stamps in this article but with special postmarks connected with the theme. I have listed 32 of them but there will undoubtedly be omissions and I am hoping that these will be brought to my notice by readers of this article. My address may be found on page 4 of this Journal. For the purpose of cataloguing I have grouped the postmarks by events internationally, nationally and, where they do not fit into either of these categories, in a miscellaneous section at the end. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS THOMAS CUP - The institution of an International Badminton Championships was first given serious consideration by the International Badminton Federation (IBP) in 1939, and it was then that the Federation was pleased to accept from its President, Sir George Thomas, the offer of a challenge trophy for the purpose. Owing to the World War, it was not until 1948 that the first contest for the champion­ ships could be launched. The competition takes place every three years, and is divided into four zones of play for the preliminary rounds. TTie four zone winners and the champion nation of the preceding contest then meet for the title of "Champion Nation". Though officially known as the "International Badminton Championships Challenge Cup", the beautiful silver-gilt trophy is known the world over by its more familiar name of the TTiomas Cup. Manufactured in London in 1939, the cup stands 28 inches high and has a span of 16 inches, including handles. Made in three pieces, plinth, cup and lid, the latter is surmounted by a figure of a player. Engraved on the front of the cup are the words, "the International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup presented to the International Badminton Federation bv Sir George Thomas, Bart., 1939". BECOME A LIFE MEMBER Handstamp struck in black at Bandung, Indonesia on official first day covers bearing the special stamps issued to celebrate the winning of the cup. (Scott 517—519V i Handstamp (official cachet?) struck in purple on commemorative envelopes bearing the special stamps as in 1 above. The stamps are cancelled with the normal Djakarta, Indonesia handstamp and the special handstamp is struck at the side of them. Handstamp (official cachet'') struck in purple on reverse of Thomas Cup flight cover from Djakarta to Tokyo via Bangkok and Hongkong on 20th May, 1964. 4. Handstamp struck in red at Bandung. Indonesia on official first day covers bearing the special stamps issued to celebrate the winning of the cup. (Scott 645—647). Handstamp struck in red at Djakarta. Indonesia on official first day covers bearing the special stamps issued to celebrate the winning of the cup. (Scott 724—725). Handstamp struck in red at Bandung. Indonesia on official first day covers bearing the special stamps issued to celebrate the winning of the cup. (Scott 724—725). Handstamp struck in red at Bandung, Indonesia on official first day covers bearing the special stamps issued to celebrate the winning of the cup. (Scott 837—839). CUP ^E>. ^**«*fc >3N* EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - Players from England, Denmark, West Germany, Sweden . and Scotland competed in these championships which were held in Karlskrona, Sweden from 12th to 16th April, 1972 and organized by the European Badminton Union. Al. Handstamp struck in black on mail posted at the event. N.B. EM in the postmark are the initial letters of "Europa Masterskap" (European Championships). OLYMPIC GAMES - Such is the popularity of the Games that many sports which would like to be represented are not because limitations have had to be placed on the number of events so as not to make the organization too unwieldy. The practice is that as some events which have declined in popularity drop out of the games so those which command a sufficient public following replace them. At each Games a certain number of sports which are on the official competitive programme provide demonstrations and it seems to me that this has a two fold purpose. It serves to test public reaction to the sport which in turn can be a stepping stone to getting it included in the official list cf events at some future occasion. For a number of years there have been efforts to try and get Badminton included as an official Olympic sport and probably as a result it was staged as a "demonstration sport" at the 1972 Olympic Games. As to whether this will lead to official status or even be held as a demonstration sport again is something I do not know the answer to at this time. Bl. Handstamp struck in black on mail posted at the event in Munich, West Germany on 4th September, 1972. ASIAN GAMES — Political intrigue rather than outstanding sporting achievement has been the keynote of the Asian Games which came into existence in 1951 and have been staged at four-yearly intervals since 1954- The pattern was established at the inaugural games in New Delhi, when both Pakistan and China refused to compete because of the partici­ pation of India and Taiwan. Cl. Handstamp struck in purple at Bangkok, Thailand on 9th December, 1966 on first day covers posted at the games. The handstamp is in fact an official post office cachet which was used in conjunction with a special games postmark struck in black. (It is normal to find the games postmark cancelling the stamps and the cachet on a blank part of the envelope, but I have also seen covers where the converse applies.) C2. Official post office cachet struck in black at Bangkok, Thailand on official first day covers posted at the games. The 6th Asian Games were held from 9th to 20th December, 1970. SPORTS PHILATELISTS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT: John La Porta, 3604 S. Home Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402 VICE-PRESIDENT: Leonard K. Eichom, 4331 Baintree Rd, University Hghts., Ohio 44118 SEC-TREASURER William F. Brown, 1408 N. Fenton Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46219 DIRECTORS: Robert M Bruce, 1457 Cleveland Rd., Wooster, Ohio 44691 Rex Haggett, 27 Meadow Close, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, ENG. George C Kobylka, P.O. Box 159, Berwyn, IL 60402 Sherwin D. Podolsky, 16035 Tupper St., Sepulveda, CA 91543 AUCTIONS: Olech W. Wyslotsky, 55 Glenwood Ave., East Orange, NJ 07017 rvEMBERSHIP: Helen E Long, 1133 Bryce Way, Ventura, CA 93003 SALES DEPT.: Arlo Scoggin, 1345 Sleepy Hollow, Coshocton, Ohio 43812 Sports Philatelists Internation 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 meirbers. All members in good standing receive the bi-monthly issue of Journal of Sports Philately. The dues for regular membership are $5.00 per year with a one time admission fee of $1.00. Membership applications may be obtained from Helen E Long, 1133 Q-yce Way, Ventura, CA 93003. JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHILATELY EDITOR John La Porta, 3604 S. Home Ave., Berwyn, IL 60402 ASSOCIATE William F. Brown, 1408 N. Fenton Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46219 EDITORS: Robert M Bruce, 1457 Cleveland Rd., Wooster, Ohio 44691 Barbara W. de Violini, P.O. Box 5025, Oxnard, CA 93030 Edward B Epstein, Bd. of Education, 33 Church St., Paterson, NJ 07505 Joseph M Lacko, 1031 W. Chestnut St., Union, NJ 07083 Sherwin D. Podolsky, 16035 Tupper St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 Joseph E Schirmer, 7300 Blvd. East, North Bergen, NJ 07047 Olech W. Wyslotsky, 55 Glenwood Ave., East Orange, NJ 07017 ART EDITOR: Olech W. Wyslotsky, 55 Glenwood Ave., East Orange, NJ 07017 CIRCULATION: William F. Brown, 1408 N. Fenton Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46219 PUBLISHER: K-Line Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 159, Berwyn, IL 60402 PUBLICITY: Joseph E Schirmer, 7300 Blvd. East, North Bergen, NJ 07047 APS Affiliate Number 39 J^DVERTISING 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 officers 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 objectionable material. NATIONAL EVENTS Dl. Handstamp struck in black at Krems, Austria on 25th May, 1963 to commemorate the 6th Austrian National Badminton Championships. Japan — National Athletic Meeting. At these meetings teams from each Prefecture com­ pete against one another in numerous sporting events, one of which is Badminton. The meetings are held in a different Prefecture each year, the first of which was staged in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in 1946. D2. 9th National Athletic Meeting — handstamp struck in brown at Sappcro, Hokkaido District on 22nd August, 1954 on mail posted at the Badminton venue.