By Brian Wacker
Given the electronic world we live in, trips to the post office have become less frequent in recent years. But the United States Postal Service is giving us a good reason to make a visit: Arnold Palmer.
On Tuesday, the USPS announced that it will honour Palmer with a commemorative stamp in 2020.
The Forever stamp will feature James Drake’s action photo of Palmer from the 1964 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club.
A release date has yet to be announced.
The USPS said it is honouring Palmer for “his positive impact and compelling story, rising from humble beginnings to become a globally revered champion,” and because “With drive and charisma, he helped transform a game once seen as a pastime for the elite into a sport enjoyed by the masses.”
Palmer, who won 62 times on the PGA Tour, including seven major championships, died in September of 2016. He was 87.
“To have my father celebrated in this way is a true honour,” Palmer’s daughter and chairwoman of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, Amy Saunders, said in a statement. “It’s something I think he would be proud of as both an individual and as an American, and it’s a wonderful way to preserve his legacy.”
Palmer will be the fourth golfer honoured with a stamp.
Thirteen-time major champion and Masters co-founder Bobby Jones was featured on a stamp in 1981 as well as on a 1988 “Celebrate the Century” stamp for his Grand Slam in 1930. Babe Zaharias, a gold medalist in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics and a 10-time LPGA major winner, was also featured on a stamp in 1981. Francis Ouimet, who won the 1913 U.S. Open as an amateur, had a comparative stamp issued in 1987.
