Wilt Chamberlain Could Score His Own Stamp

If there's anyone that's done more scoring in the history of the NBA and that would deserve to be recognized by the world in stamp form, it's Wilt Chamberlain. A group of Philadelphians are promoting the possibility and hope that the US Postal Service will approve.

Originally, the group wanted to have Chamberlain's stamp released either during Black History Month or as a commemoration of Wilt's 100 point game on March 2, 1962. Based on stamp approval guidelines (I didn't know they existed either), Wilt could land on a stamp by 2010, assuming he garners enough support.

'I'd be very proud if that happens and I'm sure he would be, too, if he was alive," said Selina Gross, Chamberlain's sister. "I think he'd be very honored. He probably wouldn't believe this could happen to him.'

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.'

Other pro-Wilt-stamp figures of public recognition include Kansas University coach Bill Self (Wilt's alma mater), John Hadl (KU's associate athletic director for major gifts) and members of the Philadelphia 76er organization. Wilt was the all time leading NBA scorer until Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rolled into the L.

He's oftentimes immortalized for his 100 point game and his, ahem, off court "game", but Hunt is dead on when he says that most young people today don't truly understand what a dominant player Chamberlain was during his 14 years in the NBA. Clearly giving him his own stamp isn't the same as YouTube tribute in terms of youthful publicity, but it will still immortalize him and give people a reason to find out why he was so important if they don't know already.

HT: Brahsome