Have a Ball Forever Stamp 2017
The Have A Ball! stamps, issued by the USPS on June 14th, 2017, feature a pane of 16 stamps with eight unique designs, each adorned with a special coating applied to select areas to provide a textured feel. Designed by Mike Ryan and art directed by Greg Breeding, these stamps offer a tactile experience alongside their visual appeal.
Ball games have been a part of human culture for millennia, with one of the earliest recorded versions, called llamaliztli, played by pre-Columbian cultures like the Mayans and Aztecs. llamaliztli matches served as significant social gatherings, bringing together diverse communities to participate in this ancient sport.
Unlike other early ball games that utilized leather balls, the Mesoamericans crafted solid rubber balls from the Castilla elastica tree due to their proximity to rainforests. In llamaliztli, players used their hips to bump a heavy ball, sometimes weighing up to nine pounds, aiming to pass it through a stone hoop positioned 20 feet above the ground. Despite its perilous nature, llamaliztli gained immense popularity, evidenced by the discovery of ball courts spanning from modern-day Nicaragua to Arizona.
While the exact rules of the original llamaliztli game have been lost, its cultural impact endures, with some indigenous populations still engaging in modified versions of the sport today. In contemporary American society, modern sporting events share striking resemblances to those of ancient Mesoamerican cultures, serving as occasions for camaraderie, competition, and celebration. These events unite people, transcending barriers to foster a collective appreciation for athleticism and cultural heritage.
