# 5502 - 2020 First-Class Forever Stamps - Bugs Bunny: Playing Baseball
US #5502
2020 Baseball Player – Bugs Bunny
- One of 10 stamp designs celebrating Bugs Bunny’s 80th birthday
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bugs Bunny
Value: 55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: July 27, 2020
First Day City: Burbank, California
Quantity Issued: 50,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor, overall
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Bugs Bunny’s official screen debut.
About the stamp designs: Pictures a one of Bugs Bunny’s iconic personas – a baseball player. The artwork came directly from Warner Bros. animation artists who also created the sketches on the reverse side of the complete pane of 20 stamps.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic with a First Day of Issue postmark from Burbank, California, home of Warner Bros.
About the Bugs Bunny set: Includes 10 different stamp designs issued in honor of Bugs Bunny’s debut on screen in 1940. Each design pictures a different on of Bugs’ famous personas: a barber, basketball player, Hollywood celebrity, court jester, Brünhilde, mermaid, piano player, super-rabbit, baseball player, and soldier. The set also honors Bugs’ place in popular culture and animation history.
History the stamp represents: Usually, Bugs Bunny is a fairly self-motivated character. That is, most of what he does is for his own gain or entertainment. However, once in a while, he sticks up for someone else. For example, in the 1946 cartoon Baseball Bugs, he sees an old baseball player being overwhelmed by a team of thugs and decides to help.
After watching the baseball game from his hole in the outfield, Bugs gets fed up with the bullies, known as the “Gas-House Gorillas.” They were cheating and playing dirty the whole first part of the game, and Bugs takes matters into his own hands. He starts heckling them, declaring he could defeat the entire team by himself. The Gorillas surround him and “force” him to join the game – exactly what Bugs wanted.
Before long, Bugs’ athletic abilities (and a few of his special tricks) turn the tide of the game. He pitches every ball, catches for himself, and even yells encouragements to himself from the bench. The Gorillas are unable to hit his pitches and are also unable to strike him out.
The last play of the game sees Bugs taking a taxi to the Empire State Building and climbing to the top to make an astounding catch of a home-run ball. The game goes to Bugs and the old baseball player, proving once and for all that it never pays to play dirty.
US #5502
2020 Baseball Player – Bugs Bunny
- One of 10 stamp designs celebrating Bugs Bunny’s 80th birthday
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bugs Bunny
Value: 55¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: July 27, 2020
First Day City: Burbank, California
Quantity Issued: 50,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor, overall
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Bugs Bunny’s official screen debut.
About the stamp designs: Pictures a one of Bugs Bunny’s iconic personas – a baseball player. The artwork came directly from Warner Bros. animation artists who also created the sketches on the reverse side of the complete pane of 20 stamps.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic with a First Day of Issue postmark from Burbank, California, home of Warner Bros.
About the Bugs Bunny set: Includes 10 different stamp designs issued in honor of Bugs Bunny’s debut on screen in 1940. Each design pictures a different on of Bugs’ famous personas: a barber, basketball player, Hollywood celebrity, court jester, Brünhilde, mermaid, piano player, super-rabbit, baseball player, and soldier. The set also honors Bugs’ place in popular culture and animation history.
History the stamp represents: Usually, Bugs Bunny is a fairly self-motivated character. That is, most of what he does is for his own gain or entertainment. However, once in a while, he sticks up for someone else. For example, in the 1946 cartoon Baseball Bugs, he sees an old baseball player being overwhelmed by a team of thugs and decides to help.
After watching the baseball game from his hole in the outfield, Bugs gets fed up with the bullies, known as the “Gas-House Gorillas.” They were cheating and playing dirty the whole first part of the game, and Bugs takes matters into his own hands. He starts heckling them, declaring he could defeat the entire team by himself. The Gorillas surround him and “force” him to join the game – exactly what Bugs wanted.
Before long, Bugs’ athletic abilities (and a few of his special tricks) turn the tide of the game. He pitches every ball, catches for himself, and even yells encouragements to himself from the bench. The Gorillas are unable to hit his pitches and are also unable to strike him out.
The last play of the game sees Bugs taking a taxi to the Empire State Building and climbing to the top to make an astounding catch of a home-run ball. The game goes to Bugs and the old baseball player, proving once and for all that it never pays to play dirty.