Willie Mays and Pat Summitt to debut on U.S. stamps in 2027
The new releases honor two sports legends, with Mays depicted in his iconic 1954 catch and Summitt in a formal oil portrait.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
The U.S. Postal Service announced Monday that it will release commemorative stamps honoring baseball star Willie Mays and Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt next year. The two athletes will join the USPS permanent collection in 2027, marking the first time both figures appear on U.S. postage since their deaths.
Mays, who passed away in 2024 at age 93, spent his 23-year career with the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets. He finished with a .301 batting average, 660 home runs, and 1,909 runs batted in. His stamp, designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá, mimics the layout of a vintage baseball card. The design features an orange background referencing the colors of his former teams. An inset image captures Mays' famous over-the-shoulder catch of Vic Wertz's drive during the 1954 World Series opener. This issue will be the 50th stamp in the Black Heritage series.
Summitt died in 2016 at age 64 after leading the Tennessee Lady Vols to eight national titles. She recorded a career win-loss record of 1,098-208 between 1974 and 2012. Her stamp displays an oil-on-primed-linen portrait created by artist Roberto Parada. Ethel Kessler, another USPS art director, designed the stamp layout. Summitt is inducted into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Postal Service confirmed the release schedule as part of its annual planning for 2027. No other specific release dates were provided for the individual stamps.
