International Baseball Postage Stamps
Spanning 1960-1969, this collection of international postage stamps showcases baseball’s global impact through commemorations of Olympic appearances, regional games, and historical events, from countries like Costa Rica, Cuba, and Japan.
1960
Costa Rica
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, were held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy. Marking a significant moment in Olympic history, these Games were the first to be televised, significantly expanding their global reach. To commemorate this event, a set of 10 stamps was issued, featuring sports like Running, Swimming, Bicycling, Weightlifting, Tennis, Boxing, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, and Shooting. Notably, the 1960 Rome Olympics included baseball as a demonstration sport, underscoring its growing global popularity and potential for future inclusion as an official Olympic sport.
Romania
The Children’s Sports Series, featuring a set of five stamps, showcases various sports activities including sanius (sledding), alergari (running), patinaj (skating), inot (swimming), and oina. Oina is a traditional Romanian game akin to baseball, involving hitting a ball and running to different markers.
1961
Colombia
The 1961 Colombia postage stamps celebrate the IV Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos (4th Bolivarian Games), held December 3–16, 1961, in Barranquilla, organized by the Bolivarian Sports Organization (ODEBO). These stamps depict various sports from the games, such as baseball, football/soccer, and basketball, along with a stamp featuring the statue of Simon Bolivar with flags.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica released these commemorative postage stamps in April 1961, featuring a blue ink overprint, to honor the 15th Amateur Baseball Championship. This international sporting event held immense global significance since its inaugural edition in 1938 when England emerged as the champion. In a historic turn of events, the year 1961 saw Costa Rica hosting the championship, and it was Cuba that emerged as the triumphant team.
Liberia
Issued on December 4, 1961, this postage stamp set celebrates Scoutism, emphasizing its cultural significance in Liberia. Each stamp, adorned with silhouettes of a baseball player, tennis player, and soccer player, highlights the blend of sports and scouting, reflecting the importance of physical education and teamwork in young scouts’ development. This series underscores scouting’s role in broader educational and character-building efforts.
1962
Cuba
This 1962 Cuban postage stamp celebrates the National Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER), which governs all Cuban sports and recreation. INDER, akin to Cuba’s Ministry of Sport, develops sports for all citizens and trains elite athletes. This belongs to a series of 30 different sports stamps issued for the occasion.
Cuba
In 1962, Cuba released a series of postage stamps to honor the 9th Central American and Caribbean Games, with one of these stamps showcasing the sport of baseball. These stamps, issued on August 27, 1962, commemorate the games hosted that year in Kingston, Jamaica, an event notable for its near-cancellation and for being the first time the games took place in a non-Spanish speaking country. The games, which are only second to the Olympics in terms of longevity, are a major sporting event for countries in Central America, the northern region of South America, and Caribbean islands and territories. During these games, Cuba excelled with the highest number of gold medals.
Cuba
In 1962, Cuba issued postage stamps to commemorate the Latin American University Games which took place in Havana, Cuba. These stamps feature baseball, track, basketball, and the globe, all adorned with the International University Sports Federation (FISU) seal. Released on October 13, 1962, these stamps celebrated the university-level athletic competition in Latin America, a significant event in the region’s sporting calendar.
Japan
These 1962 Japan postage stamps, issued on October 21, commemorate the 17th National Athletic Meeting and feature themes of softball and rifle shooting. The event, held in Okayama Prefecture, was notable for Okinawa’s first official participation, and was celebrated under the slogan “Okayama National Athletic Meet that creates history.”
Venezuela
The First National Games in Caracas, held in 1961, marked a pivotal moment in Venezuelan sports by featuring a variety of athletic disciplines and playing a crucial role in fostering national unity and pride. This landmark event was instrumental in nurturing sporting talent throughout the country and significantly contributing to Venezuela’s cultural and social development. In commemoration of this significant event, Venezuela released six postage stamps, with one sheet featuring cycling, baseball, and gymnastics.
1963
Cuba
The 1963 Cuban postage stamp, released in conjunction with the Fourth Pan-American Games in São Paulo, honors Cuba’s victory in baseball, with the nation securing the gold medal. This tournament, featuring teams from Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Venezuela, underscored Cuba’s dominance in the sport, led by players like Franklyn Aspillaga and Antonio Rubio.
Nicaragua
The stamp issued by Nicaragua in 1963 served to commemorate the forthcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, the first ever held in Asia. Baseball was to be a demonstration sport only, between the United States and Japan, without Nicaraguan participation. The U.S. faced Japan in two exhibition games. The first game was against a collegiate team that ended in a 2-2 tie, while the second game was against adult amateur players resulted in a 3-0 victory for the U.S. The games were played on October 11, 1964, at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo.
The stamp was reissued on December 19, 1964 with the overprint “Olimpiadas Tokyo – 1964.” It was reissued again in 1968 with a “RESELLO $0.05” overprint.
1964
Afghanistan
Afghanistan celebrated Child Protection Day in 1964 by issuing stamps depicting children playing baseball in three denominations, emphasizing the country’s focus on children’s welfare. This year was also pivotal in Afghanistan due to the country’s adoption of a new constitution, ushering in a constitutional monarchy and advancing political and social rights.
San Marino
The 1964 San Marino postage stamps commemorate the 8th European Baseball Championship held in Italy. San Marino is an enclaved microstate within central Italy. During this tournament, the Netherlands clinched their sixth consecutive title, with Italy finishing runner-up.
1965
Today’s game of baseball shares similarities with pre-Hispanic Latin American ball games. There is a long-standing tradition among Latinos to commemorate this connection through trophies and art. These Mexican postage stamps, issued for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, feature clay figurines of a pitcher and a batter from Colima, Mexico, dating back to around AD 300–650.
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
1966
Cuba
The 1966 Cuba stamp commemorates the 10th Central American and Caribbean Games, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The stamp pays tribute to Cuba’s gold medal victory over Puerto Rico in baseball and celebrates the sport’s deep roots and immense popularity in the region.
1967
Cuba
In 1967, Cuba issued a postage stamp to commemorate its performance at the 5th Pan American Games held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. These games featured baseball, with Cuba competing against Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Cuba’s journey culminated in a silver medal, as they lost to the United States in the championship series.
1968
Japan
To celebrate the 50th All-Japan High School Baseball Championship Tournament, which began at Koshien Baseball Stadium on August 9, 1968, two special 15-yen postage stamps were issued. The first stamp depicts a pitcher with the championship flag. The second stamp creatively features numerous players clad in white jerseys, arranged to form a baseball shape. This unique design incorporates the number ’50’ and the year ‘1968’, highlighting the significant milestone of the tournament.
1969
Ajman
The Ajman ‘Champions of Sport’ stamps set from 1969 was a 6-stamp government-issued series, featuring Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Honus Wagner, and George Sisler. Similar stamps were issued by Manama, nearly identical except for differences in color and country designation. The Ajman post office released these stamp with perforations and without perforations as a souvenir sheet.
Cuba
Cuba commemorated its victory in the 17th World Series of Amateur Baseball, marking the event that took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from August 15 to 26, 1969. In a closely contested final, Cuba triumphed over the United States, concluding a previously undefeated streak of 9-0 for both teams. The final score was 2–1 in favor of Cuba. Accompanying the postage stamp is a secondary stamp featuring the final standings from the games.
Dominican Republic
The six vignette stamps issued for the 17th World Series of Amateur Baseball, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic feature distinctive baseball-themed designs. The Dominican Republic team won Bronze medal with a record of 7-2.
The 1 centavo stamp shows a player catching a ball, while the 2 centavos stamp presents a panoramic view of Estadio Cibao. The 3 centavos stamp depicts action at the bases, and the 7 centavos stamp illustrates the grandstands of Tetelo Vargas Stadium. The 10 centavos stamp focuses on a batting scene, and the 1 peso stamp features the facade of Estadio Quisqueya.
Manama
In 1969, similar to the Ajman ‘Champions of Sport’ stamps set, Manama also issued a series of stamps that were nearly identical, with the primary differences being in color and country designation. Unlike Ajman’s issuance, the Manama stamps were released exclusively with perforations. This government-issued series consisted of six stamps, each featuring a baseball legend: Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Honus Wagner, and George Sisler.
See all Baseball U.S. Postage Stamps:
Baseball Postage Stamps
- U.S. Baseball Stamp Issues:
- 1939 Centennial of Baseball
- 1969 100th Anniversary of Baseball
- 1969 Grandma Moses
- 1982 Jackie Robinson
- 1983 Babe Ruth
- 1984 Roberto Clemente
- 1989 Lou Gehrig
- 1989 Legends Stamp Album
- 1991 Abbott & Costello
- 1992 Olympic Summer Games
- 1995 Recreational Sports
- 1996 Centennial Olympic Games
- 1996 Folk Heroes
- 1998-2000 Celebrate the Century
- 2000 Legends of Baseball
- 2000 Youth Team Sports
- 2001 Legendary Playing Fields
- 2006 Baseball Sluggers
- 2008 Take Me Out To The Ballgame
- 2010 Negro League Baseball
- 2012 MLB All-Stars
- 2012 Play Ball! Stamp Book
- 2017 Have a Ball
- 2020 Bugs Bunny
- 2021 Yogi Berra
- 2021 Backyard Games
- 2024 Hank Aaron
- MLB Pro Stamps
- Topps Stamp Collection Cards
- Non-Postage Stamps
- International Baseball Stamps:
- Int'l Stamps (1930 to 1959)
- Int'l Stamps (1960 to 1969)
- Int'l Stamps (1970 to 1979)
- Int'l Stamps (1980 to 1984)
- Int'l Stamps (1985 to 1989)
- Int'l Stamps (1990 to 1994)
- Int'l Stamps (1995 to 1999)
- Int'l Stamps (2000)
- Int'l Stamps (2001)
- Int'l Stamps (2002)
- Int'l Stamps (2003)
- Int'l Stamps (2004)
- Int'l Stamps (2005)
- Int'l Stamps (2006)
- Int'l Stamps (2007)
- Int'l Stamps (2008)
- Int'l Stamps (2009)
- Int'l Stamps (2010)
- Int'l Stamps (2011)
- Int'l Stamps (2012)
- Int'l Stamps (2013)
- Int'l Stamps (2014)
- Int'l Stamps (2015)
- Int'l Stamps (2016)
- Int'l Stamps (2017)
- Int'l Stamps (2018)
- Int'l Stamps (2019)
- Int'l Stamps (2020)
- Int'l Stamps (2021)
- Int'l Stamps (2022)
- Int'l Stamps (2023)
- Int'l Stamps (2024)
- Int'l Stamps (2025)
Browse the Complete Baseball Stamp Checklist, view U.S. Postage Stamps, or view a year from the international stamp collection.