U.S. #5502
Issue Date: July 27, 2020
First Day City: Burbank, CA
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 20
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 50,000,000
Usually, Bugs Bunny is a fairly self-motivated character. This 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 teh 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.