COVER N. 708 - USA

Postmark: Mechanical postmark Milwaukee, WI 530 date illegible

Posted on ?;  Received on the 29th April 2026

_________________________________________________________________________________

A pretty battered envelope (could it be that the ghost of Joe Frazier  found the envelope while in transit?) with the bright shining portrait of Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) who is regarded as the greatest boxer of all times, "The Greatest"  in fact being his nickname.  Thanks a lot, Norbert.

Well boxing is not my kind of sport... I am too much of a physical coward for that (I guess I have a lot of trouble not only understanding a sport where the aim seems to be punching the opponent as hard as one can until he or she is down on the ground, unable to repay in kind, but also why would anyone want - and pay - to watch someone do it...)

So I would rather remember Ali not as the boxing Champion he was, having held the heavyweight boxing champion title for three times, but as an advocate for Peace and Justice, and an icon of the 60s-70s counterculture and social activism.

And I will also never forget the image of Muhammad Ali holding the Olympic flame, to light the torch in the Atlanta 1996 Games. Such greatness, in spite of his physical limitation....

10 years after his passing, USPS honoured Muhammad Ali with a two "Forever/USA" stamp set, issued on 15JAN2026.

The stamps feature a 1974 Associated Press Photograph  of Ali and, according to the release notes the up or down positioning of the ALI legend suggests the way he moved in the ring.

Somewhere in the release notes it is mentioned that Ali once said, “I should be a postage stamp, because that's the only way I'll ever get licked.” 

Well, I have to say, "No way, champ... not even this way. These days, the damn things are self-adhesive!"