Japan Olympic wrestler Shozo Sasahara autograph on Dominican Republic Scott B32

Description

Offered here is an autographed piece of cardstock signed by
Shozo Sasahara (July 28, 1929) is a retired Japanese freestyle wrestler who won a world title in 1954 and an Olympics gold medal in 1956. He was the flag bearer for Japan at the 1956 Games. During his career Sasahara won approximately 200 bouts. After retiring from competitions he worked as a national coach. His trainees included Osamu Watanabe. Sasahara is credited with designing "bound tennis" in 1980, which is a form of tennis played on a small-sized court. In 1981 he became the founding president of Japan Bound Tennis Association. Between 1989 and 2003 Sasahara was president of Japan Wrestling Association. For many years he also served as Vice-President of United World Wrestling (FILA), and was later named its Honorary Vice-president. In 2006 he was inducted to the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame
.
The signature is over a related stamp:
Dominican Republic 1959 3c+2c Shozo Sasahara semipostal International Geophysical Year Scott B32
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Also included: Handwritten letter and envelope from Sasahara in Japan to Bowman in Pittsburgh PA.
Ex. James A. Bowman Collection ---
James A. Bowman, a longtime educator at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania, began collecting autographs on stamps in the late 1930s and continued into the 1950s. A history buff with an impressive, award-winning stamp collection, Bowman incorporated the signatures of some of the world’s greatest names as a way of exciting the imaginations of his seventh grade classroom and, in his own particular way, bringing history to life: ‘I have found that there is a visual means of forming this necessary educational contact, which inspires the best in the lives of pupils; namely, the exhibiting of the autographs of the great people in all fields of endeavor.’ Bowman's collection includes over 700 different autographs of famous persons signed on cards, letters and over postage stamps.
The catalyst for Bowman was a stamp auction in 1938, and the chance to obtain a coil strip of three of the 2c Thomas Edison Commemorative, signed across the face by the famed Menlo Park inventor. He lost the bid, but in his failure Bowman discovered a novel way of enhancing his philatelic pursuits—mailing stamps to notable figures for them to sign. His first successful signed stamp was Alfonso XIII of Spain, and his second, after several attempts, was King Edward VIII.
Although the advent of World War II forced Bowman to secure a license for sending stamps abroad, even this could not slow the steady growth of his collection. And much to Bowman’s eruditionary delight, as his collection grew, so did the fascination of his students: ‘Many of my pupils have been inspired by the signatures of the great people of our times to do better. Some of the pupils have themselves taken up the hobby.’ Filled with an array of world leaders, presidents, inventors, scientists, artists, and athletes, the James A. Bowman Collection is one of the most extraordinary autographed collections ever assembled where every single signature was acquired directly by the collector. Each autographed item from the Bowman Collection will be listed separately and available to collectors through our eBay auctions in the weeks and months ahead.
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