Boxing world champion # 20 - Ingemar Johansson
Another one of Czesław Słania's non-postal, private, engravings, the twentieth in a series of 23 engravings of heavy-weight boxing world champions, starting with John Sullivan and ending with Cassius Clay.
Ingemar Johansson, in full Jens Ingemar Johansson, byname Hammer of Thor, (born September 22, 1932, Gothenburg, Sweden—died January 30, 2009, Kungsbacka), Swedish-born world heavyweight boxing champion.
While an amateur boxer, Johansson was a member of the European Golden Gloves team in 1951. He was a member of the Swedish team at the Olympic Games in 1952 but was disqualified in his semifinal round against American Ed Sanders; Johannson rarely threw a punch during the bout, and the referee felt that the boxer was not giving his best. This fight damaged Johansson’s reputation, and not until 1982 did the International Olympic Committee (IOC) award Johansson the silver medal he was denied at the 1952 Games.
In December 1952 Johansson turned professional. He won the European heavyweight title in 1956 against Francesco Cavicchi, and in 1958 he scored a one-round knockout over Eddie Machen, a leading American heavyweight. On June 26, 1959, Johansson faced world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in New York’s Yankee Stadium. Patterson was heavily favoured, but Johannson landed several times with a right-hand punch he humorously referred to as “thunder and lightning,” and Patterson was knocked out in the third round. In the June 20, 1960, rematch, which took place at the Polo Grounds in New York, Patterson seemed to have learned from his mistakes. Johansson was knocked out in the fifth round. On March 13, 1961, at Miami Beach, Florida, Johansson made another attempt to regain the championship but failed when Patterson scored a sudden knockout in the sixth round.
Johansson won the European heavyweight championship again in 1962 against Dick Richardson, forfeited the title in 1963 for failing to defend it, and then retired. From 1952 to 1963 he had 28 bouts, winning 26 (17 by knockouts). His two losses to Patterson were the only defeats in his professional career. After his retirement Johansson divided his time between Florida and Sweden. {Source: Britannica]
On eBay these boxer stamps seem to be traded much like baseball cards, but because of the real rarity of them, prices can get quite high, and fake copies exist. I just checked, Cassius Clay stamps are priced from 4 USD for a block of four, or c. 9,900 USD for a single, while a complete series can be had for c. 60 USD. Makes you wonder which are genuine and which are fakes. I bought mine directly from Słania, so I know they are the real deal.
Słania was a great fan of boxing. In 1987, when he and his friend and colleague Hans Nyman were in Toronto for the world exhibition Capex 87, the fire alarm went off in their hotel. Nyman, who was staying on the third floor rushed out of bed and down to the lobby, but there was no sign of Słania among the hundreds of hotel guests. It turned out to be a false alarm, so everyone returned to their rooms. In the morning Nyman asked why Słania didn't get down. He replied that he was watching a boxing match on TV and since he was staying on the 14th floor, he probably wouldn't be able to get down in time, so he might as well keep watching the match. That's dedication for you. [Source: Thorsten Sandberg: "Czeslaw Slania The Collector's Icon - Colleague - Friend", Postryttaren 2008, my translation].
Czesław Słania (1921-2005) was the fantastic engraver who made over 1,000 stamp engravings (actually 1,070) in addition to many other works.
He created stamps for these 35 countries or postal administrations:
Australia
Belgium
China
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Great Britain
Greenland
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Jamaica
Latvia
Lithuania
Marshall Islands
Monaco
New Zeeland
Poland
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
United Nations Geneva
United Nations New York
United Nations Vienna
United States
Vatican
Åland
Boxing world champion # 20 - Ingemar Johansson
Another one of Czesław Słania's non-postal, private, engravings, the twentieth in a series of 23 engravings of heavy-weight boxing world champions, starting with John Sullivan and ending with Cassius Clay.
Ingemar Johansson, in full Jens Ingemar Johansson, byname Hammer of Thor, (born September 22, 1932, Gothenburg, Sweden—died January 30, 2009, Kungsbacka), Swedish-born world heavyweight boxing champion.
While an amateur boxer, Johansson was a member of the European Golden Gloves team in 1951. He was a member of the Swedish team at the Olympic Games in 1952 but was disqualified in his semifinal round against American Ed Sanders; Johannson rarely threw a punch during the bout, and the referee felt that the boxer was not giving his best. This fight damaged Johansson’s reputation, and not until 1982 did the International Olympic Committee (IOC) award Johansson the silver medal he was denied at the 1952 Games.
In December 1952 Johansson turned professional. He won the European heavyweight title in 1956 against Francesco Cavicchi, and in 1958 he scored a one-round knockout over Eddie Machen, a leading American heavyweight. On June 26, 1959, Johansson faced world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in New York’s Yankee Stadium. Patterson was heavily favoured, but Johannson landed several times with a right-hand punch he humorously referred to as “thunder and lightning,” and Patterson was knocked out in the third round. In the June 20, 1960, rematch, which took place at the Polo Grounds in New York, Patterson seemed to have learned from his mistakes. Johansson was knocked out in the fifth round. On March 13, 1961, at Miami Beach, Florida, Johansson made another attempt to regain the championship but failed when Patterson scored a sudden knockout in the sixth round.
Johansson won the European heavyweight championship again in 1962 against Dick Richardson, forfeited the title in 1963 for failing to defend it, and then retired. From 1952 to 1963 he had 28 bouts, winning 26 (17 by knockouts). His two losses to Patterson were the only defeats in his professional career. After his retirement Johansson divided his time between Florida and Sweden. {Source: Britannica]
On eBay these boxer stamps seem to be traded much like baseball cards, but because of the real rarity of them, prices can get quite high, and fake copies exist. I just checked, Cassius Clay stamps are priced from 4 USD for a block of four, or c. 9,900 USD for a single, while a complete series can be had for c. 60 USD. Makes you wonder which are genuine and which are fakes. I bought mine directly from Słania, so I know they are the real deal.
Słania was a great fan of boxing. In 1987, when he and his friend and colleague Hans Nyman were in Toronto for the world exhibition Capex 87, the fire alarm went off in their hotel. Nyman, who was staying on the third floor rushed out of bed and down to the lobby, but there was no sign of Słania among the hundreds of hotel guests. It turned out to be a false alarm, so everyone returned to their rooms. In the morning Nyman asked why Słania didn't get down. He replied that he was watching a boxing match on TV and since he was staying on the 14th floor, he probably wouldn't be able to get down in time, so he might as well keep watching the match. That's dedication for you. [Source: Thorsten Sandberg: "Czeslaw Slania The Collector's Icon - Colleague - Friend", Postryttaren 2008, my translation].
Czesław Słania (1921-2005) was the fantastic engraver who made over 1,000 stamp engravings (actually 1,070) in addition to many other works.
He created stamps for these 35 countries or postal administrations:
Australia
Belgium
China
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Great Britain
Greenland
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Jamaica
Latvia
Lithuania
Marshall Islands
Monaco
New Zeeland
Poland
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
United Nations Geneva
United Nations New York
United Nations Vienna
United States
Vatican
Åland