Dr. WG Grace

This one’s for lovers of Cricket History.  William Gilbert "W. G." Grace, MRCS, LRCP (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest-ever players. Universally known as "W. G.", he played first-class cricket for a record-equalling 44 seasons, from 1865 to 1908, during which he captained England, Gloucestershire, the Gentlemen, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the United South of England Eleven (USEE) and several other teams. He came from a cricketing family: the appearance in 1880 of W. G. with E. M. Grace, one of his elder brothers, and Fred Grace, his younger brother, was the first time three brothers played together in Test cricket.

Right-handed as both batsman and bowler, Grace dominated the sport during his career. His technical innovations and enormous influence left a lasting legacy. An outstanding all-rounder, he excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding, but it is for his batting that he is most renowned. He is held to have invented modern batsmanship. Usually opening the innings, he was particularly admired for his mastery of all strokes, and his level of expertise was said by contemporary reviewers to be unique. He generally captained the teams he played for at all levels because of his skill and tactical acumen.

Grace qualified as a medical practitioner in 1879. Because of his medical profession, he was nominally an amateur cricketer but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional cricketer. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and moneymaking.

He took part in other sports also: he was a champion 440-yard hurdler as a young man and also played football for the Wanderers. In later life, he developed enthusiasm for golf, lawn bowls and curling.

Davis Cup 1927 - India Vs Yugoslavia and Serbia

Karoly sent me this nice card which was issued in Serbia during the Davis Cup Matches between India and Serbia played at NoviSad from 4 to 6 June 2011. The card has A nice postmark of the Davis Cup match at NoviSad. The card also displays the two teams that played against each other in 1927, namely Yugoslavia and India.
In the 2011 edition, the 2013 finalists Serbia avoided relegation with a dramatic 3-2 victory over India. Despite missing a number of their star players, Serbia came out on top against an Indian side blended with experience and youth. Serbia and India were meeting for the first time.

Dusan Lajovic got the Serbs off to a perfect start with a 63 62 75 win over Yuki Bhambri. Filip Krajinovic then upset Somdev Devvarman 61 46 63 62 to give Serbia a 2-0 lead after the opening day's play.

Indian tennis legend Leander Paes then teamed up with Rohan Bopanna to earn a dramatic victory over Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic, coming from two sets down to win 16 67(4) 63 63 86 and keep the tie alive.

Devvarman then defeated Lajovic 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to send the tie to a deciding fifth rubber. In case the tie had not been dramatic enough, the final rubber was played on the following Monday due to rain. It was Krajinovic who proved to be the hero of the day, defeating Bhambri 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to book Serbia's place in the 2015 World Group.

In the 1927 edition of the Davis Cup Tennis Tournament in the Europe Zone, India defeated Yugoslavia 3-0 in the Second Round. The match was played at the Zagreb Tennis Club Courts. India were subsequently beaten by Denmark in the Third Round 5-0 in Copenhagen.  Later in the World Challenge round played at Germantown Cricket Club grass courts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 8–10 September 1927, France beat the USA 3-2, ending a 6 year run by the USA.

Hamburg, Germany

This lovely card showing various sites of Hamburg was sent to me by Josefine living in Darmstadt.

Hamburg (Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg), is the second largest city in Germany and the eighth largest city in the European Union. It is also the thirteenth largest German state. Its population is over 1.8 million people, and the Hamburg Metropolitan Region (including parts of the neighbouring Federal States of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein) has more than 5 million inhabitants.

The port of Hamburg, on the river Elbe, is the second largest port in Europe (after the Port of Rotterdam) and tenth largest worldwide.

The official name reflects its history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League, as a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, a city-state, and one of the 16 states of Germany. Before the 1871 Unification of Germany, it was a fully sovereign state. Prior to the constitutional changes in 1919, the stringent civic republic was ruled by a class of hereditary grand burghers or Hanseaten.

Hamburg is a major transport hub and is one of the most affluent cities in Europe. It has become a media and industrial centre, with plants and facilities belonging to Airbus, Blohm + Voss and Aurubis. The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag are pillars of the important media industry in Hamburg. Hamburg has been an important financial centre for centuries, and is the seat of the world's second oldest bank, Berenberg Bank. There are more than 120,000 enterprises.

The city is a notable tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors; it ranked 17th in the world for livability in 2012.

Russian Engines

For those interested in Railway Engines, here are three of them. These maxi cards were given to me by my friend Ella.

Åland sheep

These two lovely maxi cards were given to me by my friend Ella.

Following an interesting co-operation between Åland Post and Postage Stamp Printing Bureau of China Post Group it is now time for the issue of the miniature sheet featuring Åland sheep. 

For several years, well-known stamp engraver Martin Mörck has instructed Chinese youth in the time-consuming craft of producing an engraved stamp. Initiated by Åland Post, the final exam for the trainees was the participation in a design competition designated to produce two hand-engraved, steel-printed stamp motifs for a miniature sheet featuring the species Åland sheep.  

Bridge in Helsinki

This maxi card depicts a custom house near one of the bridges in Helsinki, Finland. The stamp is one of ten issued on 23.10.2014 featuring bridges in Finland.

For more on this theme please visit http://letstalkstamps.blogspot.in/

Thank you Ella.

Christmas stamps 2014

This maxicard shows his year’s Finnish Christmas stamps, the artwork of Kristina Segercrantz, famous for several award-winning book illustrations. With these stamps executed with watercolor technique, Segercrantz wants to create a true Christmas fairy-tale atmosphere. In the blue-hued Christmas Eve Christmas-tariff stamp, an elf girl enjoys the enchanting atmosphere with a Christmas reindeer in candlelight. In the other Christmas stamp, the orange-hued Christmas Morning 1st-class stamp, an elf rings a large Christmas bell, feet off the ground.

The graphic design of the Christmas stamps comes from Olavi Hankimo. 

Thank you Ella.