Duke Kahanamoku, the legendary Hawaiian swimmer and Olympic medalist, is best known as the “father of international surfing.”

To honor this man of heroic achievement in water sports, the U.S. Postal Service will release a new 37-cent stamp as a tribute to his role as Hawaii’s unofficial goodwill ambassador.

The new stamp features an oil painting of Kahanamoku by Michael J. Deas of New Orleans based on a 1918 photo from the collection of the Bishop Museum. Behind the Duke on the stamp are two surfers riding a wave at Waikiki Beach. Diamond Head is visible in the background.

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born August 24, 1890, in Honolulu. He first won acclaim as a swimmer in 1911 when he broke the record for the 100-yard freestyle during an Amateur Athletic Union meet in Honolulu. Duke proved his prowess in several international competitions from 1912 to 1932.

During the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, Kahanamoku won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a silver in the 800-meter relay. He also won medals in the 1920, 1924 and 1932 Olympics.

The Duke was well-known as a surfer and is credited with popularizing the Polynesian sport by surfing throughout the world. In 1999, Surfer Magazine named him “Surfer of the Century.”

The Duke died in 1968.