The 7-foot-1 Wilt Chamberlain played basketball at Kansas University in the 1950s.

A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to team up with Jayhawks across the nation to score what he considers the ultimate honor for a favorite son who went on to become one of Kansas University’s tallest students and the world’s most dominant basketball player: Wilt Chamberlain on a stamp.

“Let’s send a strong, powerful, united message about this,” said state Rep. Ronald G. Waters, a Philadelphia Democrat. “The postal service, they’re pretty much giving it a thumbs-up, but not the final OK. Let’s get the final OK for Wilt.”

Last week the Pennsylvania House unanimously approved a resolution calling for Chamberlain to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, to honor The Stilt’s “gravity-defying” basketball achievements — including 100 points in a single NBA game, a Hall of Fame career and more — and longtime support of organizations such as Project H.O.M.E., Operation Smile and the KU Endowment Association.

The whole effort started with a newspaper column in 2008, and since has spread to Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Ranjit Arab, acquisitions editor for the University Press of Kansas, signed an online petition for what he considers to be a slam-dunk case.

“He’s a very important American figure,” Arab said. “Not only is he a sports legend, but we in Lawrence know that he did a lot to help desegregate our city. He’s more than a great athlete. He’s a larger-than-life figure.”

Mark Saunders, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, cautions that only 20 of 50,000 such suggestions make the cut each year. But supporters are encouraged to send letters — that’s right, letters — to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Postmaster General.

“There’s power in the pen, so the committee pays real attention to that,” Saunders said. “We take hard-copy letters only. We’re the Post Office. Use the mail.”