The Day I Saw My Trading Pin Designs Come to Life

By Nick C.

For the last 5 years at Signature Pins, I have been designing baseball and softball pins for USSSA teams across the nation.

Usually my only contact with the team is what I read in their emails and quote requests. Occasionally, I’ll check out the team website for more info but nothing is like actually going to one of these tournaments which I had the privilege of doing at the end of July.

I’ve been to Little League baseball and softball games before I was a pin artist but I never really noticed how seriously these kids take their game. They travel from all over the country to one central location just to play baseball and softball with kids their age. It took me back to the days when I was 14 and it made me wish I could go back in time and play ball again.

Now that I’m a little older, I’ve got a whole new perspective on this kind of youth tournament. I realized that these girls and boys are having the time of their lives and they’ll remember these hot days in Florida (playing ball, eating hotdogs, getting dirty and sweaty) forever. While sitting at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, I realized that my work as a graphic artist was going to play a small part in their memories.

After the girls play each game, they of course shake hands on the field, give each other “good-games”, and congratulate one another. They then like to find a shady spot near the stands or concession area so they can trade their pins. I noticed that each girl was equipped with between 50-100 pins with their team’s logo on them. Some had special towels completely covered with other team’s pins. Most girls had lanyards for carrying their access IDs and every one of those lanyards was covered in pins. I got a nice close look at one of those lanyards. That was when my heart jumped: Right there on that lanyard covered in trading pins, were two of my original designs (Bay City Bombers and Miami Wildcats)! Until that moment, I really had no further contact with the pin design after I submitted the proof to the customer. But now everything was different. I was actually witnessing the trading process of the finished product. If that wasn’t exciting enough, a few of the most coveted designs were mine!

All in all, it was a very interesting experience. I think it’s going to help me as a designer. Now, I can actually picture these kids in my head as they’re passing my designs back and forth, looking for the coolest ones. It’s more fulfilling to draw these baseball and softball designs now that I have had this experience and I can’t wait to go back and see them play next season!

Download Signature Pins Ultimate Trading Pin Guide

Download this Ultimate Trading Pin Guide and email it to your coach or team manager, so your team can get Enamel Trading Pins in time for your tournament!