Pin Trading at the Little League World Series
Since the first tournament in 1947, the Little League World Series has been an exciting event for children and adults the world over. While the action on the field is well-documented, there is another, perhaps lesser-known (but no less popular) pastime taking place at the tournament in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania: pin trading. Yes, pin trading. ...
Mark Anderson
Since the first tournament in 1947, the Little League World Series has been an exciting event for children and adults the world over. While the action on the field is well-documented, there is another, perhaps lesser-known (but no less popular) pastime taking place at the tournament in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania: pin trading.
Yes, pin trading. Custom lapel pins representing the teams in the series (and even teams that aren't) are a hot commodity at the stadium and throughout the city. Teams bring hundreds, sometimes thousands, of custom pins with them to South Williamsport, with the intent to trade them among other players and fans.
While it's difficult to pin down (pun definitely intended) exactly when the tradition began, pin trading has become a ritual at the Little League World Series. League officials now even designate certain areas for pin trading, complete with tents and tables that are almost always full of eager traders.
This video posted by WNEP 16 News in South Williamsport shows just how popular the trading areas are at the Little League World Series:Â http://wnep.com/2015/08/24/pin-trading-at-the-little-league-world-series-2/
At TJM, we've talked to teams extensively about what makes a popular pin. The crazier or more unique the pin, the more people want to have it. Glitter, danglers, spinners, blinkers, and other additional pin features make a pin more desirable for a collector. While pin attributes are important, people also really want to get their hands on the winning teams' pins to add to their collection book.
Speaking of collection books, there are pin traders at the LLWS with thousands of pins in their personal collections. PennLive.com reported on one such collector, Whitey Mausteller, who boasts a collection of around 25,000 pins, with an estimated dollar value in the four figure range. Like we said, pin trading is serious business!
With the Little League World Series beginning today and continuing through the end of August, we're excited to keep up with the action. TJM Promos wishes all of the participating teams good luck, and we'll see you on the field — and in the trading tents!
Little League World Series photo courtesy of Wikipedia user: Ruhrfisch