Pin Highlight: 2023 Masters Tournament – Berckmans Place

The first rule about Berckmans Place is that you DO NOT talk about Berckmans Place. The second rule about Berckmans Place is that you DO NOT talk about Berckmans Place.

Just when you thought the most exclusive event in all of sports couldn’t get more exclusive, in walks Berckmans Place.

What is Berckmans Place? Its an ULTRA MEGA SUPER SECRET VIP 90,000 sq/ft venue hidden behind the fifth fairway at Augusta National Golf Club that opened in 2013. Even members of Augusta have a difficult time finding a ticket to get in here.

For the low price of just $6,000 you can enjoy watching the Masters like a king. Benefits of this venue include various bars and restaurants, complimentary food and beverages, TV’s, and exclusive merchandise. Its heaven for golf fans.

Full-sized replica greens are also there for your enjoyment. Its just like being on the course. They have all the high-end putters and golf balls for you to try out. An official Augusta caddie is even available to help.

Merchandise from the Masters can be quite expensive. Augusta doesn’t like to sell merchandise online. The secondary marketplace is where fans who aren’t lucky enough to attend have to go.

Souvenirs from Berckmans Place are even rarer. Pictured below is what pin collectors can find at Berckmans Place this year. I don’t believe you can buy these pins even after gaining access to Berckmans Place. It looks like they’re distributed as a promotional item.

2023 Topps Series 1 Baseball Super Box Pin Checklist

The 2023 Topps Series 1 Baseball Super Box is an exclusive retail product.

Inside you will find (10) 2023 Topps Series 1 Packs, (1) Exclusive Oversized Card and Companion Card, and (1) Exclusive 5-Card Pack containing Silver Patterned Foil Parallels.

Also included is 1 of 10 exclusive pins.

Here is the pin checklist:

• Mike Trout
• Julio Rodriguez
• Pete Alonso
• Juan Soto
• Aaron Judge
• Bryce Harper
• Adley Rutschman
• Ronald Acuña Jr.
• Shohei Ohtani
• Mookie Betts

I know that Topps wants to get more involved with Little League Baseball. For a few days last year the Topps Truck was at the Little League World Series handing out promo card packs to kids. That’s cool, but pins are the collectible everyone is after during that event. The next time Topps attends the Little League World Series they should have specially made pins to hand out. Pins that look like baseball cards is a great start. Perhaps making some Parallel Pins would give collectors something else to chase.

Pin Pickups From The 2022 Little League World Series

Williamsport, PA and the surrounding areas are buzzing right now. Little League players from all over the world are currently playing in the 2022 Little League World Series. Collectible lapel pins are everywhere.

At one point in time I would head over to the Little League complex to visit the corporate booths to obtain pins for my collection. I haven’t done that since 2018. Little League has really made those free pins strictly for kids.

The Topps Truck made a visit to Little League this year. I don’t believe they had any pins made to distribute. That’s a missed opportunity in my book.

Around town many businesses have pins. That’s where my focus has been for the last few years. From Dairy Queen to Long John Silver’s I was able to round up about (30) new pins for my collection.

Dugout 75th Anniversary pin found at the Chamber of Commerce

Bullfrog Brewery

Genetti Hotel

Dolly’s Diner

Taber Museum

The Clothier

Taco Bell

Ozone Toys and Collectibles

Long John Silver’s

Lycoming Candy

KFC

Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships

Pin Highlight: 2022 Little League World Series Grand Slam Parade

The 2022 Little League World Series kicks off tonight with the Grand Slam Parade. Games start on August 17th.

The Downtown Festival begins at 4:00 p.m., and the parade starts at 5:30 p.m. New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera will serve as the Grand Marshal.

Collectible lapel pins are a main draw for Little League fans. I began to see some 2022 pins show up as early as mid-July. Many more will follow as the week goes on.

Here is what the 2022 Little League World Series Grand Slam Parade pin looks like for this year.

People who are on the parade committee receive a special pin.

Pin Highlight: 2022 Little League International Congress Pins

For the first time since 1989 the Little League International Congress will be held in Williamsport, PA June 10-13, 2022.

What is the Little League International Congress? Held every 4 years, the Little League International Congress brings together volunteer District Administrators (along with many other Little League officials) in an effort to help improve the Little League program. Various rule and regulation changes are voted on among other items of business.

Pins and Little League go together like peanut butter and jelly. Most of the individuals who attend the Little League International Congress are pin collectors. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if lots of people bring their own pins along to do some trading.

The Little League Store in Williamsport has a few new pins made for the 2022 Congress.

During the late 1800’s Williamsport was known for being the “Lumber Capital of the World”. At one point in time Williamsport had more millionaires per-capita than anywhere in the world. This is why Little League’s mascot Dugout is seen dressed as a lumberjack. Nothing is more frightening than a chipmunk/beaver hybrid swinging a baseball bat with an axe head mounted on the end.

Pin Highlight: 1998 Little League World Series Honda Sponsor Pin

Taking place between August 23-29 was the 1998 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, PA. Toms River, NJ took Kashima, Ibaraki, Japan to the cleaners winning the championship game. Future MLB All-Star and Home Run Derby champion Todd Frazier was on the Toms River team. He went 4-4 with a lead-off home run, and was also the winning pitcher.

Pins have always been a huge part of the Little League World Series. Even when the games were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 corporate sponsors and local businesses released pins. Each Little League World Series brings a new wave of pins to collect. Without an official pin checklist it makes the hunt even more exciting.

Honda has been a sponsor of Little League for over 20 years. Their corporate booth on the Little League campus is constantly busy when the World Series is taking place. Eager collectors lineup early in order to get their hands on the latest Honda pins.

One of the most coveted Little League pins was released by Honda in 1998. Due to a lot of rain, Honda decided to pack up early and go home. Before doing so they handed out only a few hundred of their pins. Those factors have led this pin to become very rare. On the secondary market these have been known to reach close to $300.

2021 Little League World Series Pin Pickups

Pins! Pins! Pins! Williamsport, PA is flooded with people from all over the country thanks to the Little League World Series. They, and many local businesses have lots of pins available to buy/trade.

So far for 2021 I’ve added (24) new pins to my collection. Stops made in Williamsport included Dunkin’ Donuts, Dairy Queen, Winner, Rise and Shine Nutrition, Genetti Hotel, Clothier, Lycoming County Visitors Bureau, Dolly’s Diner, Buffalo Wild Wings, Robert M. Sides, and Taco Bell. One of the major pin manufacturers, Infiniti Pins, is setup in a conference room at the local Holiday Inn. Tons going on in there. People making trades, and freebies.

Even though the official Little League Store & Museum is closed (despite the Little League World Series taking place) merchandise for this year’s games can be found at the Lycoming County Visitors Bureau, and online.

When it comes to Little League pins, I follow the Little League Pin Traders Club on Facebook. People are constantly showing off new pins they’ve found, and updating lists of places that have pins. Very good resource.

Honestly, I’m surprised we haven’t seen PSA, BGS, and SGC grading Little League pins yet. Vintage pins have been graded for years. It seems like an untapped market along with bobbleheads.

Although it wasn’t the plan at first, I began to purchase duplicate pins to flip. Except for a few, most Little League pins need to be obtained in person. Buying them directly from the source online isn’t really an option. If you’re a collector and not in the area, eBay and trading groups are you’re best places to go. The best pins to flip are newer ones which haven’t been listed for sale yet. Doing this while the Little League World Series is going on helps a lot too.

Pin Highlight: 2020 Little League World Series ESPN Robo Cam Pin

Thanks to COVID-19 the 2020 Little League World Series did not take place. That certainly didn’t stop individuals and businesses from making their pins for fans to collect.

Pins have been a big part of the Little League World Series for years. Some of the more desirable pins come from various people who work for ESPN. When, where, and who distributes them is a total mystery to me. They just seem to popup and find their way into circulation.

A staple ESPN pin that seems to comeback year to year are the ones in the shape of the robo cams. The pin pictured below is what would have been making it’s rounds at the Little League World Series in 2020.

What makes this pin so special is the logo. This is the only pin that I’ve seen which contains the logo which would have been used for the 2020 Little League World Series. Usually the Little League store would sell logo merchandise, but they did very little of that last year. No pins for sure. Little League chose to use the same logo for 2021. The main difference is the year change.

Two of these pins have popped up for sale so far. Both auctions could easily have been for the exact same pin, and sold for close to $50 each time.

COVID-19 Reflected In Many 2020 Little League World Series Pin Designs

Even though the Little League World Series has been canceled this year, many local businesses and organizations in Williamsport and the surrounding areas made new pins for 2020.  Collectible lapel pins are very popular to buy/sell/trade when the Little League World Series is taking place.  Its one of the main attractions.

COVID-19 and the lack of Little League Baseball are truly reflected in some of the 2020 pin designs.  Many pins feature people, places, and things wearing masks.  Cool, yet kinda creepy.  This event in world history will forever be remembered on these pins.

Others take a more traditional route, and don’t mention COVID-19 at all.

Despite lots of places having pins, I’ve noticed each place didn’t order the quantity they usually do.  It makes perfect sense as to why.  No need to order as many if the Little League World Series isn’t happening.

Below is a list of places that I’ve compiled which have pins for 2020.  Some may have run out, and they’re ordering more.  Others may not order more.  I ran into others who’s pins haven’t even arrived yet.

• Boy Scouts of America
• The Clothier
• ARC Heating and Service
• Robert M. Sides Family Music Centers
• BAM! Book Store
• James V. Brown Library
• K&W Tire
• Tebbs Brothers Landscaping
• Industrial Piping Systems
• Plankenhorn Stationary
• Williamsport Sun-Gazette
• Farrington Place
• Horizon Federal Credit Union
• Buffalo Wild Wings
• Corter’s Flooring America
• West Branch Valley Federal Credit Union
• It’s My Party Store
• Thomas T. Taber Museum
• Mileto’s Sub Shop
• D&W Disposal
• WILQ 105.1 FM
• Finn Pest Control
• Arthaus Projects
• UPMC Susquehanna
• C.J. Mertes Plumbing & Heating
• Wine & Design
• DJ Cory
• Billtown Welding & Fabricating
• The Break Room of Williamsport
• Susquehanna Community Bank
• Valley View Rehab & Nursing Center
• Kriger Fence Co.
• Yoder Insurance Inc.
• Daves Repair
• Heltman’s Excavation
• Lycoming County 911
• IPT Williamsport Regional Airport

Pin Highlight: Lawrence Taylor vs. Joe Theismann – Spring-Loaded Leg Break Pin

Monday Night Football.  November 18, 1985.  Redskins vs. Giants.  Football historians remember this game all because of one play.  Washington’s quarterback Joe Theismann was sacked by linebacker Lawrence Taylor.  While falling to the ground, Taylor’s knee drove right into Theismann’s lower right leg.  As you can imagine, Theismann’s leg snapped like a twig.  The compound fracture forced him to retire at age 36.  Even though Taylor has apologized numerous times, Theismann has never blamed him for the career ending injury.

Little to no officially licensed merchandise depicting this iconic injury can be found.  Its not uncommon for cards to feature both players.  Photos of the play are the main item you’ll find.

Many years ago I came across this pin on eBay.  There are no team names/logos, player names, or anything to officially connect the Giants, Redskins, Lawrence Taylor, or Joe Theismann to it.  But just looking at it we all know what’s going on.  The player who is suppose to be Joe Theismann even has a spring-loaded leg to recreate the classic break.

Who made this pin?  How many were made?  Who distributed them?  These are all great questions.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers.  This is the only one I’ve seen.