Pins are a huge part of Little League tournaments - and Little League in general. I have my first Little League pin from 1994 - the first year that I umpired in an All Star tournament. My collection is not that big compared to some I've seen, but I have a bunch. Below are some pictures of my original Willow Glen hat, with pins from years gone by.
Over the years I have collected many pins, from northern California, as well as from across the western US (received during my Regional Tournament in 2009). One of these days I plan to organize them into something resembling a display, but for now, they are pleasant reminders of previous tournaments and lots of friends.
I also have a collection of personal pins from umpires I have worked with over time, and who have become good friends of mine. These folks share my passion for baseball, and enjoy working with Little Leaguers of all ages. Here are some of my favorites
Part of the fun of the tournament is sharing pins between umpires - giving a gift from your District to each other. Since CA D12 hosted not only their own District tournament, but also Section, Nor Cal and Western Region, this year's set of pins from D12 is something to behold. This is not a great picture - but you get the idea - an Umpire pin at the bottom, and then a pin for each of the tournaments we hosted!
And, finally, my own personal World Series pins have arrived. I'll be trading these with other umpires at the tournament, as well as some of the fans who I know will be looking to add to their collections.
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