The Origin Story of Infiniti Pins

by: Steve Strauss

Some companies start with a business plan. Others start with a personal story.

For Infiniti Pins & Awards, it started with Little League, pin trading, family tradition, and the kind of memories that stay with you for life.

This is my story, and the story behind the passion that still drives Infiniti Pins today.

Where It All Began

In 1983, my father, Fred Strauss Jr., took me to the Little League World Series championship game, where we watched Marietta, Georgia win the title from the hill.

The following year, we returned to Pennsylvania for the final game, but after misreading the game time, we arrived at Lamade Stadium six hours early. With time to spare, we wandered around the stadium looking for souvenirs and food, and that’s when we noticed a group of kids sitting on the ground, flipping through books filled with pins.

The First Trade

One kid asked if I wanted to trade the pins on my hat. I said no. Those were pins I had earned through tournaments. But I was immediately intrigued.

I stood there for nearly an hour, fascinated as kids traded pins back and forth, negotiating and sharing stories.

Getting Hooked

By 1985, when we attended the World Series again, my District Administrator had given me a few district pins, and this time I was on a mission to trade.

After a few successful swaps, I was hooked.

Over the next several years, I saved my money, and in 1989 I made my first Little League Baseball pin.

More Than Just Pins

That year, my dad and I arrived on Tuesday for the opening game and traded pins around the stadium. That evening in the hotel, we carefully looked at each pin, talking about the design, the city, and the state it came from.

On Wednesday, we returned to the field, but this time we traded pins all day and loved every minute of it. We drove home that night, then came back again for the championship game on Saturday.

In truth, I didn’t watch much of the game in 1989. I was there almost exclusively to trade pins.

Father-Son Week

We followed the same routine in 1990, and on the drive home from the championship game that year, my father declared that starting in 1991, we would attend the World Series for the entire week.

That became “Father-Son Week” in the Strauss household.

I loved it, not just for the pin trading, but for the friendships I made with kids from across the country and, most importantly, the time I spent with my dad.

My father became my best friend, and Little League pins became our shared passion.

Over the years, Father-Son Week expanded to include tournaments on both the East and West Coasts, as well as Little League Congress, allowing us to grow our pin collection and deepen friendships. Some might even say pins became our obsession.

We continued traveling, trading, and making memories together until his passing in September of 2013.

Carrying It Forward

In 2015, I decided to start my own pin company, Infiniti Pins & Awards, with the goal of giving my two sons, Jake and Joe, the same experiences, lessons, and friendships that pin trading gave me over the past 37 years.

Little League Baseball and the pin trading hobby taught me invaluable life skills: communication, confidence, negotiation, and connection.

It also gave me stories and friendships I would not trade for the world.

Why It Still Matters Today

At Infiniti Pins & Awards, we strive to help kids step away from electronics, spark their imagination, and learn real-world skills like introducing themselves, talking to others, building friendships, and making deals.

All through small pieces of colorful metal that carry big meaning.

A Tradition That Still Lives On

Infiniti Pins was built from a real love for the hobby, a deep appreciation for the friendships it creates, and memories that began with a father and son at the Little League World Series.

That spirit is still at the heart of what we do today.

Whether you are creating pins for a team, tournament, district, or special event, we understand that a pin can be more than just a collectible. It can hold a memory, tell a story, and become part of a tradition that lasts for generations.

Ready to create something meaningful?