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Every summer, thousands of young baseball players and their families travel to Cooperstown, New York for one thing and one thing only – baseball!
The town hosts thousands of youth baseball players and their families for a series of high-energy tournaments that turn the community into a bustling hub of activity. For players, it’s the experience of a lifetime. Not only is the competition fierce and the team bonding special, every team takes part in a unique pin trading tradition that spans decades!
Teams design their own custom trading pins and swap them after games and throughout the tournament. It’s a fun way to boost sportsmanship and make the memories of the tournament even more special!
And it’s not just players swapping pins. This year, the Hampton Inn and Quality Inn hotels in Cooperstown designed their own custom trading pins for players and their families. Hotel staff have been watching players come and go every year, and this summer, they wanted to join in on the fun and use their own custom pins to make staying at their hotels even more special.
A Trading Pin Tradition Worth Celebrating
For years, hotel staff noticed that pin trading wasn’t just a hobby — it was an essential part of the Cooperstown tournament culture. Players proudly sported backpacks weighed down by dozens of colorful, glittery pins, each one representing a team, a memory, or a friendship made. Lobbies and breakfast areas became unofficial trading posts, where players from across the country met, swapped pins, and exchanged stories.
So, both the Hampton Inn and Quality Inn teams decided it was time to design their own trading pins! Inspired by the classic crossed baseball bat design seen on many tournament pins, their designs looked and felt just like the ones being traded around the field. The Hampton Inn pins featured the hotel’s logo in the center and a red, white, and blue color scheme to drive home the connection to America’s pastime, while the Quality Inn created their own version to match their brand and join the celebration in a meaningful way.
These pins are exclusive to each hotel, so only players staying at the Cooperstown Hampton Inn or Quality Inn have a chance to collect them!
Beyond the fun and novelty, the pins serve as a bridge between staff and guests. They spark conversations, create smiles, and earn high-fives from the young players — making them a big part of the experience for everyone involved.
More Than Your Average Trading Pins
In a town where baseball memories are made daily, both the Hampton Inn and Quality Inn in Cooperstown have found a heartfelt way to join in the celebration. By embracing the beloved tradition of trading pins, they’ve helped turn a summer stay into something truly special — a shared experience that players and families will remember long after the final out.
It’s not just about giving families a comfortable place to rest between games. It’s about connecting with people during an exciting time and making their stay even more memorable than they imagined.
If you’re in the market for trading pins or any other type of custom lapel pin, we’re here to help! Our Lapel Pins Plus team has years of experience designing custom pins for all walks of life, and we’re excited to help you make your ideas a reality!
