• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched CSG,CGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Ronald Acuna Jr. Cards
      • Shohei Ohtani Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2021-22 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2021-22 NHL Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
    • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Business/Industry News / Sports Memorabilia Business News / Turning Big League Baseballs Into Unique Products

Turning Big League Baseballs Into Unique Products

February 3, 2020 By Bob D'Angelo

Here’s a guy who can tear the cover off the baseball.

Gregg Garfinkel plays third base for a fastpitch league in California, and while he may not have the fielding or hitting chops of his idols — Mike Schmidt and Ron Cey — this transportation attorney knows how to handle a baseball.

Garfinkel, 54, runs Baseballidays, a business where he turns baseballs used by big leaguers into personalized gifts, including key chains, menorahs, miniature Christmas trees, flags, wreaths and even roses.

Many of the balls bear the tell tale marks of use by players who have hit them hard.

“What games they are from, I do not know,” Garfinkel said. “But everything I make has a story behind it.”

For Passover, Garfinkel created a baseball-themed seder plate, which is the centerpiece for the table during the Jewish holiday. The large dish rests on home plate with six small plates and features a baseball in the middle of the “star.”

Garfinkel corrals used baseballs from his friend, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, and he also buys them during spring training. Garfinkel’s teenage sons, 18-year-old Ben and 15-year-old Brandon, help him prepare and market the baseballs.  

“The painting is done by an art teacher friend of mine,” Garfinkel said.

Baseballiday customers have included Minnesota Twins general manager Thad Levine; the daughter of longtime broadcaster Vin Scully, who bought Christmas tree ornaments; Joe Braun, the father of Brewers star Ryan Braun; and Cey’s daughter-in-law, whose husband, Dan Cey, is the varsity baseball coach at Calabasas High School in California.

A big customer was Eric Holtz, the head coach of the Israeli senior national team, who loved the baseball-themed menorahs.

“He saw them on Facebook and sent me a message,” Garfinkel said. “He bought 25 menorahs from me.”

Holtz recently texted a photograph of himself and Hall of Fame reliever Mariano Rivera to Garfinkel, with both men admiring his work.

Garfinkel got the idea for Baseballidays in 2017 when Ben came home from school and said he was required to sell Christmas wreaths.

“Someone told me it was too bad they don’t make wreaths out of baseballs,” Garfinkel said. “So, I went to Google and looked up ‘baseball’ and ‘wreaths.’”

An idea was born.

Garfinkel started using the baseball covers for keychains, but the menorahs really became a star for the business.

“I’ve shipped them to Singapore, Canada and Italy,” he said.

Garfinkel has always loved baseball and began collecting, interestingly enough, on Aug. 9, 1974 — the day Richard Nixon resigned as president of the United States. There was no connection, really — Garfinkel’s mother was throwing a party for his ninth birthday, and one present was a pack of baseball cards.

“A neighbor brought a pack of 1974 Topps,” Garfinkel said. “I was enthralled.”

Garfinkel played shortstop in youth leagues but then shifted to third base while in high school. Garfinkel earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University and his law degree at the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific. He currently works for the Los Angeles-based law firm of Stone|Dean.

He met his wife, the former Julie Ann Covell, a fellow attorney at his law firm, in 1992.

“I knew she was the woman for me when she could recite the starting lineup of the 1976 Cincinnati Reds,” Garfinkel said.

They were married in 1999. But in 2002, Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer went into remission after therapy, but in 2007 it returned with a vengeance. Julie died March 10, 2012, but not before winning the 2009 MLB Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer contest

“Many of my friends feel like my crafting is simply me channeling my wife’s creativity,” Garfinkel said. “Since I am such an uncreative attorney.”

Julie was big on crafts and scrapbooking, so there might be something to that. Each year, Garfinkel places a “bouquet” of baseball roses at her gravesite. In 2013, community efforts enabled Garfinkel to buy a scoreboard for Julie, which was dedicated at Field No. 2 at the Northridge City Little League.

The baseball roses are a popular product.

“They are big sellers on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day,” said Garfinkel, who jokes that his roses are Hall of Fame worthy.

It has been trial and error at times for Garfinkel. Once, he drilled a baseball that had been signed by Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez and turned it into a keychain.

His hobby has turned into a business, but Garfinkel enjoys it as a break from arguing cases in federal court. He has written articles and contributes to the firm’s blog, and allowed Ben — now a student at the University of California at San Diego — to intern at the firm when he was 14.

Garfinkel is proud of Baseballidays but deflects the compliments.

“I’ve had people call me an artist, and I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m just a rabid baseball fan with time on my hands.

“I’m the guy who makes stuff out of baseballs.”

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

New Brittney Palmer Art of Fergie Jenkins, Jermaine Dye Will Raise Money for UChicago Medicine’s GI Research Heavy J Studios’ Baseball Card Art a Labor of Love Baseball Glove Artist Sean Kane’s Work Finds Home in the Hall of Fame 3-D Art Meets Sports at the National Joy in Glove-ville: Artist’s Paintings on Mitts Join Museum Collection 2010 National Chicle Baseball cardsRamblings: Catching Up With Artist Monty Sheldon Identification Tips for Beginning Collectors of Sports Paintings Sean Kane glove art Martin DihigoBaseball Glove Art at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

About Bob D'Angelo

Bob has been a sportswriter and copy editor for more than 35 years and a blogger for a decade. He is celebrating his 50th year of card collecting, and still counts his 1965 Topps Mickey Mantle as his favorite. You can reach him at [email protected].

Filed Under: Sports Memorabilia Business News Tagged With: baseball art, baseball artist, baseballidays, Gregg Garfinkel, sports art

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

Shop Sports Cards on Ebay
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card eBay Auctions
  • PWCC Premier Auction
  • PWCC Fixed Price Marketplace
  • Graded Rookie Cards on eBay opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos on eBay opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window
  • Buy Boxes Directly from Topps opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Consignments Wanted – Meet Huggins & Scott at the Philly Show This Weekend
  • Heritage Auctions Icons Photography Auction Ends October 12, 2023
  • Steve Novella Offers PSA Baseball, Football & Non-Sport Cards Auction Ending Sept. 28, 2023

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Game Used Jerseysopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Vintage Basketball Cardsopens in a new window
  • NBA Signed Itemsopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • NASCAR Autographsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Player Picturesopens in a new window
  • Vintage Football Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window