Rawlings® and Gold Sport Collectibles Honor LA Angels of Anaheim

Commemorative 50th Anniversary 24-karat leather baseball now available

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Aug 15, 2011, 04:40 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rawlings, the number-one baseball brand worldwide and exclusive supplier of baseballs to Major League Baseball®, in a joint venture with New York based Gold Sport Collectibles, is now offering a 24-karat leather league standard ball commemorating 50th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

"This is a special time for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and having been a long-standing partner of the organization, Rawlings is proud to celebrate this important milestone," said Mike Thompson, Senior Vice President of Marketing for St. Louis-based Rawlings, a subsidiary of Jarden Team Sports. "Our collaboration with Gold Sport Collectibles has enabled us to create the ultimate souvenir for Angels fans throughout the country."

This commemorative 24-karat baseball is stamped with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 50th Anniversary logo. The unique process of fusing gold into leather was mastered by the Italian company, Mi Piaci s.r.l. - an exclusive affiliate of Gold Sport Collectibles. The proprietary and 100% environmentally-friendly process fills the leather with 24-karat gold yet leaves the leather feeling soft and untreated. Using this 24-karat leather, each ball is hand sewn to official Major League specifications, stamped with an official team logo and placed into a vivid display case. Each ball is backed with an official certification that will be included with the finished product.

"Gold Sport Collectibles is proud to partner with Rawlings - the most authentic and trusted brand in baseball – to pay tribute to the Los Angeles Angels during this exciting time in their team's history," said Stefano Ongaro, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Gold Sport Collectibles. "This commemorative baseball will serve as a treasured keepsake for its owners while reminding them of the team's accomplishments over the past 50 years."

Gold Sport Collectibles also offers the 24-karat league standard ball featuring official Major League Baseball team logos as well as All-Star Game®, World Series®, and National and American League™ logos. The 24-karat gold leather baseballs retail for $249 and are available on www.goldsportcollectibles.com.

About Rawlings

Rawlings is a leading manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods in the United States and a subsidiary of Jarden Team Sports. Since the company's inception in 1887, Rawlings' mission has always centered on developing and producing innovative, high-performance equipment and protective apparel for the professional player. With an assortment of baseball, basketball, football and softball game-related product lines, Rawlings is present everywhere team sports are played. Leagues and conferences of all skill levels integrate Rawlings' unparalleled product portfolio into their sports: as the Official Baseball and Official Helmet to Major League Baseball®, the official baseball for the NCAA®, the official football for the NAIA®, the official basketball for the NAIA, NJCAA® and AAU®, the approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit rawlings.com, Rawlings' Facebook page or by phone at (314) 819-2800.

About Jarden Corporation

Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of niche consumer products. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Aero®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Forster®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Leslie-Locke®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex® and Tigex®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden has more than 25,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.jarden.com.

SOURCE Rawlings