Gardnerville designer hits home run with All-star emblem

On July 15, baseball greats like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra and Cal Ripken Jr. descended upon Yankee Stadium in New York.

In total, 49 Hall of Famers were honored before a sold out crowd and an international television audience during the pre-game show of the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

It was hailed as the grand sendoff for the ballpark in the Bronx, as it will be torn down after this season to give way to a new, bigger park across the street.

Even in the middle of all the hubbub, Carson Valley managed to find its way into the celebration.

Local yacht club insignia and uniform supplier Commodore Insignia designed the commemorative patches that were emblazoned on the left breast of the Hall of Famers' blazers.

"A lot of yacht clubs that we make badges for have been on television before," said Earl Hohlmayer, who has been in the business for 33 years. "This was international exposure though, with some pretty big names wearing our product. It was pretty neat.

"Just looking at who used them, I was pretty impressed being able to see it."

Hohlmayer's daughter, Dixie Martin, who helps run the business out of Aspen Park in Gardnerville, agreed.

"This was a big deal," she said. "Seeing our blazers on such a nationally-watched event, that was pretty cool."

Hohlmayer received a call from Major League Baseball in early June.

"They asked for about two or three versions of the design and the one they ended up taking was exceptionally well made," he said. "We made about 60 emblems."

The final product featured a cutaway of the famed Yankee Stadium outfield facade along with the wording "All Star Game Hall of Fame Celebration.

"They were made with gold bullion and gold thread on a felt background," Hohlmayer said. "I can make these in any color or condition. We can cater to anyone."

Commodore Insignia does emblems for yacht clubs all over the world. Hohlmayer estimated he handles about 95 percent of blazer badges for yacht and nautical clubs.

"We've done really well," he said. "It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

"We have books and books of designs, the stack for this year is about and inch and a quarter thick of paper."

Hohlmayer was the commodore for a yacht club based in Antioch, Calif., in 1934 and continued with that through 1974.

"I didn't have anything I could give my officers, so I got tied up with a group in New York and became a marketing agent for them," he said. "They sold the company to a younger guy, the company went bankrupt and I bought it out in 1976."

He said he runs in partnership with Commodore Uniform an Nautical Gifts of Massachusetts in order to provide a greater selection of uniform supplies and nautical gifts.

He and his daughter are the only employees of Commodore Insignia, but they hope to hire Martin's husband in the near future.

"I'm getting up in age," Hohlmayer said. "My hope is to transfer the operation over to Dixie at some point soon. We're getting to the point where we can support three of us with this."

For more information on Commodore Insignia, visit www.commodoreinsignia.com.