Nathan Rueckert sees beauty in old baseballs.
The Sioux Falls, SD, resident gives the balls new life by meticulously slicing them apart and reworking them into patriotic works of art.
“Baseball, when people think of it, it’s a lot more than just a game,” Rueckert tells the latest edition of “Your Postal Podcast.”
“It reminds them of their past, their childhood memories of … those summers when you’d play outside till the street lights come on.”
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Rueckert noticed how the World Series helped the nation regain a sense of normalcy. It inspired him to start the Baseball Seams Co., which sells crafts, jewelry and holiday ornaments made from old baseballs.
The small business now has customers across the nation and relies on another American icon — the Postal Service — to ship its products.
“It’s really more than a service,” Rueckert says. “It’s a relationship, and that’s what I really value. … I hope it resonates a lot with other people too.”
