Leave it to a bunch of enthusiastic Little Leaguers to come up with an idea that is now a familiar part of mainstream sports and the inspiration behind the new line of Ralleez headwear, recently introduced at the Imprinted Sportswear Show (ISS) in Atlantic City, NJ 

As Gerry Foti, co-owner of the Drexel Hill, Pa., company, tells it, the Little Leaguers, caught up in the frenzy of trying to rally their team from behind, turned their ball caps inside out, with the brim projecting upward. Their action caught on, spreading to the dugouts and stands of the majors and beyond.

Ralleez has captured the concept in a line of cap and visor designs patented for their "up-going brims," says Foti. They include 12 color combinations for the cap and a combination white and red visor. The company also sells a button-less reversible cap that can be worn as either a regular cap or rally cap. 

According to Foti, other ideas also are in the works. "We're trying to be more of an innovator than a follower," he says. "We have other ideas we're doing patent searches on."

Foti says the minimum order for stock colors and blanks is 24. Decorators can embroider the cap panels or backstrap and imprint the upturned brim in a cap press. Custom imprinted or embroidered caps, and custom colors also are available.