Entrepreneurial Superstars

Company: Big Ball Sports Inc.

Location: Houston

Business Began: 1993

Start-Up Cost: $100,000

1996 Sales: $21 million

1997 Projections: $28 million

Sports is such a big part of our lives here in America," says Jimmy Metyko (above, right), co-founder of sports apparel company Big Ball Sports. "We represent the passion the sports fanatic feels." Do they ever. Big Ball Sports' signature T-shirt line says it all: "Sports Is Life . . . The Rest Is Just Details."

"You totally have to believe in what you're doing," says partner Lee Ellis, 38, who teamed up with his former high school pal after Metyko began looking for a new contract printer for his T-shirt business.

"Everything came together," says Metyko, 37, of the partnership that was struck four years ago. "It just kicked in."

And keeps on kicking. With fans and professional players as esteemed as last year's world champion New York Yankees sporting its shirts, Big Ball Sports looks to have many more winning seasons ahead. For this duo, that's certainly something to cheer about.

This article was originally published in the April 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Entrepreneurial Superstars.