Serewicz searched for a chest protectorthat would protect the front, top and rear portion of the catcher’s shoulder,but there were none. Serewicz and Gallucci together first built a prototype catcher chest protector having a portion extending over the shoulder area of the
catcher, and then built several more of these chest protectors for catchers in the Wasco Baseball League.

On September 15, 1999, they filed a patent application on theirnew chest protector. 21. At about this same time, Serewicz and Gallucci started Everything Baseball Limited, LLC which was a store that sold baseball equipment. On December 19, 2000 the Serewicz’ and Gallucci patent pplication issued into U.S. Patent No. 6,161,226 (“the ‘226 Patent”) and is entitled “Baseball Chest Protector,” which Gallucci and Serewicz both assigned to Everything Baseball.

The ’226 Patent involves a new catcher chest protector having a flexible shoulder guard extending over the shoulder of the catcher, which unlike previous......