Loss to the collecting community: Paul Muchinsky
 

Paul Muchinsky, author of Baseball Pinback Buttons, passed away earlier this week. He posted on these forums sometimes as "springpin," and kept a blog about pinbacks.

He was a prolific author in other areas, too, having written one of the most widely-used introductory texts for the field of industrial-organizational psychology (which is now in its eleventh edition, and which I myself use when I teach that class to undergraduates). I'm also not sure I've ever seen higher average ratings for a professor on ratemyprofessors.com than Paul received, and it's clear from the comments there that his students loved him.

I was lucky enough to get to know Paul through our shared profession, but I suspect that we bonded as quickly as we did through our shared love of collecting. In just a short few years, he became both a mentor and a friend to me.

I can only hope that when I go, I'll be remembered for a contribution I made to some field or other; Paul made lasting contributions to several. He will be missed.

http://www.greensboro.com/obituaries...fad327afe.html


[Leon, I wasn't sure where to put this; if you feel it's more appropriate over on the memorabilia side, feel free to move it.]

This is where to put it and this is awful news. I only knew him from our board, read his blog a few times, and he always seemed to share a lot of knowledge. Something sorely missing in our hobby. RIP Paul

This is terribly sad news...I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Paul was always very helpful to collectors here at Net54. I did not know he was ill...I had just wished him a happy birthday a few weeks back on Facebook.

RIP

Sorry to hear this about Paul, RIP

Sad to hear about this. It seemed as if I were just reading his posts yesterday and now this unfortunate news. RIP, Paul.

Very sad indeed. Prayers for his family and friends.

A huge loss.

As a novice pinback/celluloid collector, he was extremely kind to me as I was getting knee-deep into the hobby. He (and others on this Board) paved the way for that passion (and pursuit of pinback scholarship) to exist for me -- and I am thankful to have had a chance to correspond with him.

Calling him Burdickian may be a little hyperbolic -- but, IMHO, his contributions to the genre warrant the praise; in "our" niche, he was at the head of the table.

Godspeed, Dr. M -- and to your family I wish peace.

Dang
 

I didn't know him well, but I also used his I/O textbook in my classes. He is highly respected in the field and I always looked forward to reading his humorous columns in The I/O Psychologist.

RIP Paul

a sad loss
 

my deepest condolences to his many friends and family and students.

in sympathy,
barry

RIP a true collector.

Paul Muchinsky
 

Sad news.....I met Paul at the National several times. He was as passionate a collector as I ever met!

Glenn

Very, very sad news. Paul was always willing to help me and give his opinion on things I may have been looking at. For me personally, his pinback book is the finest collector's reference book I have ever seen....bar none. RIP, Paul and condolences to your family. :(

Very sad to hear this. RIP

Rip
 

I met Paul at a national just after he published his pinback book. I asked him to sign a copy for me and we spoke a little. Too few people who are as passionate about their hobby AND willing to share freely with others..........