Loss to the collecting community: Paul Muchinsky

[unamuzd1]

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.]

[Leon]

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

[slidekellyslide]

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

[Jay Wolt]

Sorry to hear this about Paul, RIP

[glchen]

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

[ksfarmboy]

Very sad indeed. Prayers for his family and friends.

[CobbvLajoie1910]

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.

[TATSR]

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

[ethicsprof]

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

in sympathy,
barry

[Exhibitman]

RIP a true collector.

[TaxMechanick]

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

Glenn

[ooo-ribay]

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.

[icollectDCsports]

Very sad to hear this. RIP

[1880nonsports]

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..........