Theme Week: Better Know a Blogger (Paul from Wrigley Wax)

Welcome to "Better Know a Blogger" Theme Week here at Nachos Grande.  About a week or so ago, I put out a call to any interested bloggers to answer a short questionnaire that I had prepared.  The goal of the questionnaire is for all of us to get to better know some of the various personalities on the blogs!  I hope you find this Theme Week as much fun as I did - and hopefully you'll learn something about your fellow bloggers as the week progresses!

1. Your name (or alias):  Paul K. 
2. Your blog website:  Wrigley Wax
3. What kind of collector do you consider yourself (team collector, player collector, set collector, etc.). Why do you collect that way?  

Primarily I'm a team collector.  My usual m.o. is to pick a particular brand and then get all the Cubs cards from that brand.  Right now I've got 101 different brands completed, about 13,000 Cubs cards.  But I also collect sets and player, though on a more limited basis.  I've got a Topps complete set run from 1969 - 2014.  I also have the complete run of Fleer from 1981 - 2006 and Allen and Ginter from 2006 - 2014.  A  final set goal is to try to get the first year complete set of the 101 different brands in my Cubs collection.  Right now I've got about 50 of those.  A couple years ago I started collecting five players (Darwin Barney, Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, and Billy Williams).  I collect that way because as a big Cubs fan, it made sense for me to concentrate on the Cubs.  The sets and player collections are secondary, something to keep me from becoming too narrowly focused (and bored).

4. In your opinion, what could the major card companies (Topps, Panini, etc.) do to make your style of collecting better for you?

1.       I've got two suggestions to make team collecting better. First, spread the cards evenly among the 30 teams.  It's very frustrating to see a new release's checklist and realize that the Cubs team set consists of just one or two cards.  Second, drop the short-prints.  In earlier days, SPs were just a function of the number of cards in a series and how they aligned on a sheet.  Today they are a contrived gimmick with only one purpose...to take more of my money.

5. What is your favorite part of your collection?  This could be one specific item, or a binder of cards, etc.

 This could be one specific item, or a binder of cards, etc.  My favorite part changes. Early on it was my Cubs Topps run.  I loved paging through the cards from the '50s to now.  Right now its a toss up between my autographs and relics binder and my odd ball binder.

6. Most of us have a favorite song that we like for no good reason – heck, it might even be embarrassing.  Do you have a favorite baseball card that might fit that bill?  

Franks Thomas Topps 1961...not the White Sox Frank Thomas, but the 50's and 60's outfielder.  This card was the very first Cubs card I ever owned.  It's a common card of non-descript player, but it gives me warm fuzzies whenever I see it.

7. If you were forced to part with your entire collection except for one card, which card would you keep?

The one keeper would have to be my 1954 Ernie Banks rookie card.  If I could keep three, it would be my T206s of Tinker, Evers, and Chance.

8. Many of the blogs (including my own at times) seem to decry Topps’ lack of vision and creativity.  Can you think of something creative that could be done for an upcoming card set?  

I'm not sure how creative this is, but Topps could do a much better job of editing and fact-checking.  It seems like we are constantly pointing out mistakes on the cards.  Topps should hire 30 bloggers, one for each team, to eyeball the cards from their team before the cards get printed.  I'd happily donate my time as the Cubs proofreader.

9. What is your profession?  How did you end up there?  If you are in school, what do you plan to major in and/or what job do you hope to get after graduating?  

I am a the principal of Trinity Lutheran School, with 135 preschool - 8th grade students in Sturgis, Michigan.  I knew I wanted to be a teacher since about sixth grade.  After high school I attended Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois and got my degree in elementary education.  I've taught at a school on the north side of Chicago, one in the NW suburbs, and I've been in Sturgis since 1998.  I spent 12 years as a classroom teacher and then fell into the principal's job.  Most of the time I've been principal I've also had classroom responsibilities.  I still consider myself a teacher first, then an administrator.

10. What is your favorite place that you’ve ever visited?  Why?  

A few years ago I was able to take the Wrigley Field tour.  Being in the press box, clubhouse, dugout, on the field...wow.

11. Many of us have favorite foods or customs that are somewhat local to where we live.  Do you have any such things that you particularly love?  A website link to specific products would be spectacular.  

In Sturgis, we've got nothing interesting.  Actually, since moving to Michigan, I really miss some Chicago favorites...Browns Chicken with the tangy cole slaw, Chicago hot dogs (Portillo's are decent...), and some thin crust sausage pizza cut into squares...Vito and Nicks on the south side is awesome!

12. Do you have any other hobbies besides card collecting?  

 I do woodworking...just about every room in the house has something that I've made.

13. Tell me something interesting about yourself (that we haven’t covered in the first twelve questions).

I'm a Cub fan that was born and raised on the south side...White Sox country.  In a family of six I was the only lefty and only Cub fan...my dad blames me on the mailman!

A huge thank you to Paul for participating in my Better Know a Blogger series.  Paul is definitely on the money with his food interestes - chicken and cole slaw (yum!), hot dogs (yes please), and sausage pizza (indeed)!  Based on his tastes, I have a feeling I'd like all three of those companies' offerings if I ever make my way back to the Windy City.  I will admit to being happy seeing Paul say he likes the thin crust pizza rather than the deep dish Chicago stuff.  I find the deep dish pizza to be more of a lasagna-esque concoction.  Pizza shouldn't require a fork in my opinion!

I also like the Paul mentioned woodworking as that is another thing that I enjoy doing!  Maybe Paul can share some of his creations some time - I know I'd be interested in seeing them.

Moving to the baseball card answers, I agree with Paul that most of the short prints need to go.  Even better, I love his suggestion to get better team equity in the sets.  There's no excuse to have zero or one Padre and thirty-six Yankees, Red Sox, or Dodgers.

Thanks for participating Paul!  I know that I mentioned this already but the responses to the current Theme Week were so overwhelming that this theme week will continue into next week!  Stay tuned for more!