Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer
93.3 WMMR | Everything That Rocks! Nick interviews Brad Balukjian, author of "The Wax Pack"
  • Latest Stories
        • News

          • News That Rocks
          • Stuff You Oughta Know
        • Latest Rock News

  • On Air
        • Preston & Steve®

          • Daily Rush
          • Preston and Steve® On Demand
          • The Bizarre Files
          • Galleries
          • Video
        • On Air

          • Preston & Steve®
          • Pierre Robert
          • Brent Porche
          • Jacky Bam Bam
          • Weekend Warriors
          • Recently Played
        • Ways To Listen

        • Recently Played

  • Listen + Watch
        • Listen + Watch

          • Daily Rush Videos
          • Preston & Steve Video LiveStream
          • Studio Z
          • Podcasts
          • Our Delaware Valley
          • The Public Affairs Show With Markus Goldman
          • Galleries
          • Recently Played
        • Latest Daily Rush

  • Contests
  • Events
        • Concerts + Events

          • Events
          • MMR Concert Calendar
          • Community Events
  • Shop
        • Shopping

          • MMR Rock Shop
          • Must Haves
  • More
        • Connect

          • Station Contacts
          • WMMR VIP HQ
          • Download the MMR App
          • How can we help you?
          • Employment and Internship Information
          • Beasley Best Community of Caring
          • Advertise
        • MMR HQ

        • Advertise With WMMR

Preston & Steve®

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • PODCASTS
  • DAILY RUSH
  • GALLERIES
  • YOUTUBE STREAM

Preston & Steve®

Preston & Steve®

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • PODCASTS
  • DAILY RUSH
  • GALLERIES
  • YOUTUBE STREAM

Nick interviews Brad Balukjian, author of “The Wax Pack”

Placeholder Shilloutte User Image
Author Nick McIlwain
December 8th, 2020 12:18 PM

The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife

Brad Balukjian wrote a fascinating book about baseball cards called “The Wax Pack” and Nick chatted with Brad about his journey to track down the players from the 1986 Topps pack that he opened.

During the interview, Brad talked about his love for baseball, saying, “The charm of baseball goes way beyond the guys who played the game.” He adds, “What makes baseball special is its ability to bring people together and to give people the time and space to build relationships.”

Nick and Brad chat about their shared love of the sport and everything that surrounds it, including their mutual admiration of lesser known players like Don Carman and Marty Barrett, as well as the transition from childhood to adulthood. During the course of the conversation, and throughout the book, the focus shifts to how much we actually have in common with these guys. Yes, they are and were incredible athletes. As Brad writes in the book, nobody whoever made it to the Major Leagues wasn’t a great baseball player. But their struggles are also our struggles. Dependencies on drugs and alcohol, dealing with divorce and family issues, relationships with their fathers and their mothers.

Throughout it all, Brad is incredibly candid about how he has dealt with OCD and anxiety in his own life. Ostensibly, “The Wax Pack” is about baseball cards and baseball, but it’s really about so much more: travel, relationships, the human condition, struggles with depression and anxiety and what becomes of professional athletes after they leave the game.


Learn more about the book, and how you can get a copy for yourself, on its Twitter account:

For the holidays, I am offering personalized, signed copies of The Wax Pack with an unopened pack of '86 Topps (and gum!) for $45 including shipping. Email me at bbalukjian@gmail.com if you're interested. Great gift!

— The Wax Pack (@waxpackbook) November 19, 2020

 

And you can follow the author, Brad, on his account too:

Bob Costas just sent me this review of The Wax Pack: "The Wax Pack is one of the most interesting and pleasing baseball-themed books I have read in quite some time. An original idea, brought to fruition with graceful prose, a sense of humor, empathy and insight.”

— Brad Balukjian (@BradBalukjian) July 30, 2020

To get a truly random sample of players, Balukjian took a single pack of baseball cards from 1986, opened it, chewed the nearly thirty-year-old gum inside, and then embarked on a quest to find all the players in the pack.

You can also learn more about Brad and his writings on his website, bradbalukjian.com.


“I’ve been wanting to chat with Brad since April so I’m really glad we were finally able to make this happen! Hope you enjoy our conversation.” – Nick

Baseball fans, check out this book by @BradBalukjian:
The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball's Afterlife
Brad took a pack of baseball cards from 1986, opened it & started a quest to find all the players in the pack!@waxpackbook#DonCarman ⚾️https://t.co/B029EXfT7C

— Nick McIlwain (@NickMcIlwain1) April 9, 2020

Radio Producer The Preston & Steve Show 93.3 WMMR
93.3 WMMR | Everything That Rocks!

Sign me up for the MMR VIP email newsletter!

Get the good stuff sent straight to your inbox, and be the first to know: concert presales, exclusive contests, and behind the scenes photos and video.

*
*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Placeholder Shilloutte User Image
Author Nick McIlwain
Category:
  • 93.3 WMMR
Tags:
Baseball,Baseball Cards,Brad Balukjian,The Wax Pack,Topps,Wax Pack

More 93.3 WMMR

Steven Tyler Offers Update on His Throat, Shares Latest Aerosmith Project

Will Pennsylvania Get a White Christmas?

Mick Fleetwood Honors Christine McVie on First Anniversary of Her Death

Shane MacGowan, Singer of The Pogues, Dies at 65

Billy Idol: The Epitome of Cool [MMRBQ Interview]

Hannah Waddingham and Brendan Hunt Sing B-52’s’ ‘Love Shack’

Pearl Jam: New Album is ‘In The Can’

SPONSORED Godsmack at Hershey Theatre

Bert Kreischer Invades South Philly Tonight with “Tops Off…”

Soundgarden Still at Odds with Chris Cornell Estate

KISS: How to Watch Their Final Farewell Show

Sharon Osbourne Thinks Ozzy Should Be in the Rock Hall as a Solo Artist

Corey Taylor Breaks Silence on Slipknot Drummer Rumors

Pennsylvania: A December Heat Wave is Coming

Philadelphia Named One Of The Best Ice Skating Cities In The U.S.

Taika Waititi Only Directed ‘Thor’ Because He Needed Money

Metallica, Foo Fighters, A7X Booked for France’s Hellfest

John Mulaney ‘Identified’ with Matthew Perry’s Addiction Struggles

Paul McCartney, Elton John to Make Cameos in ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel

Celebrate ‘Giving Tuesday’ with Shinedown’s ‘Library Sessions’

Win Sebastian Maniscalco Tickets for Wells Fargo Center

Paul Stanley Thought His Latest Bout with the Flu Could’ve Been Deadly

John Travolta Details Near-Death Experience Piloting Plane

Jalen Hurts’ Reaction at Buffalo Bills Game Going Viral

SPONSORED On-Air Giveaways On WMMR For Week Of 11/27/23

Gordon Ramsay Says to Never Order This at a Restaurant

Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden [PHOTOS]

Hall & Oates: Why Daryl Hall Got a Restraining Order on John Oates

Ozzy Osbourne + Geezer Butler: Rock’s Latest Unfortunate Feud

How Some Plan to Stick to Their Wellness-Related Resolutions

Video Icon A circular icon, with a red play button that symbolizes that the post is a video

November 25, 1984: Band Aid Records ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

Daryl Hall Sues John Oates, Gets Restraining Order

Mammoth WVH and Nita Strauss [PHOTOS]

Fast-Food Establishments Are Ready For Your Holiday Hustle

Axl Rose Accused of Sexual Assault From 1989 Incident

Vehicle Explosion Closes Rainbow Bridge Between U.S. And Canada

Welcome Home! Pierre’s Annual Thanksgiving Broadcast

Who Can Stop the Philadelphia Eagles Now?

Sammy Hagar Does Not Want To Tour With David Lee Roth

Top New Year’s Resolutions for 2024, According to Forbes

Marisa’s Mac & Cheese and Cranberry Sauce Recipes

Philadelphia Ranked As One Of The Most Challenging Cities For Holiday Travel

Millennial Changes: What Some Are Glad They ‘Ended’ or ‘Ruined’

Nicholas Hoult to Play Lex Luthor in ‘Superman: Legacy’

Pennsylvania Thanksgiving Weather Forecast is Dicey

Letterman Appears On ‘Late Show’ For the 1st Time Since 2015

Pennsylvania Among Top States with Nosiest Neighbors in America

shahzaib test

Load More
Beasley Media Group
Download our station app

Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before!

Download on the App Store Download on the Google Play
About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Terms and Conditions
  • DMCA
  • Sponsors
  • EEO
  • FCC Public File
  • FCC Applications
Connect
  • Station Contacts
  • Download the MMR App
  • How can we help you?
  • Streaming
  • Official Contest Rules
  • Employment and Internship Information
  • Beasley Best Community of Caring
  • Learn How to Advertise in Philadelphia
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram