He’s the Kling-pin at these Games
Bud Kling has made it his hobby to collect Olympic Games pins since 1984, when the world converged on his hometown of Los Angeles. He brought some of his wares here for Pan Am
You might call him the most decorated man at the Pan Am Games.
Bud Kling, 68, has collected coveted hardware at the Olympics since they came to his hometown of Los Angeles in 1984. His discipline: pin trading. “Some people call it the true sport of the Olympic Games,” Kling said from behind his trading table in the Pan Am athletes village.
Laid out on foam mats, carrying cases, and backpacks, he offered hundreds of pins specially made by sponsors, team countries, and sport federations for these Pan Ams and past major games.
As the Games’ official pin trading co-ordinator, Kling fuels the frenzy of bartering that comes along with every Olympics, Commonwealth, and continental games.
Anyone near the Games, from volunteers to team doctors to athletes cover their lanyards in pins, always hunting for the perfect piece to add to their collection.
Kling estimates he brought 600 pins from his personal collection for his 18-day stay in Toronto, though counting his pins isn’t high on his list of priorities. “It would take too long.” Usually paid for his services by major sponsors like Coca-Cola, he offered to work the Pan Ams, his first, pro bono.
“Now I won’t miss one. I really like them.”
Since retiring from his teaching job, Kling has more time to travel the world as an ambassador for his hobby.
Kling already lined up jobs for upcoming Olympics in Rio, Tokyo, and Pyeongchang, and he hopes to attend the 2019 Pan Ams in Peru through a connection he made while here in Toronto.
For Kling, the work is all about connecting.
Friends made through pin trading open their homes when he travels the world, and he returns the favour when people come through L.A.
“We like to do this. We like to chit chat,” Kling said. “We’re not making any money here. We’re just having a good time.”
He also recruits people for the official collecting club, the Olympins. That’s why you won’t see him driving a hard bargain.
“We’re sort of ambassadors for the hobby, so for me to be out here grinding people down . . . that’s not smart.”
Instead Kling helps people land the pins they’ve been coveting and teaches them about the trade.
“I’m trading for traders, not my collection,” he said.
“The difficulty is when someone comes up with a pin that’s not very valuable and they haven’t seen this ever and they want it. I do have to say no. And I don’t like saying no.”
He will say no to picking a favourite pin.
“There’s too many I like. If I had a favourite I wouldn’t be as big a collector as I am,” he said.
But what he’s really collecting is stories. Press him, and he’ll say his favourite pins are the ones he had to work for.
Like when he stepped in an elevator on Wednesday morning and spotted a man wearing the St. Kitts and Nevis pin he’d been seeking out for more than a week and a half.
“I started trading with him on the eighth floor, by the third floor the trade was over. Before we hit the ground.” The Pan Ams may be for amateurs, but with that move, Kling proves why he’s a pro.
“There’s too many I like. If I had a favourite I wouldn’t be as big a collector as I am.” BUD KLING OLYMPIC AND PAN AM PIN COLLECTOR