Meet the World’s Biggest White Sox Fan

When I first got in touch with Wayne Tietz, there was no mystery as to his collecting loyalties: “Hi, this is Wayne Tietz, the World’s Biggest White Sox Fan!”

Note to self – scratch all questions as to what he collected. If something was produced related to the White Sox, Wayne probably has it.

Wayne is a longtime White Sox season ticket holder, going back 20 years, with a collection that keeps growing. He currently guesses the number of artifacts at a couple thousand. He was featured in an article in SCD that appeared in the Nov. 19, 2004, issue. Since that article, Wayne said a few things have happened.

“We moved to a new home and the White Sox won the World Series in 2005,” he said. “My bigger house gave me the opportunity to expand my White Sox man cave. Most of my new items revolve around the 2005 White Sox. I never thought I would live to see the White Sox win a World Series. I’ll never forget it.”

Wayne said he grew up a White Sox fan, and the Oswego, Ill., resident said his favorite player is Paul Konerko.

Here is a quick rundown of some of the items in Wayne’s collection:
- Every White Sox press guide and yearbook from 1933-present
- Every White Sox program from 1941-present
- Every White Sox Topps baseball card from 1964-present
- Fifty-five White Sox bobble heads
- The 1959 and 2005 commemorative black bats of those championship teams
- Every White Sox photo pack issued by Jay Publishing
- Original Comiskey Park seat
- Astroturf used at old Comiskey Park from 1968-75
- Every White Sox team photo from 1901-present
- Signed Luke Appling litho by Christopher Paluso
- Numerous White Sox prints from local artist John Hanley
- A 1942 White Sox schedule poster
- Autographed individual photos of each White Sox player from 1959.

Wayne said his favorite item is the 1942 poster that he purchased as a sports collectibles show years ago. A T206 card of Ed Walsh is also among his top items.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Wayne said he has hundreds of other White Sox items, and he’s running out of room.

“My wife Henrietta, the Goddess, said to me recently, ‘You’re running out of space in your man cave. Are you going to stop buying more White Sox items?’ Naturally, I said no. I’ll either put more items into another part of the house or buy a bigger house.”

Wayne read an article where the Atlanta Braves built a statue outside Turner Field of a Braves fan who had attended thousands of games in her lifetime.

“I was hoping the White Sox would build one of myself, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen,” Wayne said. “In the meantime, I bought a brick that is outside of U.S. Cellular Field in the Brick Legacy Plaza that reads, ‘Wayne Tietz, The World’s BIGGEST WHITE SOX FAN!’ ”

Wayne has a replica of that brick in his man cave, as well.

As for future collectibles, Wayne said he’s definitely going to buy the White Sox commemorative license plates the state of Illinois will be issuing soon, but he also has a loftier goal in mind.

“I’m very goal-oriented,” he prefaced. “I used to be a very good singer. I’m going to take singing lessons in hopes of performing the National Anthem before a game.”

And no doubt if he makes it through auditions and takes the field before a game, he’ll insist that his introduction includes: “The World’s Biggest White Sox Fan.”