Silverball Chronicles (TPN) - Pinball (David Dennis & Ron Hallett)

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Episode Summary: 

There are many stars inside the pinball industry, but few create such an emotional ripple in the hobby when they pass.  Lyman Sheats gave so much for pinball and always wanted to give more. A perfectionist who was often too hard on himself, Lyman was always looking for ways to improve his games.

This month Ron and Dave talk all about the beginnings of Lyman’s tournament dominance, his Data East codes, his first days at Bally-Williams, coding Attack from Mars, teaming up with George Gomez, Lyman’s drive for perfection, “In Lyman We Trust”, the Masterpiece that is Batman ’66 by KaPow Pinball, and his untimely death which rocked the pinball community. 

Source: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

IPDB. Lyman’s Games List. Here

Past Podcast Appearances:

   TOPcast Episode #50

   Slam Tilt Podcast #100, #180, #181

   Head-to-Head Pinball Podcast #73

   Pinball Profile #199

   Pinball Wizard Turns 50

   LoserKid Pinball #78

   Final Round Pinball Podcast #50

The Today Show, Lyman Sheats. Here

DeadFlip Streaming. Lyman, Jack Danger and MKV Playing Batman 66. Here

Replay FX Seminar with Greg Dunlop. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Topic starts at 8:38

Episode Summary:

Ramps are mesmerizing and hypnotic and create excitement deep inside when you shoot them. You can almost feel the ball rolling around a bend in a ramp. Too many people Pinball IS Ramps. In fact, when one of my non-pinball friends saw my Tron for the first time, he said ‘Woah, I wanna shoot that ramp’. The only goal he had the first time he played pinball in 25 years was ‘shot that ramp!’
The undisputed king of the ramps is, without a doubt, Dennis Nordman. This month Dennis Nordman, Let Talk About Your Ramps…

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

IPDB. Dennis Nordman’s Game List. Here.

Special Force Girls. Here.

Blackwater 100 – 1988. Here.

Peterson, Cassandra. Elvira Wikipedia. Here.

Demo Man Promo Video. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

John Popadiuk, also known as J-Pop, created some of the most interesting and whimsical playfield designs of the 1990s. He went from a god tier Bally-Williams designer to a start-up pinball company owner and finally to a pinball pariah.  John once described his journey as “a long tale of woe in some cases, but also tales of glory in others.”

His name was once included with other Pinball Legends, but in 2022, J-Pop had been reduced to a pinball leper. People would often say, ‘What could J-Pop have done with Bally-Williams had never closed’? Now, the question most likely heard is ‘Where did it all go wrong?’ Does J-Pop deserve all the criticism and abuse that has sullied his legacy?

This month, we go Down the Rabbit Hole With John Popadiuk.

Sources: 

Wikipedia: John Popadiuk. Here, Zizzle. Here.

YouTube. NWPAS 2012 Seminar #08 – John Popadiuk. Here.

Pinball Mag, Nick _O. John Popadiuk – Pinball Designer. Here.

Pinball Shenaigans. Alice in Wonderland Prototype. Here.

Pinball Profile. Episode 326: Michael Hanley and Shane Jackson. Here.

Coast 2 Coast Pinball. An Evening with John Popadiuk. Wayback Machine. Here.

Dan Cowles and Kristi Highum. Zombies, Yetis & Pinball. Dec 2014. Here.

Greet, Kayla. Skill Shot – Zombie Yeti Artist Profile. Here.

Pinball Super Nova. John Popadiuk: Another One Bites the Dust. Here.

Pinball News. American Pinball Goes Public. Sept 2016 Here.

Horacze, Stan. Popular Science. The curious story of Magic Girl. Apr 2017. Here

The Pinside Stuff: Here. Here. Here.

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

It is often through failure that we learn, and after the collapse of Stern Electronics, Gary Stern did not give up. He collected himself over a year and then would work with Joe Kaminkow and Shelley Sax on building Data East Pinball. Often the butt of jokes on quality, code depth, and artwork, Data East would become the only survivor of the 1990s pinball collapse and is now known as Stern Pinball Inc. 

This month we take some time to look at early Data East Pinball where Dave and Ron dive into the collapse of Stern Electronics and who owns their Intellectual Property (IP), PinStar Inc., Joe Kaminkow becoming Dave’s best friend, the unsung hero of Data East Pinball Ed Cebela, Navy-issued uniforms, Robocop’s awesomeness, how time travel works, the rise of The Simpsons, and the legacy of Data East.  

Big Thanks to Mike Winne for helping with this episode! 

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: PinStar Game List. Here, Data East Game List. Here, Ed

Cebula’s Game List. Here

Wikipedia. Gottlieb. Here

RiYL Podcast Ep 161: Stern Pinball CEO Gary Stern.

Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast.

     Gary Stern, Ep 96

     Joe Kaminkow Ep 68 and EP 50

Super Awesome Pinball Show, S1-E4 – Joe Kaminkow

Loser Kid Pinball Podcast Ep 68

Pinball News-Pinball Magazine PinCAST, June 2020: Gary Stern 75^th Birthday Interview Part 1

Total Recall Video. Here

TV Tropes. Joe Kaminkow Bio. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

The late '70s were a boom for pinball manufacturing. Bally and Williams had transitioned to Solid State early and evolved their platform, but Gottlieb struggled to keep up. However, by early 1980, Gottlieb knew they needed a new solution and were preparing their System 80 platform. System 80 was a big leap forward, and it was much more flexible and modular. Was Gottlieb back?!

Join us this month as we talk about one of their most requested topics, Spider-Man’s art, early code issues, Dave makes a Rotor Target sound, Ed Krynski’s designs, Flipper-Counting all episode long, Gordon Morrison’s Art, Dave’s love for all things James Bond (even bad pinball machines), Black Hole, amazing patents, Haunted House, System 80a, the spiral of the industry in 1983-84.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia. Gottlieb. Here

Kriesel, Dennis. This Week in Pinball. The Dawn of the Solid-State Era. Here

Kriesel, Dennis. This Week In Pinball. Mylstar Electronics: Gottlieb’s Forgotten Year. Here

Gottlieb Developments. Here

IPDB: System 80 Pins. Here, System 80A Pins. Here

PinWiki – System 80 Repair Guide. Here

TOPCast: #10 John Trudeau., #34 John Osborne, #55 Jon Norris.

Gordon Morison. Here. Here.

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Episode Summary: 

George Gomez is the Creative Architect of pinball as we know it today. Without our Homie Gomie (trademark Zach Meny), Stern Pinball would not be the creative studio it is today. When Stern began to be rebuilt in the 2010s, it was the creative curiosity of George Gomez that enabled the company to build a modern pinball design studio and forever change the hobby. 

Join Ron and Dave as they talk about what George did after the death of Williams, his masterpiece Lord Of The Rings, the Photoshop art era, the near death of Stern Pinball, the rebirth of Stern Pinball, ugly ramps, grindy code, Batman ’66, the modern all time classic Deadpool and Stern’s new 007 James Bond Dave squeals in excitement.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database

Super Awesome Pinball Show – George Gomez – Ep 30, 32 and Fireside Chat 1

Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep.69: Christopher Franchi on Beatles Pinball Art.

Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep.96: Gary Stern

Pinball Chick Article. Here

John Trudeau Pleads Guilty. Pinball News. Here. Here.

DeadFlip Streaming. Lyman, Jack Danger and MKV Playing Batman 66. Here

Straight Down the Middle: A Pinball Show. Deadpool Pro Review. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd

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Topic starts at 10:03

Episode Summary:

A Brief History of Pinball is a great place to begin! Let’s wind the clock back WAYYY back. We’re going to visit the beginning of many ‘games’ in the early days of fancy pants Europe, the importation of table games to America, New Jersey’s part in all this, Harry Williams, Wayne Neyens, and all those innovations that make pinball, pinball!

 
Games:

Baffle Ball, Ballyhoo, Contact, Skyscraper, World’s Series, Rockelite, Humpty Dumpty, Triple Action, Saratoga, Army Navy, SuperJumbo, Balls-a-Poppin’, Vegabond, Swing-Along, The Spirit of ’76, Flash, Gorgar, Checkpoint, Revenge from Mars, and Wizard of Oz.
 

Sources:

Bagatelle. Here

Pinball. Here

ThoughtCo. The History of Pinball. Here

Baldridge, Nick. This Week In Pinball. A Beginner’s Guide to Bingo Pinball. Here

Pinball News. Illuminating. Here

Remembering Harry Williams. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

Kocurek, Carly A. “Coin-Operated Americans: Rebooting Boyhood at the Video

Game Arcade.” Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2015. 

Sharpe, Roger. “Pinball!” New York: E.P. Dutton, 1977. 

Sullivan, Barbara. “Ballyhoo Over Goldberg Hardly Whole Bally Saga.” Chicago Tribune, June 17, 1996. 

Sweeney, Melodie. “The bagatelle wizard instead of the pinball wizard.” National Museum of American History, October 31, 2012. 

Terry, Clifford. “How the Pinball Machine Got Those Flippers.” Chicago Tribune, August 8, 1993. 

Wolf, Mark J. P. “The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to Playstation and Beyond.” Westport CT: Greenwood Press, 2008.

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Episode Summary:

e all been from the early solid-state era. The late 70s and early 80s was when the industry went through some of its largest shifts, we call that ‘disruption’ nowadays. The exit of electro-mechanical pinball and the entrance of solid-state was a watershed moment in the hobby.

Some companies excelled in the new market, and some fell almost immediately. Gottlieb, well… they became zombies, just refusing to die and walking on and on and on… hanging in there… Somehow…

This month, we’re going to review the final years of Gottlieb in the System 3 era.

Sources:

Dennis Kriesel’s Street Level Pinball Machines Article from Pinball News. Here

Eclectic Gamers Podcast #47. Here

Internet Pinball Database. Here

Jon Norris IPDB. Here

Pinside at pinside.com

Gottlieb Developments. Here

Wikipedia: Gottlieb. Here 

Interview with Jon Norris. Here. Here.

Jon Norris Article. Here

Pinball News. Smoked Out. Norris Leaves Stern. Here

This Week in Pinball. Around the Playfield with Jon Norris. Here

Norris Pinball Website. Here

TOPCast Pinball Show: #10 John Trudeau. Here, #55 Jon Norris. Here

Encyclopedia of Pinball Volume 2 (1934-1936). Bueschel, Richard M. Silverball Amusements.

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

Topic Starts at 11:11 

Episode Summary:

It’s time to revisit our ‘Pinball Is Dying’ series. This ongoing series is made to depress and to delight. What do we mean by that? Well, the pinball industry and the hobby around it has always been fragile. It has ups and downs which during its history has swung violently. Brilliant minds have come and gone. Many have been crushed by the emotional weight of competition and the stress of impending layoffs. 

Join us this month as we talk about the final Bally Manufacturing Corp games, really dumb corporate strategies, the art of an era, bodybuilding, terrible cabinet materials, a tangent for some reason about the MCU’s Iron Man, and the end of Bally-Midway. 

Sources:

IPDB Bally-Midway Game List. Here.

Stern’s Dark Planet – Here

TOPcast: 

    Ep. 56 – Ward Pemberton

    Ep. 46 – Margaret Hudson,

    Ep. 40 – George Gomez

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

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Topic starts at 10:50

Episode Summary:

What can you say about Keith P Johnson? He has 4 of the top pinball machines in the Pinball Awards’ Hall of Fame. He coded some of the most revered and most panned pinball codes in our hobby. In addition, Keith was one of the most important pieces in designing the Jersey Jack operating system and building their philosophy around pinball code.

Join us this month as we discuss how Keith got into the pinball industry, his transition into full-time rules designer, his Simpsons Pinball Party and Lord of the Rings masterpieces, leaving pinball only to be pulled back in, building the Jersey Jack operating system and JJPs philosophy on code… Everything is Lit this month!

Sources: 

IPDB Keith P Johnson Gamelist. Here.

WOZ Pinball Magazine. Here

Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast Ep 41

Pinball Profile Ep 266

TopCast Episode 63

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

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Topic Starts at 9:10

Episode Summary: 

A Centenarian is someone linked to longevity, someone who has seen it all come and go, then be reinvented again. Wayne Neyens is pinball’s Centenarian; he was there at the beginning, and he was there when it ended… a couple of times… and he witnessed the rebirth we now see today before his passing at age 104. He was the last of his pinball generation, the last of the woodrail masters and the man who gave his whole life to making people smile at the silverball. 

This month Dave and Ron discuss growing up in the Great Depression, 1930’s cubicles, Westerns, Jimmy Johnson, Harry Mabs, The Gottlieb – David Gottlieb, Wayne’s most popular games like Slick Chick and Kings and Queens, Add-A-Ball and Wedgeheads, the amazing artist Roy Parker AND we make fun 1940’s radio voices! 

Sources: 

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1930s to 1960s. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

YouTube Interviews from the Pacific Pinball Museum: Here, Here, Here and Here

TopCast: Episode 30 – Wayne Neyens

Pinball News:

   Pinball Magazine #5. Here

   Wayne’s 100^th Birthday. Here

   Wayne Neyens Dies at Age 104. Here.

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Episode Summary: 

Gottlieb is viewed as the romantic electro-mechanical giant to many. The pinball machine atop the coin-op pedestal for all other manufacturers to reach for… but it was its god-tier status in the 1960s and early 1970s that would ultimately lead to its epic cratering in the 1980s. 

What led Gottlieb into the Mylstar Nosedive? Was it a lack of leadership? Corporate chaos? The recession of the early 1980s? Or was it a lack of creative freedom and adventure in the products? 

This month, Dave and Ron talk about the massive success of D. Gottlieb and Co., the ownership changes that hobbled the company, Ed Krynski’s biography, generational changes in Gottlieb, Ron not knowing Europe is a continent, and the games of Mylstar! What could go wrong?  

Sources:

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

YouTube Interviews from the Pacific Pinball Museum
– Here, Here, Here and Here

TopCast – Episode 30 – Wayne Neyens

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Episode Summary:

John Borg is known for his distinctive style and approach to designing pinball machines.  His design philosophy is as distinct as a fingerprint. ‘Borgie’ focuses on creating layouts that offer smooth flow and satisfying shots. He aims to design pinball machines that provide players with a sense of continuous motion and engaging gameplay. His layouts often feature well-integrated ramps, orbits, and habitrails that facilitate fast and exciting ball movement across the playfield. John also gets the coolest theme. 

This month Dave and Ron talk about how cool John Borg is and why Dave is not, what John did after he left Stern in 2000 and what he did when he got back, developing his style, reusing elements, orbit spinners (yeah!), John’s themes, and what makes Borgie’s second kick at a pinball career the path of a modern pinball legend. 

Sources: 

TopCast – Episode 27 – John Borg

Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast Ep 41 – Keith P. Johnson

Slam Tilt Podcast Ep. 100 Lyman Sheats Jr.

YouTube – IE Pinball – Big Buck Hunter Pro Wizard Mode Achieved. Here

YouTube – Stern Pinball: The Making of: Metallica, KISS, The Walking Dead, Areosmith, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rush.

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  John Borg Game List. Here.

* This episode was created with the use of ChatGPT, which kinda sucks…

Silverball Chronicles BONUS: Our Top Pins 

Join Ron and Dave in this Bonus Silverball Chronicles episode as they choose their favourite pinball machines made by featured pinball designers from previous episodes! 

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Topic starts at 9:10

Episode Summary:

Joe Balcer is a name that some people know and some people don’t. Joe spent his early beginnings at Sega Pinball, then Stern Pinball, and he basically helped start Jersey Jack Pinball. He then started up another company called American Pinball. Joe has been around; he’s worked for many bosses in many companies, and he’s made some memorable layouts. Joe’s not necessarily known as a ‘high flow, quick ball movement’ kind of guy. His designs tend to be more stop and go or, as some people like to call him, The King Of Clunk.

Source: 

Pinball Profile. Episode 163: Joe Balcer, a career retrospective. Podcast. Here.

Head 2 Head Pinball. Ep 48 – Josh Kulger from American Pinball.  

Super Awesome Pinball Show. Ep 8. Joe Balcer and Team.  

This Week in Pinball. The Desire to Create – Interview with Joe Balcer, Playfield

Designer for Houdini Pinball. Here.

Replay Magazine. Roll out the Barrel. Here.

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  Joe Balcer Game List. Here.

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Topic starts at 8:27

Episode Summary:

Capcom was a video game company that wanted to get into the pinball industry and ride a wave of popularity, just like Data East! Sadly, they were a victim of the wrong place, wrong time. Add to that a bunch of mismanagement, Python Angelo, various lawsuits, and well... you end up like Capcom Pinball. 

Even after Capcom disappeared, the lure of what could have been remained, especially as we stumble upon a crazy collector and dreamer who ruined himself… but we will get into that in Part 2. 

Join us this month while we discover why Capcom wanted to join pinball, who they bought to table to build machines, poaching talent from Williams, the lawsuits, and ultimately, the crash and burn. 

Sources: 

TopCast:
   Episode 42 – Python Angelo
   Episode 56 – Ward Pemberton
   Episode 52 – Stan Fukuoka
   Episode 49 – Mark Ritchie
   Episode 47 – Chris Granner
   Episode 43 – Jeff Powell

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Flower, G. Pinball: The Lure of the Silver Ball Hardcover. Here.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  The Capcom Game List. Here.

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Episode Summary: 

Last month, we learned about Capcom, the video game company that wanted to get into the pinball industry and ride the wave of popularity, just like Data East! It didn’t go well. 

Even after Capcom disappeared, the lure of what could have been remained. That’s when we stumble upon a crazy collector and dreamer who ruined himself. Join us this month while we discover what happened to Capcom’s assets, tooling and making new parts vs. selling existing parts, more lawsuits, being a terrible business person or being a great guy, and a second crash and burn. 

Sources: 

TopCast
   Episode 42 – Python Angelo
   Episode 56 – Ward Pemberton
   Episode 52 – Stan Fukuoka
   Episode 49 – Mark Ritchie
   Episode 47 – Chris Granner
   Episode 43 – Jeff Powell
   Episode 11 – Gene Cunningham

Youtube. Gene Cunningham. Northwest Pinball Show. Here.

2017. Polygon. When pigs flew: The strange history of Capcom’s Big Bang Bar. Here.

2004. Pinball News. More Bang for the Bucks. Here.

2000. Pinball News. Gene Therapy. Here.

Pinside. Artifacts of Gene Cunningham/Illinois Pinball. Here.

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Flower, G. Pinball: The Lure of the Silver Ball Hardcover. Here.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  The Capcom Game List. Here.

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Episode Summary: 

We’ve fought long and hard to avoid giving Roger Sharpe yet another ego-building podcast to spin his narrative and propaganda… but, here we are. Roger wrote about pinball. Played pinball. Promoted and evangelized pinball. Roger has been involved in the birth of tournaments, the second rise of licensing, and mainstream journalism. He also has had a great film based on him and his relationship with his wife Ellen.

Join us as we talk about Roger’s beginning, looking to buy a pinball machine, a thing that happened in a Court Room in the late 1970s, his pinball designs, the birth of tournament pinball, and his friendship with Steve Epstein. 

Sources: 

TopCast Episode – 17 – Roger Sharpe

Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here

Barracora Inspiration. Li I, 1974 by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here and Here

Pinball Magazine. 12-Aug-2015. Interview: Roger Sharpe. Here.

Pinball News.19-Jun-2020. Steve Epstein Dies. Here.

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  Joe Balcer Game List. Here.

YouTube. Modern Pinball NYC Closing. Here.

YouTube. Broadway Arcade Commercial. Here.

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Episode Summary: 

Roger Sharpe is hailed as the Man Who Saved the Game from our previous episode, but he did so much more! Roger has been involved in the birth of tournaments, the second rise of licensing, and mainstream journalism. He also has had a great film based on him and his relationship with his wife, Ellen.

Join us as we talk about Roger’s last pinball machine, Cyclopes, his stumble into becoming the Williams 1990s Licensing guru, his friendship with Steve Epstein, and his very good film!

Sources:

TopCast Episode – 17 – Roger Sharpe

Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here.

Barracora Inspiration. Li I, 1974 by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here and Here. Pinball Magazine. 12-

Aug-2015. Interview: Roger Sharpe. Here.

Pinball News.19-Jun-2020. Steve Epstein Dies. Here.

YouTube. Pinball History: 1990 Today Show 1990 with Roger Sharpe. Here.

YouTube. Interview with Roger Sharpe for ‘Pinball – The man who saved the game’. Here.

YouTube. Turbografx7. Cyclopes with Roger Sharpe. Here.

YouTube. Modern Pinball NYC Closing. Here.

YouTube. Broadway Arcade Commercial. Here.

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org 

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Episode Summary:

Python Anghelo was an eccentric, passionate, charming, classically educated,
combative, spiteful, and caring individual. He gave his all for pinball. Python is a
guy who added social commentary to his back-glass art, added Easter eggs to his work, drank a lot, fought with leadership over creating unique worlds under glass.
Python burned bridges, tossed insults, and pulled no punches along his life’s journey. He was a nut for sure.

Join us this month as we discuss Python’s upbringing, joining the coin-op industry,
getting into verbal fights with co-workers, drinking on boats, Steve Kordek, cows,
more butchering of names, a poll joke, and Python’s legacy.

Sources: 

Python Anghelo Website. Here

Internet Pinball Database. Here

Pinside at pinside.com

Wikipedia: Python Anghelo. Here, Steve Kordek. Here

TOPCast Pinball Show: #10 Python Anghelo. Here

Python’s World Video. Here

Python’s GoFund Me. Here

Seminar video of Python at Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show 2013. Here

David Hevesi. New York Times. Steve Kordek, a Pinball Innovator, Dies at 100. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Topic Begins at 12:12

Episode Summary: 

Bingo just isn’t the game you can play at a country fair or a sketchy gambling establishment. Bingo is also the big brother to today’s modern pinball. You’ll remember we spoke about Bingo machines and the issues they had in our Brief History of Pinball episode, but we figured Bingo needed its own episode. I mean, Roger Sharpe got two episodes.

Ron and Dave (mostly Dave) crack out their 1920’s voices as they dive into the world of one-balls, bingo, and 5-balls flipper games! We discuss Bingo vs. Bingo, touch on names you should know like the geniuses Lyn Durant and Don Hooker, Miami Beach’s risqué flyer, what is so attractive about Bingo, why are there no Gottlieb Bingos, and more!

Huge thanks to Nick Baldridge and the For Amusement Only Podcast for the content of this episode. 

Sources: 

Baldridge, Nick. A Beginner’s Guide to Bingo Pinball. Here.

Flippers.be. Bingo Machines: What Are They and How to Repair Them. Here.

McCaffrey, James D. Bingo Pinball Machines. Word Press. Here.

Baldridge, Nick. For Amusement Only Podcast. Here.

Pacific Pinball Museum Interview with Wayne Neyenes

The Johnson Act of 1951 – Here

Don Hooker’s Games List – Here

Lyn Durant Games List – Here

Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium.

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org 

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Episode Summary: 

Multimorphic, Inc. manufactures the P3 Pinball Platform, a modern, physical-digital, multi-game pinball machine, as well as pinball machine control system products, such as the P-ROC and P3-ROC. Since 2009, Gerry Stellenberg and his crack team of engineers and software developers have created the first off-the-shelf pinball controller board for making your homebrew pinball machines, and changed the image of a multi-use pinball machine with the P3 Platform.  

Sources: 

Multimorphic, Inc Website. Here

YouTube. P-ROC & pyprocgame at Pinball Expo 2010 Seminar. Here

Pinball Innovators & Makers Podcast Ep 18: Gerry Stellenberg

For Amusement Only Podcast Ep 450 – Interview with Gerry Stellenberg

Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org 

Pinside. Pinside.com

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Episode Summary: 

Manufacturing is hard. Pinball is hard, and when you’re starting on the other side of the world from all the suppliers and skilled labour, it’s that much harder. COVID-19 did not help Haggis Pinball is the latest cautionary tale of a pinball start-up that promised big and initially delivered but ultimately succumbed to the pressures of the industry. 

Join us this month while we talk about an IT guy who started a manufacturing company, what the heck is a celt, is innovation worth it, remaking old Ballys, COVID-19 production, red flags, and no, we won’t be doing Australian accents and barbie jokes.  

Sources:

The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 16 – Mike from Homepin

The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 5 – Wayne Gillard

Pinball Profile, Ep 304 – Fathom Revisited from Haggis Pinball

Pinball Profile, Ep 243 – Haggis Pinball Celts Update

2019, Austetrogamer – Made in Australia: Haggis Pinball. Here

2024, Pinball News – Haggis Liquidation. Here

2024, Kineticist. A Detailed Timeline of the Haggis Pinball Collapse. Here

2024, YouTube, Cary Hardy. My Interview with Haggis Pinball. Here

2024, YouTube, Cary Hardy. Unboxing the TRUTH on Haggis Pinball. Here

2024, Knapp Arcade. Haggis Pinball, The Aftermath Here

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Episode Summary: 

The Gottlieb Family is an important part of pinball. David Gottlieb and Alvin Gottlieb made pinball what it is today. David’s vision and spirit and Alvin’s excitement and drive built the Gottlieb name into what it is today, and it will always live on.

Join Dave and Ron this month as we talk about the beginnings of David Gottlieb, wide west dangers, his life and family-changing opportunity, being highly focused vs. doing all things, not taking risks, Alvin Gottlieb joining the company, and the exit of the Gottlieb family from D. Gottlieb & Co.    

Sources:

Punch Boards - Here

Expo Speech – Here

The Gottlieb Name Change (Mylstar)- Here

The Gottlieb’s Picture - Here

Alvin Gottlieb Obituary – Here

AAMA Induction Video - Here

Youtube 

·                Pistol Poker Video - here

·                 Richard  (Dick) M. Bueschel - The Pinball Historian. Pinball Expo 1985 Seminar.          Here

TopCast, Ep 13 Michael and Alvin Gottlieb.

Pinball News. Expo 2006 Recap. Here.

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Episode begins at 13:15 

Episode Summary: 

Do you find yourself craving? Do you ever hanker for a special little thing? Well, we have had multiple people email and inquire about Hankin, you might say they had a craving for another Australian-based episode. Let’s go down under again with Part 2: Hankerin’ for Hankin.   

Sources:

Hankin Game List. Here

The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 5 – Wayne Gillard

The Rare Pinball Files: a Deep Dive on Hankin's Empire Strikes Back (1980), The Kineticist, 2023.  Here

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Episode Begins at 18:08

Episode Summary:

Have you ever heard the saying, “pinball is hard?” Well, the team at Barrels of Fun hasn’t, and they decided to smash on ahead and impress pretty much everyone. It’s been over 24 months since they launched their company and their first licensed game… and (as of this recording) they’ve manufactured all the games they said they would.

Join us as we chat about the loving relationship between two pinball fellas, building a new company from nothing, Transformers, art, ramps, picking the bones of Deeproot Pinball, and Dave’s unhealthy love for David Bowie in tight pants. 

Sources:

Pinball Profile Ep 378 - Labyrinth-pinball-from-Barrels-of-Fun

The Aussie Pinball Podcast Ep 18 -  David Van Es

Australian YouTube:

-         Sherbet, Howzat. Here

-         VB Victoria Bitter (Australian ad) 1988. Here

-         "C'mon Aussie C'mon" Aust. Cricket TV Ad Original 1979. Here

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Episode Begins at 10:10  

Episode Summary:

Join us this month where Dave says ‘Swing on Over’ like 40 times in the preamble, Ron spoils JJPs next game with the help of Jersey Jack himself, reviews of 70s style, Jack’s business building and evolving that business over and over, pinball needing to move to the home consumer market, stripped down Sterns,  building a company from scratch, their first game Wizard of Oz and how it changes pinball forever, and the Abass Family. 

Sources:

Jersey Jack Pinball. Here and Here.

Jersey Jack Pinball Podcast Ep 1 – Brett Abass

2011, Pinball News. New Pinball Manufacturer. Here

2013, Huffington Post. Jersey Jack Pinball CEO Explains How He's Making The Beloved Arcade Game Cool Again. Here

2013. Pinside. Early Review of Wizard of Oz. Here

2015, Pinball News – Jersey Jack  Pinball Gets New Investors. Here

2017, Modern Magazine. Nature and Nurture by Beth Dunlop. Here

 Brett Abess LinkedIn. Here

Jersey Jack Pinball Game List. Here

2013, Slate Magazine. Can This Man Save Pinball? Here

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Episode Summary:

Gottlieb was a giant in the pinball industry. Some would say that they created more fun in the Electro-Mechanical era than all the other manufacturers combined. When the sea change of the Solid-State Era appeared on the horizon, Gottlieb, the industry giant, began stepping on rakes and never fully recovered.

Come hang out with a slightly bitter Dave and an always chipper Ron as they chat about Gottlieb’s EM dominance, the industry transition to solid-state, what each company's technology was like, their favourite System 1 machines, vari-targets, and the industry’s worst piece of garbage spinner!

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia. Gottlieb. Here

Internet Pinball Database: Gottlieb System 1 List. Here, Gottlieb EM List. Here

Kriesel, Dennis. This Week in Pinball. The Dawn of the Solid-State Era. Here

Credit Dot Pinball. Stumbling into Solid-State! Gottlieb System 1. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

Join David and Ron this week as they ride on a dirt bike made of quarters and fueled with pinball players’ tears with Steve Ritchie. Through this awesome time in pinball, the bestselling designer ever, continued to build his legacy and, as you’ll see in this episode, redefined pinball as the industry struggled to survive.

Come listen to Steve’s iconic Williams System 11 and WPC machines. There is high praise for Larry DeMar, the alternate theme for Rollergames, Dave and Ron fanboying about T2 and Star Trek: TNG, and Steve Richie being cooler than Dave.

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia. Steve Ritchie. Here

Internet Pinball Database: Steve Ritchie Game List. Here

Walsh, Matt – IRC Interview. Here

TopCast Episode 32. Here

Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast. Chris Granner. Ep 71. Here

Williams Promo Videos: No Fear, T2 ,The Getaway, Star Trek: TNG

Steve Ritchie Interviews and Seminars on YouTube. Here

The Pinball News. Expo 2003: An Interview with Larry DeMar. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

David and Ron are here again this month to use an audio medium to talk about visual art… will it work?

Art sells Pinball machines. There was no better team ever in pinball than the Art Team at Bally. From 1975 until Bally was sold to Midway in 1983, an eclectic, creative, and dedicated team of artists made some of the best art pinball had ever seen.

Come listen to Ron and Dave chat about Dave Christensen, his strange art choices, why it was so cold at Bally in the 1970s, Dave consistently mispronouncing more names, the amazing Paul Faris Bally art team, orbit spinners, and Gene Simmons’s package.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia: Bally Manufacturing. Here, Mata Hari. Here, Evel Knievel. Here, Tommy. Here

 Internet Pinball Database Game Lists: Paul Faris. Here, Margaret Hudson. Here, Kevin O’Conner. Here, Greg Freres. Here, Dave Christensen. Here

Pinball Flyers. Here

Space Invaders “Inspiration”. Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here

TopCast:

    Dave Christensen. Here

    Margret Hudson. Here

    Paul Faris. Here

    Ward Pemberton. Here

    Tom Nieman. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer
Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

Our topic this week, he's nicknamed the King of Flow, the bestselling pinball designer of all time, my favorite designer, and the reason why you know or will know what Meniere’s Disease is: Steve Ritchie.

This episode reviews the early life of Steve Ritchie until his first break from pinball in 1982 which includes his early life, how he became a designer, his first years in the industry at Atari Pinball, moving to Williams and designing some of the biggest modern sellers and most innovative pinball machine in this history of the hobby.

Sources:

Internet Pinball Database at IPBD.org

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia – but remember to dive into the cited sources.

Web Archive. Here  

Special When Lit Podcast – Ep. 11

TOPcast Ep. 32

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Episode Summary:

David and Ron are going to finish what they started last month. As mentioned in the previous podcast, from 1975 to 1980, Bally was breaking sales records. It seemed that Paul Faris’s art team could do no wrong, but by 1981, the gaming industry’s footing was feeling shaky.

In an effort to hold ground and boost sales, Bally pushed out some of their most creative works ever. The Class of 1981 was, and still is, the pinnacle of pinball art.

Join us as we talk about Xenon’s tube shot and sound package, polaroid pictures, Kevin O’Connor’s jeep,  Claude Fernandez stealing design ideas from Steve Ritchie, Margaret Hudson being a trailblazer for women in pinball, annoying in-lane/out-lane designs, and the peak of Bally’s stunning art design. Also, did you know Kevin O’Conner had a jeep?

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia: Suzanne Ciani. Here.

Internet Pinball Database Game Lists: Paul Faris. Here, Margaret Hudson. Here, Kevin O’Conner. Here, Greg Freres. Here

Xenon: Sound and Music. Ciani, Suzanne. Here

The Team Behind Bally’s Xenon Pinball Expo 2013. Here

Video of Original Flash Gordon Sound Board. Here

Space Invaders “Inspiration”. Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here

TopCast:

     Dave Christensen. Here

     Margret Hudson. Here 

     Paul Faris. Here 

     Ward Pemberton. Here

     Tom Nieman. Here

Alternate Flash Gordon Sound Board. Here

Pinball Flyers. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer
Publishing, Lt. Here

Rossignoli, Marc (2002). Pinball Memories. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

John Borg, affectionately known as ‘Borgie’, entered the industry as a mechanical engineer building ramps and ended up being a designer on some of the fondest remembered nostalgia pins of the 1990s.

Join Ron and Dave as they chat about Borgie got to hang out with movie stars, review some cool mechs, discuss Bill Paxton and Bill Pullman, designers getting scripts to some of the biggest 90’s blockbusters in advance of the film, chat about a cougar attack (like the animal) and watch as the industry flamed out.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: John Borg Game List. Here

Wikipedia: Sega Pinball. Here, Data East Corp. Here

Stern (Game Company). Here, Jurassic Park. Here,

Star Wars. Here, Lost in Space (Film). Here, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Here,

Twister (Film). Here, Tales from the Crypt (TV Series). Here, Mary Shelley’s’

Frankenstein (Film). Here, Austin Powers. Here

TopCast – John Borg. Here

Pinball Expo 2006. Pinball News. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

Pat Lawlor is a pinball statesman. He has a long, lumbering, and detailed way of explaining himself. This deep and controlled thought process is why Pat’s pinball designs and mechanical toys are so detailed and dedicated to being exciting. Some would call Pat a pinball academic, others say he’s a prickly fella.

Join us this month where we talk ramps, ramps, Dave talks about his Tron a bunch… in a Pat Lawlor episode (?), more cool ramps, Stern’s 2000s, Pat’s move to Jersey Jack and the strange Shrek/Family guy pin!

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Pat Lawlor Game List. Here

Wikipedia: Pat Lawlor. Here

Demons and Dragons video game. Here

Jersey Jack Pinball Podcast: Get Your Game Back! Here

TopCast – Pat Lawlor 1. 2. 3.                 

Nascar Gameplay Video. Here

Pinball News. Expo 2018. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer

Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

Dwight is one of pinball programming’s most important figures. Throughout the 1990s, Dwight worked on some of the best-selling games of all time, added a level of polish not seen before, and brought a new level of fun and uniqueness that continues to influence programmers today.

Have fun this month, where we chat about ‘Dwight Speak’, Riverboat Gambler, taking pride in your work, the Star Trek Door, the final years of Williams, and Dwight’s transition to Stern Pinball.

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Dwight’s Game List. Here

YouTube: Marco TV TPF 2019. Here, Pinball Expo 2019. Here, MGC Ghostbusters

Panel 2016. Here, Dwight’s LinkedIn. Here,

Podcasts: Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast Ep 76. Here, Special When Lit Ep 3. Here,

Loser Kid Ep 37. Here, Pinball Players Podcast. Here, Dwight on Pinball Profile. Here

List of Patents. Here

Dwight’s Blog Spot. Here

Star Trek Flipper Code. Here

Dwight’s TNG Door. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Summary Episode:

By the early 1980s, Pinball was dying. Sales in Pinball fell from peaks of 9-10,000 units to 900 units in 2 years. Video was on an upward trend, and that is where the coin op industry began to focus. Only 1 full-time designer remained at Williams by 1982, Barry Oursler. To help fill in the production line, some of the designers from the late 70s reappeared.

Join us this month as we discuss Barry Oursler, Paul Dassault, the battle of the Bi-Levels, the 'Gar Family, Tony Kraemer, hidden back glass art, and whatever the heck Time Fantasy was!

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Barry Oursler’s Game List. Here

The Pinball Blog. Pinball Heroes – Barry Oursler. Here

Pinball Magazine. Interview: Pinball Designer Barry Oursler. Here

Versus the Goat Podcast – Barry Oursler. Here 

The Pinball Podcast – Barry Oursler. Here

Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here

Gorgar Inspiration. Here

Barracora Inspiration. Li I, 1974 by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here and Here

TopCast: Barry Ourlser Ep 35. Here, Mark Ritchie Ep 49. Here 

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

Join us this month as we discuss Pat Lawlor joining William Pinball, Larry DeMar’s double dippin’, fun child-like pinball designs, Whirlwind, that creepy shutter mech, what Python Anghelo thinks of Pat, proving the naysayers wrong, and yes, the record-breaking Addams Family.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Pat Lawlor Game List. Here

Wikipedia: Pat Lawlor. Here

TopCast – Pat Lawlor 1. 2. 3.                 

Brown, Duncan F. Wreak’n Ball Video. Here 

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

George Gomez has created some of the most well-received pinball machines our hobby has ever seen. He got his big break with Williams Pinball, but the current Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Stern Pinball had a big career before the silverball. His mixture of experience prior to pinball built his unique style of pinball creativity. In fact, one of the toughest critics around, Python Anghelo, called George a “good guy and very passionate.” Woah!

Join Ron and Dave this month as they follow George Gomez from the Cuban Revolution to Midway, making games like Satan’s Hollow, Tron, and Spy Hunter. Then, in a shift to a toy company, Marvin Glass and eventually Bally-Williams where he made a splash right away in the shark pool! Look out, this episode has an hour of arcade talk… 

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: George Gomez Game List. Here

Gorf Lens with Hidden ‘Gomez’ Letters. Here and Here.

Computer Space. Here. Gameplay. Here.

Satin’s Hallow. Here. Gameplay. Here.

TopCast – George Gomez. Here.              

Morrison, Matt. The Pinball Show: Interviews Ep 1 – Tom Kopera. Here. 

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

Barry Oursler is a William institution. As a designer he kept the line going at Williams during the massive decline that the coin op industry experienced in the early 1980s. He designed 35 games including Space Shuttle, which ‘saved pinball.’ During the decade after Space Shuttle, Barry continued to design and collectively sold over 135,000 pinball games for Williams during his tenure. Barry WAS Williams in this era.

Join Ron and Dave as they talk about Barry saving pinball… or did he? Hit pins such as Space Station, FIRE!, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Dirty Harry, Junkyard, amazing mechanical wonders, the controversies around Popeye Saves the Earth and Jack*Bot, and Barry’s legacy to the hobby we all love.

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Barry Oursler’s Game List. Here

Wikipedia: The Challenger Disaster. Here, Doctor Who. Here, The Great Chicago Fire. Here, Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow. Here

The Pinball Blog. Pinball Heroes – Barry Oursler. Here

Pinball Magazine. Interview: Pinball Designer Barry Oursler. Here

Donna Oursler’s passing. Go Fund Me. Here  

Versus the Goat Podcast – Barry Oursler. Here 

The Pinball Podcast – Barry Oursler. Here

Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here

Anghelo, Phython. Proposed Popeye Game Theme. Here

Tim Kitzrow. Here

Head 2 Hear Pinball Podcast Ep 50 – Joe Kaminkow. Here
Super Awesome Pinball Show: S1 Ep 4 – Joe Kaminkow. Here, S2 E24 – Zophia Ryan. Here

TopCast with Barry Oursler. Here

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

Pinball was suffering in the late 1990s. Home gaming consoles dominated households. In the decades that preceded the 90s, people ate at home and went out for entertainment; society was changing. As a result, arcades suffered. Pinball needed something to jump-start sales. They needed to draw in a new video game that would engage youth. Pinball 2000 was the answer to that call.

Join Ron and Dave this month as they talk about how Pinball 2000 was created, Pat Lawlor and George Gomez vs. JPop, Pepper’s Ghost, Adam Rhine and animations, Neil NiCastro-Unmotivational Speaker, Lucas Films’ NDAs, Dave’s hatred for Jar Jar Binks, and how Jar Jar tanked, nearly killing pinball.

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Internet Pinball Database: Revenge from Mars. Here, Star Wars: Episode 1. Here,

Wizard Blocks. Here, Playboy. Here

TopCast: George Gomez. Here, Adam Rhine. Here, Tom Uban. Here, Cameron Silver. Here, Pat Lawlor. Here

The Revenge from Mars Launch Seminar. Here

Revenge from Mars Promo Video. Here

Infamous Expo Star Wars Seminar Video. Here

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Episode Summary:

When we last left Steve Ritchie, pinball was dead. It was done. Williams, gone. Bally, gone. Gottlieb/Premier, gone. The last manufacturer standing was Sega which ended up being sold to one Gary Stern and became today’s Stern Pinball Inc. Steve Ritchie was ready to make a return to pinball after a hiatus, but the pinball landscape was different than when he left. He soon showed everyone he still has the touch. 

Join us this month for a super-packed episode as Ron and David talk about Terminator 3, that strange Elvis mech, the epic Spiderman game, everyone getting let go in 2008, the perfect version of Terminator 2, aka AC/DC, a section about Star Trek that goes on far too long, what the hell happened to Star Wars, the underrated Black Knight toy, the barren Led Zeppelin, and the recent Jersey Jack coup! 

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia. Steve Ritchie. Here

Internet Pinball Database: Steve Ritchie Game List. Here Special When Lit Podcast –

Ep. 11Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary:

The Bally-Williams Era has often been considered on of the most mechanically exciting times in the Pinball Hobby. In fact, many of the games of this era still carry a hefty resale price on the secondary market. The magic of pinball and the world under glass was brought to life by Bally-Williams.

Many pinball personalities who purchased assets from the major manufacturers spent years trying to finish incomplete games or bring back a ‘new Bally-Williams’. They all failed because Bally-Williams was unique, it was an industry powerhouse where creativity, competition and magic were created.

This month we cover, our favourite 90’s mechs, Dr. Who’s Meat Slicer, Pat Lawlor’s Magnum Opus, Rod Serling (or Ron Sterling), Code going too far, Gofers, Jpop and Williams dying again.  

Sources: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

Podcasts: George Gomez. Here, Pat Lawlor 1. 2. 3, Barry Oursler. Here,

The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary: 

The early 1980s were a boon for pinball manufacturing. Bally and Williams had transitioned to Solid State early and evolved their platform. Gottlieb struggled with System 1, and as soon as they found their stride with the new System 80 board set, pinball was dying in the early 80s.  By the mid-80s pinball was clawing its way back, but Gottlieb never regained it’s industry dominance, however it did give them more creative freedom. 

Join Ron and the better co-host Dave as they talk photo translites, horrible synth music, Jon Norris’ 8-Ball Deluxe, releasing games at warp-speed, shallow code, ripping off established licenses, Don Johnson jackets, and which System 80b games are the most underrated.    

Sources:

Pinside at Pinside.com

Wikipedia. Gottlieb. Here

Kriesel, Dennis. This Week in Pinball. The Dawn of the Solid-State Era. Here

Kriesel, Dennis. This Week In Pinball. Mylstar Electronics: Gottlieb’s Forgotten Year. Here

Gottlieb Developments. Here

IPDB. System 80b Game List. Here

PinWiki – System 80 Repair Guide. Here

TOPCast Pinball Show: #10 John Trudeau, #34 John, #55 Jon Norris.

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

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Episode Summary 

Before Stern Pinball Inc., which dominates the pinball landscape today, there was Stern Electronics, our second episode’s topic. We cover where Stern Electronics came from, Sam and Gary Stern’s early years, Dave mispronouncing names, the change from electro-mechanical pinball to solid state, the sketchiness around that transition, legendary designer Steve Kirk, Stern’s wild art, and the death of Stern Electronics.

Sources:

Dennis Kriesel’s Atari Article from Pinball News. Here

Stern Internet Pinball Database. Here  

Pinside at pinside.com

Wikipedia:

-          Chicago Coin. Here  

-          Stern Electronics. Here

-          Stern Electronics, Inc. v. Kaufman. Here

Encyclopedia of Pinball Volume 2 (1934-1936). Bueschel, Richard M. Silverball Amusements.

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1970 – 1981. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here

Stern Pinball. Website. Here

Play Meter Magazine: September 15, 1978. Here

Patterson, Jeff (2008). Around the Playfield with Gary Stern. This Week in Pinball. Here

Ford, Anne (2013). The Chicago Reader. This Week’s Chicagoan: Gary Stern, Founder and CEO, Stern Pinball. Here

Author Unknown. Play Meter Magazine, 1978 and 1985. PDF Here

Flower, Gary. Remembering Steve Kirk. Pingame Journal. December 2006. PDF Here

Cianchetti, Matt. A Friend Remembers Steve Kirk. Pingame Journal. March 2007. PDF Here

Head to Head Pinball Podcas. #50 Here and #68 Here

Gizmonic Stern Collection Tour. Here, Here and Here

Heavy Metal Comic Book Art. Here

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Episode Summary:

The '90s saw the biggest leap in pinball mechanics and technology that the hobby had ever seen. The Dot Matrix Display and how Bally/Williams leveraged it made the pins from the previous decade look like a horse and buggy. The purchase of Bally by Williams created a competitive shark tank, forcing designers and engineers to continuously one-up each other.

But as the 90s marched on, the industry contracted. Designers exited or moved on to other areas, and junior designers took their place and built some of the best machines Bally/Williams had produced, but sadly, the sales numbers didn’t reflect that.

Ron and Dave chat all about the final years of Bally/Williams including Adam Rhine’s Dot Animation, Congo’s amazing shot layout, J-Pop, Attack From Mars, Dave saying ‘spider’ correctly after listening while editing, George Gomez giving a poetic definition of ‘Flow’, Chicago Gaming Company Remakes, and can the magic of Bally/Williams be replicated?

Source: 

Pinside at Pinside.com

WMS- IGT Settlement Agreement. Here. 

This Week in Pinball – George Gomez, Armed and Dangerous. Here.

TOPCast Pinball Show: #10 John Trudeau, #63 Keith Johnson, #40 George Gomez, #28 Adam Rhine  

Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Lt. Here