Pinball Past Present Future

 I was introduced to pinball at a very young age.  My Father had an old EM machine (still trying to find out what it was) when I was a very young age.  Had to have been 2-3 years old.   I remember scooting the chair up to the machine and playing it just to hear the mechanical parts clicking, knocking and the bells chiming.   I recall seeing my father working in the back box fixing the score wheel.   After parents’ divorce when I was 3 It was stored up and almost forgotten about until I was in my early teens.  My Father again had it out and it was barely functioning.  I began to tinker with and was able to see the program wheel was getting stuck at a certain point.   By manually pulling the plunger I could get the game program to start and kick the ball out for play.   Times got tough and my Dad needed a little extra cash and it was sold before I got a chance to pick it up from him (and convince my mom to let me take it home) .   

As I grew up and into High School, I got a job at a Pizza Parler.  And like a lot of pizza joints they had an arcade section that held the most popular games at the time.  And one of the coolest (to me) pinball of all time.  The original Addams Family Pinball machine! I spent countless quarters from my delivery tips on that machine.  And I don’t regret a thing of it!  It remained at the establishment for several years, but like most food arcade joints at the time, the game centers became unpopular and many of the games including the Addams family found new homes or storage (I hope).   Life got busy.  Marriage and kids became the focus and some of those fun times became a memory of the past.   As hobbies come and go, pinball ownership has always been a goal of mine and finally in 2021 after 40 years of my first experience I now own two pins!   While working on my pin, the smell of a EC machine triggered so many memories that I have almost forgotten.  Interesting how experiences are tied to senses?   And now that my father has passed away the memories are even more impactful.   Pinball may be game room delight but for me is means more than that.   Thanks to all of you who keep this passion alive and going!  And Yes, One day I will get that Adams Family Pinball Machine!   CCR