My Path to Pinball

When I was in the fifth grade my mom moved my family to Santa Cruz CA. I literally lived directly across the street from the Boardwalk. This was in the big days of the DMD. The toys, the lights, the ramps, the sounds everything about there rows and rows of pinball machines drew me in. I would stand and watch guys who were particularly good and be enthralled at all of the machines intricate features. They would some times get annoyed with me hovering around and give me tokens to go away.

When I would play I wasn't the best, which lead me to play simple machines. Strangely I tended to gravitate to the Data East machines. I played JP allot, I also played Twister (Everybody under ground now). When I think about it I also played TAF a lot also. The machines that I liked to watch the most were def WMS/Bally machines. I would watch ST:TNG whenever I could. That machine dominated me when I was a kid. Sadly we moved after a couple of years, but pinball had become a part of me in that time.

Over the summer my sister was given an old 70's machine called Chance. I went to visit her and the whole time I was thinking man I wish this was a newer machine (sorry classic machine fans). By the time I left I knew I had to have a pin of my own. I began research right away. During my research I stumbled upon this wonderful sight. I then decided to purchase a Bram Stokers Dracula. Once I got it home man o' man I was hooked. It wasn't 2 months later when I decided I needed another pin. I bought Stargate, which I then sold less then a month later. I found that I really only wanted to own Williams/ Bally machines. IMO they play so much smoother, and are just more responsive. I would own either LOTR or SM by Stern, but I have both of those locally in perfect working order so I find no need at this time. I have since bought a WH20 and a Shadow. I'm def the most popular house to hang out at know. I've got one of my friends so hooked he's planning on making his first purchase. I often have Pinball Parties with my friends but they usually don't like me to play with them (sore losers). My skills definetly increased 10 fold by owning a machine. I can go to an arcade and put up the top score all the time. There is a local bowling alley that has a great condition MB, I can get to the wizard mode almost every time, and if not monsters of rock, at least monster bash every time.

Well I didn't plan on writing this much but there is just something about pinball that gets me talking. So that's the reason I'm obsessed with pinball.