What do I do with this new Large, Empty basement.

What do I do with this new Large, Empty basement.

My first thought was to make it a normal Man-Cave.  Big bar, big TV, big couch and of course a full size Pool Table.  But wait, it's a new house and the wife has a wish list a mile long. I guess it will just have to wait.

About one year later, a friend and co-worker said he needed to free up some room in his basement.  He asked me if I would be interested in a players game, a Bally Eight Ball.  Eight Ball was a game I remembered playing when I was in High School.  I did have to ask what a players game was, but for $150 how could I go wrong.  There was one stipulation that went with the price, I had to do all of my own repairs.  He would give me help when needed but he thought I could make the repairs myself.  So I took the challenge.  Eight Ball had a new home in my block wall, cement floor basement. (Mistake number one.)  My wife's first words were "What are going to do with that thing".  I said "It's winter, I need something fun to do inside".

Before I knew it April rolled around and my buddy asked if I wanted to go to the AllenTown pinball show.  I said yes that would be interesting.  (Mistake number two.)  After two days of fun I drove home nursing the new back glass I bought for Eight Ball.  The back glass cost me as much as the pin.  I don't know why I bought it but I did.  The one in the machine was cracked and glued together.  I told my wife I didn't want anyone to get hurt on the old one.  She bought off on that.

A few weeks after the Allentown show I answered an add in the paper for an Apollo pin ball.  $100 must go moving.  Being a 'newbie' I didn't know what to look for, but for a $100 how could I go wrong.   I should have been suspicious when he would only demo it, I never got to play it.  Oh well, we muscled it into my van.  To make a long story short, about 80 hours of work and $200 dollars I had another pin. Learning how to fix EM's is a story in its own, ha ha.  About a week after fixing Apollo I was on my way home from work and noticed a sign for an Estate Sale, so I stopped in.  A Williams shuffle bowler followed me home, boy was that heavy and bulky.  Need I repeat myself on how much time and money I put into that.  Another EM, I was beginning to think I could fix anything.

Now it was getting to be a real pain to move these three pins around in order to finish my basement.  In addition, I was getting the evil eye from my wife.  I was spending more time working on the games than on the basement.  So, I put pinball on the back burner for a while.

Year three, I was getting close to finishing the basement.  I know, I skipped year two.  That was spent working on the man-cave.  I won't go into details on the basement but it's a lot more than four walls, ceiling and floor.  At any rate, my buddy mentioned it was time for Allentown again.  I had to turn him down this year.  I had to get the game room finished.  Little did I know, because I stayed home this year I was going to end up buying my first Black Knight.  Usually, when I answered an add I was told it is already sold.  I guess most of the pinball people were at Allentown.  When I went to look at the machine the head was off and everything was locked with no keys.  So I had to buy it on the blind.  When I got home with the pin my wife came into the garage to see what I was doing.  I didn't tell her I was going to look at a pinball machine, mistake.  After explaining I couldn't pass up this deal I told her "Just, one more".  That's why I use that name.  Back to pinball.  After drilling out the locks I received my first view at 'Battery Damage'.  Whoa, what did I get myself into.  Well I guess it's time to put my 2 yr. Electronics Degree to work.  Couple that with my 'I can fix anything attitude' and a lot of research.  Black Knight was operational in a month. The gratification of the repair is what hooked me.

Year four, is a blur.  I only remember bring multiple pins home at a time.  Some fixed then sold or traded.  Some into the game room.  I ended up with 25 pins in my collection.  But I could only fit 18 in the game room.  Needless to say I became addicted.  To this day I still get more enjoyment out of repairing them than playing.  However, I do like playing Pin Ball.  The standard joke in my house is "Just One More".

Eight Ball is still part of my collection.  The new back glass was only the beginning.  It is fully restored, and looks brand new.

Bye the way the pool table never made it. 

Sincerely,

Just One More