Introduction - Mike in Kentucky

November 6, 2010

Hello Everyone!

I'm Mike from Kentucky.

I'm kind of an 'old guy' . . . age 63 (70 now . . . Oct. 5, 2017 !!!)

Way back in the 1950's when I was a kid, my father LOVED pinballs, and he would take me and my younger brother to play. In those days, we lived WAY out in a rural area where the roads were unpaved, just gravel and rocks. No big cities and no entertainment to speak of. On Saturdays, and ONLY Saturdays, my dad would drive his car to the country filling station about a mile down that dusty road and fill up with gasoline so he could drive the car to work the whole next week. This little gasoline station had candy bars, cold drinks, and one pinball machine. This was our weekly treat!!! A full 5-ball game was only 5 cents then. One Nickel!!! The same for a Coca-Cola and a Hershey bar . . . . just a Nickel!!! He would give us each 35 cents, which was a substantial amount of money then. Ten cents went toward the drink and candy, and the other 25 cents went to play pinball. I was so small, my Dad had to get a couple of wooden Coke crates for me to stand on to be able to see the PF.  We began to be just like our father, and LOVED putting our money in the machine and watching all the lights and listening to the sounds. We would BEG for more, but we were on a limited income and when our money was spent we headed home and waited for NEXT WEEK!

When I became older, in my late 20's, I purchased an old EM for $100. Some kind of card playing game, and I cannot remember the name of it! But it was great to have. It eventually became inoperable and one day in 1977 my wife made me trash it!!! That HURT!!!

Advance forward: Three children and four grandchildren later, I decided it was time to buy a NEW pinball machine. I have always been athletic and my passion is BASKETBALL! Of course! I live in Kentucky!!! We LIVE for basketball and race horses here!!! Even at my 'advanced age', I still played REAL basketball several times a week . . . that is . . . up until a year ago. Then, I had to have knee surgery. It is very slow healing and has stopped my playing basketball. I found that I was REALLY missing the 'action' . . . the competitiveness, and the honing of the skills (like in pinball) that always went with it. I needed a new 'sport', a new OUTLET!!!

[NOTE: Since I first posted this stor, my knee has since healed and I am back to playing basketball! February 22, 2011.  Just had complete shoulder replacement surgery on Aug. 11, 2016.  Am in the healing process.  It's going real good.  Maybe I can get back to shooting some hoops soon.  October 5, 2016.   October 7, 2017.  My arm is near 100% healed and I can shoot again!!!]

In the last two months I've gone into a FLURRY of buying pins. I have a brand new Avatar (which we all LOVE!). I will soon have a new Limited Gold Edition LOTR. [NOTE: I have since received my LOTR LE!!! December 14, 2010] My refurbished machines include: Fish Tales, Phantom of the Opera, Goldeneye 007, White Water, Twilight Zone and The Simpsons Pinball Party. [NOTE: I have ordered one of Jersey Jack's "The Wizard of Oz" pins. I should have it sometime in December of this year (2011). It will be #120 of 1,000 Limited Editions. February 22, 2011  UPDATE:  I received my WOZECLE and played it for about 2 years and recently sold it. Posted on October 5, 2016.   I now have a Medieval Madness Remake to take it's place.]

I find that I can INTENSELY play these games. Though I'm 'playing' standing still, the adrenaline flows like in a basketball game. I even break out in a sweat when I get deep into a 'battle' on the play field. What a MARVELOUS outlet for excess energy! At the end of a business day I look forward to letting off a little steam by heading straight to the pinball room where I can take all my frustrations out on my machines! I consider THEM the competition, the adversary . . . and we do battle!!! 'Man' against 'Machine'.  My Junkyard pin is great for that, with the smashing ball and breaking glass sounds.

I believe that those ingenious people who invent these games, design the electronics, program the computers, make the complete game, must be some of the smartest people in the world! Have you ever really stepped back and looked at the mechanical composition of a game? I mean, REALLY examined it closely? These machines rate right up there with NASA accomplishments!!! Pinball producers are geniuses!!!

My 'youth' . . . my memories . . . have returned, now that I have once again hooked up with pinball machines!!! There was a more than 35 year gap between my first used machine and my now NEW Avatar machine.  I had to take back my Monopoly pin I loaned my 91 year old mother who loved to play it, as she passed away a few months ago.  My father passed away about 10 yeas ago, but I somehow feel his presence when I play. He was the one who introduced me to this game. I think I feel him help me 'nudge' it every once in awhile . . . .

Regards to all . . . and happy playing!
Mike in Kentucky