When the giants fell, one man stood between pinball and oblivion. When no one else believed, one man kept his faith. With his fortune at risk, he stayed at the table. When every ounce of common sense said "leave", he stood his ground. Could he be, the most important figure in pinball history?
Gary Stern, A Real Life Superhero?
Quoted from tl54hill:Could he be, the most important figure in pinball history?
No, I'd go with Steve Kordek for that.
Gary is definitely in the top ten.
During the worst period in coin op ever he built some of the greatest pins. TSPP, LOTR, and SM.
LTG : )
Truth.
For all the "Gary's cheap", "Gary hates collectors", "Gary this", and "Gary that" ....he kept a pinball factory open during the death of coin-op. Williams could have kept it up for the "love" of it, the local culture and pride of it, and to keep good people employed - but decided it wasn't profitable enough and that's all that mattered. On the other hand, Gary kept a pinball factory running...he didn't have to do that, but he did. Maybe we don't agree with all his decisions - but we can agree on one...he didn't let pinball manufacturing in Chicago die when Williams happily twisted the knife!
Quoted from Rarehero:Maybe we don't agree with all his decisions - but we can agree on one...he didn't let pinball manufacturing in Chicago
Quoted from o-din:Am I the only one that likes Nascar?
It's pretty cool. I don't get the theme, but it's a really unique Lawlor layout. I love the racetrack that whips the ball around the playfield!
Quoted from o-din:Am I the only one that likes Nascar?
There are two. You are the only one that went public.
LTG : )
I know a few people who worked with Gary over the years, and they always told me Gary just loved pinball. It was part of his DNA. If there was any way he could keep it going, he would, even if it was not profitable. He has built some great machines, and he has built some turds, but I am glad he kept it going. I don't know what the pinball world would look like today without him.
Quoted from Rarehero:but it's a really unique Lawlor layout. I love the racetrack that whips the ball around the playfield!
It almost feels like Ritchie had some input on this game.
Quoted from LTG:There are two. You are the only one that went public.
my brother likes nascar ,it is the only pinball He can beat me at!
Quoted from stretch2:One day you may talk about JJP like this !
That day might be November 14, 2029.
Quoted from stretch2:One day you may talk about JJP like this !
JJP would not even be making any games; if it was not for Gary Stern and STERN PINBALL
Quoted from tl54hill:When the giants fell, one man stood between pinball and oblivion. When no one else believed, one man kept his faith. With his fortune at risk, he stayed at the table. When every ounce of common sense said "leave", he stood his ground. Could he be, the most important figure in pinball history?
Gary Stern, A Real Life Superhero?
Even shares inside jokes with complete strangers!
Quoted from gambit3113:That day might be November 14, 2029.
How do you already know when The Hobbit ships?
remove ritchie, sheats, gomez and all the big names that was there and there's no stern!
so it's not only because of gary, i'll bet if he's not there, same success.
It was certainly a group effort, but at the end of the day Gary Stern was the boss who made the decisions and took take the risks. If this was the Hall of Justice, I might make him Superman. The designers would probably be lesser super heroes, but better than Aqua-man or Apache Chief.
Quoted from tl54hill:It was certainly a group effort, but at the end of the day Gary Stern was the boss who made the decisions and took take the risks. If this was the Hall of Justice, I might make him Superman. The designers would probably be lesser super heroes, but better than Aqua-man or Apache Chief.
Gary has been a mixed bag over the years. But without a winning team, he wouldn't matter. Putting him above all the others just because he inherited the company isn't fair. Stern pinball was always a group effort.
I applaud Stern pinball inc. for keeping pinball alive.
Rick. "I'm gonna have me some fun." #190
This sounds like one of those "Real men of genius" commercials.
Here's to you mister only maker of real pinball machines with equal number of parts to a ford taurus, even though your programmers insisted on finishing code you told them to release it anyway, though you kept pinball alive you doubled the price of your games but cut the quality of its parts in half. We salute you!
(The above comment was just in fun so before you go crazy, relax)
Stern Pinball has my respect ! And yes I have a new Metallica on the way and already own the best pinball machine to date!
Gary's lived pinball his entire life.
Like others have mentioned, without him, pinball would have died.
Plus I've met him twice and he couldn't have been nicer.
I'm proud to own Stern pins. 
everyone who loves pinball should be thankful to gary stern as well as all the other wonderful people that have and continue to make pinball games and work so hard for us to have fun.
next time you get the chance to say thank you to any of them please let them know how much all of us pinheads appreciate what they do.
Quoted from beatmaster:remove ritchie, sheats, gomez and all the big names that was there and there's no stern!
so it's not only because of gary, i'll bet if he's not there, same success.
Isn't he the one who hires these legends, they wouldn't be making games without Gary.
Quoted from spfxted:Gary...Jack...Skit-B...ALL Pinball Goooood! (Fire Bad!)
lollll, sounds like metallica.
Quoted from spfxted:...I didn't bash....
It's not you. I have a good feeling this thread will turn bad.
Quoted from garman411:Isn't he the one who hires these legends, they wouldn't be making games without Gary.
I was just about to post this! There are decision makers, like Stern, who evaluate and hire these people. The team doesn't randomly come together through osmosis.
Quoted from garman411:Isn't he the one who hires these legends, they wouldn't be making games without Gary.
i also agree on this, it's team work.
Quoted from spfxted:Hey...mine was a JOKE...hence the big sittin' there.
It was very funny I thought 
Who knew, a real life superhero right in front of us 
Quoted from spfxted:Don't worry...I'm lookin' for a gif...
Can't believe you don't have one for this...
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