My son Atticus won Florida!

I am overjoyed!!

Of course he is happy too, but I can hardly contain myself!

KS Results:
1 Jason Scheffelmaer
2 Phil Cridlebaugh
3 Steve Hill
4 Artie Scholes
5 Joe Shaneyfelt
6 Don Brownback
7 Stu Allison
7 Joel Waldeck
9 Lonnie McDonald
10 Logan Harding
11 Nick Greenup
12 Chris Swartz
13 Taylor Brownback
14 Marion Richards
15 Baylee DeLaurier
16 Grady Noonen

Jason doubled up and won the side event as well. Congratulations to Jason, he played outstanding all day. Long day of pinball, some marathon matches in several rounds. We will need to better coordinate the timing of the side event going forward, a lot of the main event participants left before we got the side started.

(Missouri winner: John Miller)

Florida Has a Winner

Atticus Fl State Champ 2.jpg

WA State Champs final 4:

1st. Kevin Birrell (that's me!)
2nd. Aaron Garberding
3rd. Nicholas Polimenakos
4th. Dave Stewart

I also won the charity challenge; looks like I'm gonna go to Denver in May!

Awesome! Tell Atticus, "Congrats!"

SCS WAS A BLAST!! Never been on an adrenaline rush for so long! Choked at the end, but was honored just to be part of such a fun event! Big props to our directors who had to make a couple of difficult calls. Thanks to all the volunteers also especially Tmac and Paul O who donated their time! 10/10 would do again!

CA Results

1. Keith Elwin
2. Jim Belsito
3. Andrei Massenkoff
4. Josh Lehan

Wow, talk about a who's who of pinball. Which reminds me, how did IL end up?

KY Results

1. Derek Fugate
2. Jim Seward
3. Larry Smith
4. Bill Walborn

I think it's safe to say, a good time was had by one and all.

Unofficial IL
1. Josh Henderson
2. Dave Hegge
3. and 4. Sharpe brothers

Thanks Art! Bet they were some epic games!

Daily Herald article from the IL finals:

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140208/news/702089876/

I came in second (center) so that meant battle against the former and current world champion, Bowen Kerins.

Some battles, but he won 4-1 against me.

What's it like to play against him? Hard. Obviously a great player, but more importantly a good sport, and that's what it's all about. Here is the after photo.

[attachment=1442685,undefined]

1900205_743211095697353_401621178_o.jpg

I missed it. Too far away and too many important things to get done. I really was upset I couldn't make it. I was slightly defensive in my earlier post because I know that people mostly had a great event. I might have screwed one person. I am so sorry. I wanted to make a defensive post not to trash organizers but to show that I am a family man. My family comes first. I could have given about an hours notice, maybe 30 minutes. For that I apologize if an alternate could have been acquired. Ken, you worked so hard and hopefully without too much expense we exposed a flaw. and I retract my harsh original post. We got along really well at a tournament last fall. I just figured based on a text that I received the15 other people were getting drunk and trashing me. I had to say my piece. Be well, you're a smart man and I just think that a place more central would make it easier. there's bars/food and all the lovely arcade action for the kids, JJP might just provide well maintained machines and let us do that. We get a small space and Iplay gets money from the kids… and beer. Just an idea, not MY WAY or the HIGHWAY. I'm sorry but I hate to upset people. I have a complicated life. In the future I will make sure I cannot commit to things that are not set in stone. But my point was you never know. Thanks for your understanding. one love.

_{Post edited by FiveSixPyro}

Thanks. What James doesn't mention is that he was repeatedly crushing games on his first-ever trip to this location. He hung 90M on Tron and 250M on Spidey in the final, and was very strong throughout.

Big thanks to Chuck Webster for organizing a really fun event.

Alabama results.

1.Chris Warren(yours truly)
2.Tim Street
3.Travis Bender
4.Bill Scrivener

It was a pressure packed and fun event, despite playing in a loud and crowded public location. Birthday parties and pinball don't mix well. My best game was the very first game I picked, 129M on Star Trek pro! Congrats to all the state winners. Looks like 14 yr old Tim will be representing Alabama in Colorado!

IMG_20140208_195429_389.jpg

IMG_20140208_195439_892.jpg

Everything Ken said - big thanks to those that made this possible, especially those locals that volunteered their time, and Tom for opening up one of the country's best collections for us to play. It was great fun, and a very humbling experience!

I also fell to a former world champion in the finals and ended up taking 2nd place.

Minnesota Results:

1. Paul Madison
2. John Jundt
3. Trevor Klungseth
4. Dan Dolney

Interesting enough, Paul came in as the #1 qualifier, I was the #2 qualifier. Dan who finished 4th was the #3 qualifier and Trevor who finished 2nd was the #5 qualifier, so things didn't change much. Our #4 qualifier lost in the first round 4-3.

Capture.JPG

I needed it but came out playing bad. One game through off my mind after I should have won it to go up 2 games to 1. And that came us ACDC. One bad shot and down the right outline it went. Only had to keep the ball in play for 30 secs on ball 3 to win.

Here's a short video of final moment of the Ohio SCS

Trent Augenstein (#1 seed - white shirt) vs Rod Lawrence (#2 seed - black shirt)

Better than playing alone in your basement. d

Congrats to you and all the other winners. Sounds like an epic time was had by all.

The NC trophy at its new home.

ncstatepinball trophy.jpg

Did WI even have a trophy? I did not see it at the competition.

I want to congratulate the players involved and publicly acknowledge the IFPA guys for generating a lot of buzz for pinball over these SCS events. The game grew a little bigger today.

Well done.

Not only that, but Rod had to come back about ~80M (I believe) to win. Awesome finals.

Also want to give congrats to John Delzoppo for winning our Charity tournament, which raised $420... before matching!

No, we just had a block of cheese. But we did have Dennis Nordman at our SCS so it's all good!

Lmao! It was on the main table surrounded by the flyers.

Really? The same one as the other states? All I saw was the one for the side event.

Pretty cool looking trophies.

Yep it was right next to the side event trophy. You were probably just focused on your matches.

It’s all in the wrist as pinball wizards take a stand for Florida title

Posted: 9:33 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, 20

By Daphne Duret - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

BOYNTON BEACH —
The ringing, whistles and whirs coming from the Circus Voltaire pinball machine offered no clue as to whether Atticus Palmer was beating his opponent, but from the way the lanky 15-year-old bobbed his head, it was looking good.

Palmer, of Coral Springs, had come into the International Flipper Pinball Association’s Florida state championship tournament in fifth place, well behind his No. 1-ranked father, Jeff. But Atticus — clad in a black T-shirt, red Converse and oversized headphones that pumped Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” into his ears on repeat — was by far the crowd favorite among the 16 competitors.

+ It’s all in the wrist as pinball wizards take a stand for Florida title photo
Richard Graulich

The trophy on display during the IFPA Florida State Pinball Championship in Boynton Beach on February 8, 2014. (Richard Graulich/The Palm ... read more

Arcade-style pinball enthusiasts from around the state converged at Club 66 in Boynton Beach for the winner-take-all contest mirroring similar competitions that took place in every U.S. state Saturday. At stake: a spot representing Florida in the national championships, scheduled for May in Colorado.

Atticus Palmer appeared to be cruising through the first round after he watched his father battle all the way to game seven in a contest with a woman who had come from Tallahassee to play.

“It gets intense,” said Jeff Palmer, whose signature shimmy and left leg horse kick at the machines pulled him through to the fifth spot. “I tend to take it a lot more seriously than Atticus, but he’s been teaching me. He’s always so relaxed, he’s helped me open up more.”

+ It’s all in the wrist as pinball wizards take a stand for Florida title photo
Richard Graulich

An Indiana Jones machine at the IFPA Florida State Pinball Championship in Boynton Beach on February 8, 2014. (Richard Graulich/The Palm ... read more

“Like with most collectibles, it’s about nostalgia,” Club 66 owner Brian Styles said of the machines. “It’s about either something you had as a child and you’re trying to get back to that, or it’s something that you wanted but never had the opportunity to get back then.”

For competitor Howard Levine, a 50-year-old energy consultant who splits his time between upstate New York and Lake Worth, playing pinball was a way to recapture how it felt pulling back the lever on the machine at the bowling alley his father frequented when Howard was a kid. For Fred Langemeyer, a Loxahatchee member of Project Pinball, which places free machines in children’s hospitals, pinball is both a hobby and an avenue for philanthropy.

They all hope that teenagers like Atticus, who hung on to take the title Saturday, will carry on the arcade game’s legacy over the more sedentary video games that children of his generation play. With clear braces punctuating a shy smile, Atticus shrugged and slid on the sunglasses whose lenses he had covered with the letters YOLO — “you only live once.”

+ It’s all in the wrist as pinball wizards take a stand for Florida title photo
Richard Graulich

Jeff Palmer, of Coral Springs, works the Cirqus Voltaire machine during the IFPA Florida State Pinball Championship in Boynton Beach on ... read more

Atticus.jpg
Jeff Palmer.jpg

Atticus FL State Champ.jpg

Project Pinball.jpg

Saskatchewan had a good turnout, much fun had by all. Maybe next year we will be able to send our winner down to show you guys how to drink beer.

photo (21).JPG

Yes we had a trophy but with all the awesome pins in Tom's collection, I can see how you missed it!
Wisconsin Top 4
1. Jason Werdrick
2. Chris Basler (spelling?)
3. Mike Sievert
4. Ken Kulig

Cnv0266.jpg

Cnv0268.jpg

Oops I forgot to add we had a special guest at the Wisconsin State Tourney!

Cnv0267.jpg

Did you guys not play out for final finishing spots? In out tourney all losers of first played to determine 9-16, 2nd round losers 5th-9th, etc.

I learned not to go for the 10 million skill shot on Twilight Zone when you are down by about 20 million. Just go for another Gumball payout...

It was still a great time. I still need more experience in pressure situations.

Why are there just 9 players in Wisconsin State champs pic? And where is Jason?

IFPA will most likely designate 5-8 as a tie for 7th, or something like that, and 9-16 as a tie for 13th.

We had the entire group there for photos with two cameras. I'm guessing they haven't gotten around to posting it.

And who got the blue , ala, 1980 "Oscar trophy"..LOL.............................I keed I keed..
Not that the state championship trophy's were anything to write home about.....I keed ...not.!!

Here ya go... Great time and always good to see everyone!

Jan-Feb-Mar 2014 076.jpg

I count 15...

That picture was at the end of the night. Not all players, that is mostly volunteers and some players with Dennis Nordman. Jason was playing Chris at the time in the Final on another row of pins.

I think the format of the tourney also lends itself to more upsets, and favors slightly different characteristics than most tournaments (consistency is more important).

1 on 1 matches + single elim is both more random, and also favors consistent play more than people that have huge games and then some stinkers. PAPA style qualifying (100 95 90 85....) and 4 player matches with 4 2 1 0 scoring will give less random outcomes and yet favor people whose score distribution is wider at the same time.

And, yes, I'm implicitly acknowledging that my win was somewhat random

And if you ask me, with a "at most 1 per state" tourney that in the first place is going to be a little bit random, with the purpose of trying to engage more less-popular regions, it was a good choice to go with a tourney style that favored "inclusion" and increasing likelihood of upsets. But, damn, it was a long day of pinball for those that played the whole thing...

Curious what the national championship structure will look like.

Tough competition this year.

Whooosh

Great tournies all around.! Hope they do it next year as well.

Because they decided to take the picture without finding anyone or telling us about it. Not one person ever said we were taking pictures during the entire event.

I like how our WI winners are IL guys. You guys get back in your own state damn it. Least I lost to one of our own.