(Topic ID: 157160)

Should Pinball be Considered a Sport?

By pinlink

7 years ago


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  • 438 posts
  • 138 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by pinlink
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    Topic poll

    “Should Pinball be considered a sport?”

    • Yes 148 votes
      37%
    • No 247 votes
      63%

    (395 votes)

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    #115 7 years ago

    It's not a sport.... no way.

    But that doesn't diminish it as a "game of skill"

    #128 7 years ago
    Quoted from polyacanthus:

    I can do it, so no, it's not a sport. It's as pastime like bowling or golf.

    correct.... I settled an argument with a friend over "bowling as a sport" when i showed him bowling shirts came in sizes up to 7XL.

    #150 7 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    I am curious if the majority of people claiming that pinball is absolutely not a sport, play competitively or mostly recreational? .

    I LOLed at this a bit.... I feel sorry for anyone that doesnt play MOSTLY for recreation... I'd bet even the top tourney players would say the same....

    Quoted from pinlink:

    Great discussion going on here. Perhaps the better question would have been “Should COMPETITIVE Pinball be Considered a Sport?”.

    Yeah.... still "no."

    Is COMPETITIVE slot machine playing a sport? (Their fingers can ver VERY sore at the end of a long tournament).

    Pinball is a GAME of skill.

    #153 7 years ago

    btw, why does it matter?

    Pinball is fun.

    If someone has some deep need to believe they are participating in "a sport" - they're doing it wrong.

    #156 7 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    I am curious if the majority of people claiming that pinball is absolutely not a sport, play competitively or mostly recreational? If you are only playing for fun and never competing in actual tournaments, I could see how it would be hard to understand why some are claiming that it IS a sport.

    Another spin on this:
    I am curious if the majority of people claiming "pinball is a sport" have ever actually participated in a real competitive sport to know the difference? Im going to guess NO, otherwise they'd see the foolishness of the comparison.

    Full disclosure:
    I roll my eyes already at what many accept as sports:
    competitive food eating

    and a whole host of olympic "sports"
    synchronized swimming
    dressage
    snowboarding
    whatever-that-thing-is-where-they-throw-a-ball-in-the-air-and-catch-it gymnastics
    etc.

    #158 7 years ago
    Quoted from pinlink:

    But, is this a real thing?

    Sure, and they can be just as "athletic looking" as your average pinball tournament player

    foxwoodsslottournament_(resized).jpgfoxwoodsslottournament_(resized).jpg

    #197 7 years ago
    Quoted from TaylorVA:

    It's a sport. It takes physical and mental exertion, case closed.

    So does Wii Bowling....

    ...case opened, reversed, and closed.

    #220 7 years ago
    Quoted from DaWezl:

    The origins of the word "sport" is "disport" which means "recreation" or "entertainment" -- i.e. nothing about competition. That archaic definition is still valid, so even posting here on Pinside would be considered "great sport".

    Yes, yes, one could always use the broadest definition and then practically EVERYTHING is a sport...

    It's just that the OP, since he NOW competes in "competitive pinball" seemingly wants his "button pushing activity" validated as a "sport."

    To avoid another thread, can we go ahead and also just stipulate that PiLink is an ATHLETE.

    -1
    #269 7 years ago
    Quoted from Luckydogg420:

    image_(resized).jpeg

    Sorry,

    As soon as you need to paste a dictionary definition into a forum, you automatically lose the argument.

    If pinside was a sport, you would have just been put in the penalty box...

    #273 7 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    Yes... because just throwing out opinions without any supporting material, basis, or anything to support your point isn't a discussion or debate... it's just people talking AT each other.
    you and iceman both are cut from the same cloth... 'my opinion is right.. because its what I believe... if you don't agree.. by definition you are wrong' - with nothing to support your line of thought.

    Yawn... ok, fine, here:

    Per the International governing body of sports:

    Screen_Shot_2016-04-13_at_9.13.52_PM_(resized).pngScreen_Shot_2016-04-13_at_9.13.52_PM_(resized).png

    There are 92 sports specifically recognized. Pinball, obviously, is not one of them.

    By this definition, pinball is absolutely NOT a sport. end of discussion.

    See, one can likely cut/paste shit from the internet to prove just about any point.... it's not even as creative as a car analogy..

    #279 7 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    And be careful in what you cite... by your cite, even iceman's lead game isn't even included.. the NFL.

    Be careful what you cite of my cite, it specifically includes American Football.... which is the sport the NFL plays....

    #295 7 years ago
    Quoted from puck:

    Ummm.. lowepg...
    The sport proposed should include an element of competition.
    Check
    The sport should not rely on any element of “luck” specifically integrated into the sport.
    Check

    Check? For no element of luck integrated into the "sport"?
    I think there IS luck integrated into many games. Are there not elements of the game software that are random?
    At any rate, they went on to list all the sports that met the criteria, pinball (nor frogger) made the list.

    Anyways, the point I was trying to prove (with my 60-seconds of googling) was that simply posting a internet definition is hardly proof. If you look hard enough, you can find a definition to suit your argument, on either side.

    The whole argument is a bit silly, but I guess that's what happens on slow news days

    I never imagined there'd be more than 1 or 2 folks that would realty consider pinball as a sport, at least with a straight face.

    Btw, I played a few games of Galaga waiting for a pizza to be done today. I can only assume that the pinball-athletes consider that a sport too?

    #305 7 years ago
    Quoted from wayout440:

    That attitude will only get you penalty downvotes. It's a favorite sport to see who can paste the best definitions around here

    crap.... that would be my first down vote i think... but I'm not keeping track...

    Sigh...I need a podcast....

    #307 7 years ago
    Quoted from Luckydogg420:

    Here's your pic again, notice it clearly says that they've made up their own definition of the word "sport"

    So, the definition I posted is somehow less valid than yours?

    Quoted from Luckydogg420:

    So if you don't want to use the dictionary definition of the word to prove your point, then your point could be wrong.

    "the dictionary" definition?

    lol... you act as if theres just ONE.

    I think you missed the whole context of that definition. I was responding to someone who commented I couldn't made an opinion on the subject with some internet definition to support it...(lol). So, the point being one could find plenty of conflicting definitions....

    Listen, if believing pinball is a "sport" allows someone here to puff out their chest and feel better about themselves- then go for it.

    But please don't believe its a fact.

    Clearly as you can see from this thread, plenty of pinheads don't even think its a sport (many thinking it laughably so) by a WIDE margin, 2-1. I think if you surveyed the general population you'd see even less support of this "sport" idea...

    At any rate, lets just agree it's a "sport in some peoples minds".... I think we can all agree on that? yes?

    #312 7 years ago
    Quoted from wayout440:

    No, you can make any activity a sport by introducing competition into it. That's the fact.

    Well, with that broad of a definition, why bother?

    So, if 2 guys decide to have a competition as to which can collect the most belly button lint, then its a "Sport"?

    mmmkay.

    #314 7 years ago
    Quoted from Luckydogg420:

    Exactally. Your finally starting to get it.

    really? 2/3 of pinsiders here would seem to disagree...

    Your position just dilutes the meaning of "sport" to irrelevance.

    Unless you want to make a distinction between "real" sports and these pretend ones...

    #323 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    What do they know?

    whoops, sorry. forgot to frame all arguments in the context of internet dictionary quotes....

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    #325 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    If majority rules then soon we will see a Styx or Journey pinball machine. And do we really need that?

    I think ABBA would be before them actually...

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    #329 7 years ago
    Quoted from goingincirclez:

    Granted I'll admit, flying drones at speed might require lightning-quick thumb reflexes, but pinball probably requires more nuanced skill...

    lol...wrong.

    I'm guessing you don't fly a quadcopter, or to quote he OP, "only fly one recreationally, not in competition"

    #367 7 years ago
    Quoted from goingincirclez:

    I've flown a few quads, and a couple airplanes / copters and such but nothing pro or comp-quality. I've also seen pro-caliber RC car racing in person.
    Nothing against those pursuits, but your general stance has been that sports require some degree of physical athleticism? !

    I wasn't trying to infer flying a quadcopter is a sport either, lol, hell no.

    Rather, refuting the claim that pinball takes more skill. I think Pinball might require more subtle touch, but flying quads can definitely be more technically complex.

    Again, both are skill activities, neither sports.

    #380 7 years ago

    So the poll results are invalid because.... you don't agree with them?

    i think its pretty telling that the polling HERE, on PINside is so clearly in agreement on the topic. You've got an audience that is MASSIVELY skewed towards pinball and even they (by nearly 2-1) agree with the logical answer than pinball is not a sport.

    Why the ferver to make it so? Is someone feeling less about themselves because its not a sport? really? sad.

    #395 7 years ago
    Quoted from PoMC:

    Call pinball a sport, or don't. In this day and age with men calling themselves women, and women calling themselves men, anything goes.

    Oh great... pinside was the one place I thought i could avoid that debate (especially living here in NC)

    #396 7 years ago
    Quoted from wayout440:

    This is such a loose argument. So when a football is fumbled the bounce isn't random? The basketball bounces off the rim in a missed shot and that isn't random? Golf ball bounces off of irregular turf isn't random?

    They aren't "random" - they are all based on physics... some may seem "unpredictable" - but that not the same as random.

    The spin of the ball, the angle of the shot, etc, lots of physics going on in those examples, and none of them are random.

    #399 7 years ago
    Quoted from wayout440:

    Same physics apply - regardless if the ball is bouncing on the ground or bouncing off a flipper.

    Yes, agreed.

    However, when I refer to the randomness of pinball, Im talking more about that which is introduced by the software, not the physics of the ball.

    I can't think of any other SPORT whose PLAY and ultimately the SCORE is so dictated by computer software.

    #406 7 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    And by that logic, the 'luck' in competitive pinball is very low. We do things like remove randomized rewards, we do things like avoid games where play order makes a big difference, etc.
    So just like you said about 'seeming unpredictable' - the physics of the ball's movement, the bounce, saving a drain or not... its all the same physics.

    100% right.

    However, the follow-up post clarified my issue of randomness being inherently built into pinball. I was not referring to ball physics, I was referring to the fact that pinball is NOT JUST a function of the steel ball- the gameplay is greatly a function of software.

    I can't think of another "sport" who's outcome is so directly influenced by a software program....

    #410 7 years ago

    Found this online... it was survey done via reddit (so, pretty much MUST be true )

    Anyways, i think its an interesting factoid to this discussion:
    pinball_sport1_(resized).pngpinball_sport1_(resized).png

    Here's there good news for the "pinball is a sport" folks...

    At least competitive video games (closest thing to pinball) edged out competitive eating as a sport

    #435 7 years ago
    Quoted from MrBally:

    Here's one: It was mentioned several pages earlier; Competitive slot machine playing/Slot machine tournaments.....

    I'm pretty sure I made that up

    But, again, thats also NOT a sport, nor are other actives that have about the same athletic exertion required as pinball:
    "competitive Frogger"
    "competitive tetris"
    "competitive Keurig coffee brewing"
    etc.

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