Rick Swanson.

Disappeared from the pinball scene. Popped up again pre covid.

Great guy. Many adventures posted on Rec Games Pinball. He read replacing coil sleeves could help your coil performance. So he replaced all the wrappers on the coils on his game.

He had a sincere innocence that was special.

LTG : )

He made his own. Probably construction paper and no numbers. This is Rick we are talking about.

A lot of people have made the artwork to download or the whole wrapper through the years.

LTG : )

I believe he drifted away from pinball after an incident at Expo one year. Killed the fun in it for him. Over the following years he faded from the pinball scene.

Some butt wipe a**hole motherF'r low life dick s*cking scum took it upon himself to approach Rick at Expo and accused him of lying. Told him none of his crazy adventures he posted about ever happened.

I believe this really hurt Rick. He told me he wouldn't be remembered as a liar.

And Rick wasn't a liar. He just had the knack for crazy things happening to him. He couldn't go to Disney World without ending up in an emergency room. Or him and his wife chasing sheet rock down a freeway. How many attorneys do you know that had their favorite cow shot in their field because a neighbor thought it was a coyote ? RIP Walther.

Rick was one of the guys you hoped you'd see at Expo. He even started shipping a game there from his home in Tennessee just to be part of the fun.

Rick is one of nicest, most friendliest guys you'll ever meet. You ever see him, say hi, you'll be glad you did.

This is a picture of Rick and me at Expo in 2001, Rick has the jacket on. Something fun going on in that picture very few people know about.

LTG : )

rickandlloydexpo2001 (resized).jpg

I can give you another Rick story.

He gets into a flame fest fight on Rec Games Pinball newsgroup. I was kind of shocked. Rick was just the nicest guy and no idea how he got into this posting war with another person. Really out of character for him. It came to threats and what they'd do if they ever met, etc. etc. Now on Rec Games Pinball you couldn't post pictures.

So Rick posts a link of his picture so the other guy knew who to look for at Expo.

I naturally clicked on the link to see which picture of Rick he'd posted. And what do I find ? Rick posted a picture of me !

Glad I looked, so I could keep an eye out at Expo in case I get cold cocked or something. Nothing ever did come of it. Though if there was a problem, better me than Rick.

LTG : )

Rick is a great man and some of his adventures funny as all get out. He couldn't go to Disney World without ending up in an Emergency Room.

His backing away from pinball may have started years ago. At Expo someone accused him of making up those stories, that none of them could have ever possibly happened.

Rick is sensitive and I know this hurt him. He told me he didn't want to be remembered for a bunch of lies.

Sad too. He was an important part of RGP, and supporter of Expo. He'd ship a game there to be part of the action and then sell it.

He is on Facebook, though I don't think he's very active there.

God speed Rick, what ever you are up to.

Your friend : LTG : )

I don't recall what happened. He couldn't get back in or something. So he is back with a similar name.

LTG : )

thechakapakuni2

LTG : )

I'm sorry to hear. I hope things get better for you. You and your wife are good people.

LTG : )

I doubt the Bull is. He usually gets a new hobby every couple years. Was salt water fish, then pinball. Probably had a few different ones since then.

LTG : )