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The Pinball Wizard Lives in Chicago-Land

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker 475.140531

As a kid I loved Pinball machines. I have played from back in the say when it was 10 cents for a game. I used to dream pinball games in my 12 year old mind. It was really fun. I could bump the machine just enough to avoid the tilt and when the the "Pinball Wizard" came out by the Who in 1973 on Quadrophinia I was already a seasoned player.Pinball lives in Chicago Land

I saw this article on the WTTW site, this is our PBS channel. This video is really interesting. I quote this article, 

"I didn’t spend much time on pinball machines until I went away to college. I didn’t even go that far away–about 30 miles from home. But since I wasn’t living with my parents that was far enough. I met another suburban kid adrift in the city and he introduced me to pinball. Pinball and cigarettes.

You put a coin in (a quarter?) and played three balls. Usually I tanked. But I felt it was cool to spend an hour in a bar somewhere in the hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., lighting up John Player Specials bought from a shop on Wabash, dumping coins into a dead end of flashing lights, bumpers, flippers, TILT and art work that was entirely beyond the pale of anything that passed for tasteful or friendly or even nice.

Representations of women with come-on faces staring over shoulders showing off ample figures, posing like odalisques for the slightly smirking, bored-looking James Bond-like guys, or celebrations of autos and sports.  I felt like I belonged to the edge of the movies I was just beginning to see, films by Rainer Werner Fassbinder about people destined for big league trouble, pinball-playing sadists who sometimes murdered to handle their complicated emotions.

Hey, it was just a pinball machine.

Gary Stern, president, CEO and chairman of Stern Pinball, Inc., might understand. Stern comes by his lifelong obsession with pinball honestly. His father, Sam Stern, was a partner in Williams Manufacturing, a pinball company that goes back to the 1940s. “You know,” Stern said, “my father used to say that a pinball machine is like a movie. It’s gotta have a good theme, good action, good sound effects, photography, art work, promotion, distribution, it has a climax, so forth. It’s not trying to tell some deep story, though, it’s just fun and that’s what we are: capital F, capital U, capital N, FUN.”

Comments (25)

Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Wow Noah interesting to know for sure.  Hope you have a great day!

Aug 14, 2016 03:12 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I used to enjoy playing pinball as well, but I don't think my skill set would hold a candle to yours!

Aug 14, 2016 03:46 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Noah - Are we brothers? Remember those machines that were just pins and holes, no flippers, and you bumped (gently) the balls into the right holes. The more money you put in, the more ways you could win? That was my machine in college, and our corner bar paid off on winners. I drank free for two years off of that.

Aug 14, 2016 04:57 AM
Noah Seidenberg

I remember seeing a few of those old machines Dick Greenberg.


Sounds like you have the same found memories. 

Aug 14, 2016 08:07 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Noah,

Love your memories and stories of the pinball machines, and also reading Dick Greenberg 's memories also.  What a fun subject!  A

Aug 14, 2016 05:21 AM
Noah Seidenberg

Ron and Alexandra Seigel I agree, Dick Greenberg share many tastes in music.

Aug 14, 2016 08:07 AM
Bill Roberts
Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA
"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

Well Noah Seidenberg pinball was only a nickel when I played (and you gor 5 balls, not three).

But Chicago should be the home of pinball because the early machines were all made in Chicago.

Bill Roberts

Aug 14, 2016 05:23 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Noah --- another childhood fascination avoided -- I was never into pinball but I do like the song.  

Aug 14, 2016 05:39 AM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Everyone has a story to tell.  Pinball was one of your stories, thanks for sharing.

Aug 14, 2016 05:41 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Noah, 

I did not know Pinballs are back in style and people are obviously playing these games. Good video and I am happy to see Pinball machines are being bult in Elk Grove. 

Aug 14, 2016 05:51 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I have not played pinballs since I was a kid.

Have an outstanding week.

Aug 14, 2016 05:53 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Noah,

  I have not played Pinball in ages, I used to at parties at the rollerrink that is where they used to have pin ball machines!

Aug 14, 2016 07:57 AM
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

Thanks for the excellent comments friends.

Aug 14, 2016 08:08 AM
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I still love pinball Noah Seidenberg and when i get a chance i head to our lakes region with the largest collection of pinball machines around at Funspot

Aug 14, 2016 09:52 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

We had a pinball machine in our house until a few years ago when the kids were no longer interested. It was the Red Baron and loads of fun. We gave it to a church for their youth department. I am sure they had many hours of fun with it too. I knew if we kept it it would be a collectors item but when you move some things have to go and you can't look back.

Aug 14, 2016 10:32 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Noah I loved the song, but pinball machines where something I never got much into in my younger years, but several of my friends could not stay away from them.

Aug 14, 2016 10:52 AM
Hella M. Rothwell, Broker/Realtor®
Carmel by the Sea, CA
Rothwell Realty Inc. CA#01968433 Carmel-by-the-Sea

Had totally forgotten about pinballs, Noah Seidenberg . I remember small hand held ones that were round that I used to play with as a kid. Could take them anywhere. Fun memory.

Aug 14, 2016 11:56 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Noah- I too haven't played in ages.  There were machines at the bowling alley and I'd play while waiting on a lane.  I have one on my iPad but it's not the same thing. 

Aug 14, 2016 12:05 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Playing that pinball was about the only fun time I had when I was 10-11.  We lived on top of a mountain.  TV reception was not so good.  So I had pinball during school at a local restaurant, and hunting.  It does bring back fond memories

Aug 14, 2016 06:47 PM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Noah Seidenberg I remember pinball when I was growing up.   They were everywhere.

Aug 14, 2016 08:54 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Hi Noah.  I would love to find some machines to play.  I was pretty addicted to them when I was a kid also.

Aug 14, 2016 09:29 PM
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

Thanks friends, have a great day.

Aug 14, 2016 10:45 PM