National Pinball Day
About National Pinball Day
When is National Pinball Day? This holiday is always celebrated on August 1
Okay, all you Pinball Wizards. Today is National Pinball Day. People go tilt with excitement over this machine. And, they wiggle their flippers with joy. On this August 1 holiday, we celebrate a popular game machine that generation after generation just can’t resist playing. Thanks to a resurgence in popularity, you will find pinball machines in arcades, amusement parks, bars, and pubs. Also, more than a few of us have one in the den or rec room of our home. Now if that’s not enough, there’s no shortage of Pinball Apps to download to your cell phone or mobile devices.
We play pinball for fun. And, many people play it competitively.
The iconic electronic pinball machine has been around since the 1930s. It has seen its ups and downs over those many decades. But, its resilience and attraction over many generations of people speaks volumes about its lasting popularity. Over the decades, we’ve seen hundreds of versions of the game. For example, themes include Star Wars and Strek, popular cartoon shows over the years, The Beatles and other popular bands, Godzilla, Jurassic Park, and many more subjects. We tried to compile a list of the top 10 themes of all time. We checked many sites and resources. However, there was little consensus of the Top 10 games.
Song of the Day: Pinball Wizard, by The Who (1969)
History and Evolution of the Pinball Machine
Pinball machines evolved over a long time period.
- In 1777, French aristocracy began to play Bagatelle. The roots of pinball machines trace back to this game.
- Modern coin-operated pinball machines came on the market in 1931 during the Great Depression. It quickly became an inexpensive form of entertainment.
- In 1937, the Bally Company added bumpers to the machines.
- In 1937, the first machine to run on electricity hits the market.
- In 1934, Harry Williams invented the “tilt mechanism.
- For a time in the 1940s, police and many government officials associated pinball machines with the mob as a game of chance.
- In 1947, D. Gottlieb and Company added “Flippers” to the machines. They soon became a standard feature.
- New York City outlawed pinball machines from 1947 to 1976 in an effort to reduce crime and gambling. Many other cities followed suit.
- In 1976, Roger Sharpe argued in a Manhattan court to overturn New York City’s ban on the machines. He argued they were more a game of skill than chance. He successfully demonstrated his case, and the ban was lifted.
- By the 1980s, video games had largely replaced pinball machines in arcades and other venues.
- In 1979, Gorgar became the first talking pinball machine.
- Pinball machines see a resurgence in popularity in the 2010s.
- The game is available on Apps for cell phones and other devices.
- In 2021, over 37,000 competitions were held.
Pinball Trivia
Here is some trivia that all pinball wizards will enjoy:
- In 1871, a British inventor was issued a U.S. patent for what he called “Improvements to Bagatelle”. Many of the improvements are still part of the design of today’s modern machine.
- In 1931, “Baffle Ball” became the first coin-operated commercially successful pinball machine.
- As previously mentioned, the popularity of this game went up and down over several decades. For example, in 2006 there were only 50 competitions. However, in 2021, over 37,000 competitions were held annually.
- The tilt mechanism was invented to stop people from strongly lifting and shaking the machine which sometimes damaged the machine.
- On October 22-23, 2016, Wayne Johns of the United Kingdom achieved the world record of 396,278,400 points at a non-stop marathon in the “World Poker Tour” pinball machine.
- In 1963, D. Gottlieb and Company introduced the first swinging targets on the “Swing Along” machine.
- Built in 1979, “Hercules” is the largest commercially produced pinball machine ever built. It measured 6’11” tall, 3’3″ in width, and 7’11” in length.
How to Celebrate and Participate in National Pinball Day
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate and participate in National Pinball Day:
- Go to an arcade or other amusement venue and play pinball machines.
- Attend one of the many pinball competitions that are held on this day.
- Hold your own competition among friends.
- Introduce this machine a friend to this machine.
- See how much you can shake the machine before it goes “Tilt”.
- Download an app for this game.
Thought for Today
“I used to be indecisive. But, now I’m not sure.” – – Author Unknown
History and Origin of National Pinball Day
National Pinball Day was created in 2019. This holiday honors Roger Sharpe who defended this electronic game in a Manhattan court in 1976. It also exists to celebrate this wonderful arcade game. There is much information about this holiday and the reason for its creation. Surprisingly, we have not identified what person or organization created it.
The date of this holiday is the birthdate of Roger Sharpe.
In 2019, a petition was initiated to the United States Senate to make this a “National” day. However, we have found no record of its approval, or if it even was formally proposed. We did not find any documentation confirming this to be a “National” day. We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation.
Definition of “National” Days – and why it is so important to distinguish and identify true national days.
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