Silverball Chronicles: A Pinball History Podcast

Want to Support the Show? Visit Our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  or pick up a tee shirt at https://silverballswag.com/collections/silverball-chronicles   Segasa or Sega S.A. Sonic (or was it just Sonic?) Pinball was Spain's major contribution to the golden age of pinball. Its products evolved from licensed electro-mechanical arcade designs to original solid-state pinball machines under the "Sonic" brand. Established 1968, Segasa (later Sega S.A. SONIC) initially, imported and distributed American amusement machines before transitioning to local manufacturing due to import restrictions. Production ceased in 1986, marking the end of Spain's efforts for world domination and it's pinball adventure… Sources: SEGA-SONIC, una historia entre el éxito y la nostalgia (Spanish) - Here 1937 Hollywood movie Way Out West. Here Segasa/Sonic Games list. Here and Here Easy Paella Recipe. Here

Want to Support the Show? Visit Our Patreon at or pick up a tee shirt at Silverball Swag  Check out Flip N Out Pinball for all your pinball needs! Topic begins at 12:28   Episode Summary:   Pinball has had a dramatic change since the end of the modern DMD era at Stern. The designers we all know and love from the 80s and 90s have begun to retire, slow down, or leave the industry. A new wave of designers has started to slide in and learn from the masters… The first major new designer to come along was the tournament player Keith Elwin.   Some say Keith Elwin is the second coming of our lord and saviour Steve Ritchie. Others say 'in Elwin we trust'… but is that all hype? Has Keith Elwin changed the pinball designer game as much as some believe?   Join us this month as we chat about the second coming golden age of pinball, Keith's dominance of tournament pinball, his deep understanding of repair, play, code, and design, his first pin, and his second smash hit follow-up!   Sources: Kineticist Keith Elwin Profile Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep. 45 - Iron Maiden Head2Head Pinball Podcast Ep. 106 - Jurassic Park Just Another Pinball Podcast - Godzilla  Flip N Out Podcast with Joel E - Jaws Loser Kid Podcast - King Kong Pinside Keith Elwin Designer Profile

Want to Support the Show? Visit Our Patreon at or pick up a tee shirt at Silverball Swag  Check out Flip N Out Pinball for all your pinball needs!   Topic begins at 7:35   Episode Summary:   In the third part of our Pinball Downunder series, we look at Homepin.  Homepin was established in 2013 and was born from the hobby business of Mike Kalinowski. It seems like a really smart idea to set up manufacturing in the world's largest manufacturing country, China, but it turns out to be a mixed bag.   Ron and Dave play it as straight as the possibility can from a manufacturer who struggled out of the gate, overcame some very difficult situations, knows a theme is a must, understands costs are king, and whose owner went on a podcast charm offensive, which was more offensive than charming for the pinball community. Correction: In a previous version, Taiwan was mentioned as a semi-autonomous state in the same context as Hong Kong. The episode has been edited to have this reference removed to remain politically neutral. You can read more about Taiwan here: https://tinyurl.com/b7x69hbp  Sources: HomePin Games List. Here The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 16 – Mike from Homepin YouTube. Mike Kalinowski. Here HomePin Facebook Page. Here

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  or pick up a t-shirt at https://silverballswag.com/collections/silverball-chronicles   Episode Begins at 16:52   Episode Summary:   Ron and Dave Return to the Gottliebs, one of the best-known names in pinball. But did you know about Michael Gottlieb and the company he started with his father Alvin? Let's chat about Gottlieb's sale (again), the changes at the company and why they happened, Cheater the Gottlieb delivery driver, how Michael Gottlieb ended up in pinball following his family's exit, his famous pinball last name, Alvin G. & Co, when did Clowns becoming creepy, and finally what he does now!   Sources: Expo Speech – Here The Gottlieb Name Change (Mylstar)- Here The Gottlieb's Picture - Here Alvin Gottlieb Obituary – Here AAMA Induction Video - Here Alvin Gottlieb Game List - here Youtube ·        Pistol Poker Video - here ·        Richard  (Dick) M. Bueschel - The Pinball Historian. Pinball Expo 1985 Seminar. Here TopCast, Ep 13 Michael and Alvin Gottlieb. Pinball News. Expo 2006 Recap. Here.

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Begins at 10:10     Episode Summary:   Join us this month where Dave says 'Swing on Over' like 40 times in the preamble, Ron spoils JJPs next game with the help of Jersey Jack himself, reviews of 70s style, Jack's business building and evolving that business over and over, pinball needing to move to the home consumer market, stripped down Sterns,  building a company from scratch, their first game Wizard of Oz and how it changes pinball forever, and the Abass Family.    Sources: Jersey Jack Pinball. Here and Here. Jersey Jack Pinball Podcast Ep 1 – Brett Abass 2011, Pinball News. New Pinball Manufacturer. Here 2013, Huffington Post. Jersey Jack Pinball CEO Explains How He's Making The Beloved Arcade Game Cool Again. Here 2013. Pinside. Early Review of Wizard of Oz. Here 2015, Pinball News – Jersey Jack  Pinball Gets New Investors. Here 2017, Modern Magazine. Nature and Nurture by Beth Dunlop. Here  Brett Abess LinkedIn. Here Jersey Jack Pinball Game List. Here 2013, Slate Magazine. Can This Man Save Pinball? Here

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Begins at 18:08   Episode Summary: Have you ever heard the saying, "pinball is hard?" Well, the team at Barrels of Fun hasn't, and they decided to smash on ahead and impress pretty much everyone. It's been over 24 months since they launched their company and their first licensed game… and (as of this recording) they've manufactured all the games they said they would. Join us as we chat about the loving relationship between two pinball fellas, building a new company from nothing, Transformers, art, ramps, picking the bones of Deeproot Pinball, and Dave's unhealthy love for David Bowie in tight pants.    Sources: Pinball Profile Ep 378 - Labyrinth-pinball-from-Barrels-of-Fun The Aussie Pinball Podcast Ep 18 -  David Van Es Australian YouTube: -         Sherbet, Howzat. Here -         VB Victoria Bitter (Australian ad) 1988. Here -         "C'mon Aussie C'mon" Aust. Cricket TV Ad Original 1979. Here

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode begins at 13:15    Episode Summary:    Do you find yourself craving? Do you ever hanker for a special little thing? Well, we have had multiple people email and inquire about Hankin, you might say they had a craving for another Australian-based episode. Let's go down under again with Part 2: Hankerin' for Hankin.      Sources: Hankin Game List. Here The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 5 – Wayne Gillard The Rare Pinball Files: a Deep Dive on Hankin's Empire Strikes Back (1980), The Kineticist, 2023.  Here

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:    The Gottlieb Family is an important part of pinball. David Gottlieb and Alvin Gottlieb made pinball what it is today. David's vision and spirit and Alvin's excitement and drive built the Gottlieb name into what it is today, and it will always live on. Join Dave and Ron this month as we talk about the beginnings of David Gottlieb, wide west dangers, his life and family-changing opportunity, being highly focused vs. doing all things, not taking risks, Alvin Gottlieb joining the company, and the exit of the Gottlieb family from D. Gottlieb & Co.       Sources:   Punch Boards - Here Expo Speech – Here The Gottlieb Name Change (Mylstar)- Here The Gottlieb's Picture - Here Alvin Gottlieb Obituary – Here AAMA Induction Video - Here Youtube  ·                Pistol Poker Video - here ·                 Richard  (Dick) M. Bueschel - The Pinball Historian. Pinball Expo 1985 Seminar.          Here TopCast, Ep 13 Michael and Alvin Gottlieb. Pinball News. Expo 2006 Recap. Here.

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:  Manufacturing is hard. Pinball is hard, and when you're starting on the other side of the world from all the suppliers and skilled labour, it's that much harder. COVID-19 did not help Haggis Pinball is the latest cautionary tale of a pinball start-up that promised big and initially delivered but ultimately succumbed to the pressures of the industry.  Join us this month while we talk about an IT guy who started a manufacturing company, what the heck is a celt, is innovation worth it, remaking old Ballys, COVID-19 production, red flags, and no, we won't be doing Australian accents and barbie jokes.     Sources: The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 16 – Mike from Homepin The Aussie Pinball Podcast, Ep 5 – Wayne Gillard Pinball Profile, Ep 304 – Fathom Revisited from Haggis Pinball Pinball Profile, Ep 243 – Haggis Pinball Celts Update 2019, Austetrogamer – Made in Australia: Haggis Pinball. Here 2024, Pinball News – Haggis Liquidation. Here 2024, Kineticist. A Detailed Timeline of the Haggis Pinball Collapse. Here 2024, YouTube, Cary Hardy. My Interview with Haggis Pinball. Here 2024, YouTube, Cary Hardy. Unboxing the TRUTH on Haggis Pinball. Here 2024, Knapp Arcade. Haggis Pinball, The Aftermath Here    

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:  Multimorphic, Inc. manufactures the P3 Pinball Platform, a modern, physical-digital, multi-game pinball machine, as well as pinball machine control system products, such as the P-ROC and P3-ROC. Since 2009, Gerry Stellenberg and his crack team of engineers and software developers have created the first off-the-shelf pinball controller board for making your homebrew pinball machines, and changed the image of a multi-use pinball machine with the P3 Platform.     Sources:  Multimorphic, Inc Website. Here YouTube. P-ROC & pyprocgame at Pinball Expo 2010 Seminar. Here Pinball Innovators & Makers Podcast Ep 18: Gerry Stellenberg For Amusement Only Podcast Ep 450 – Interview with Gerry Stellenberg Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  Pinside. Pinside.com  

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Topic Begins at 12:12   Episode Summary:  Bingo just isn't the game you can play at a country fair or a sketchy gambling establishment. Bingo is also the big brother to today's modern pinball. You'll remember we spoke about Bingo machines and the issues they had in our Brief History of Pinball episode, but we figured Bingo needed its own episode. I mean, Roger Sharpe got two episodes. Ron and Dave (mostly Dave) crack out their 1920's voices as they dive into the world of one-balls, bingo, and 5-balls flipper games! We discuss Bingo vs. Bingo, touch on names you should know like the geniuses Lyn Durant and Don Hooker, Miami Beach's risqué flyer, what is so attractive about Bingo, why are there no Gottlieb Bingos, and more! Huge thanks to Nick Baldridge and the For Amusement Only Podcast for the content of this episode.    Sources:  Baldridge, Nick. A Beginner's Guide to Bingo Pinball. Here. Flippers.be. Bingo Machines: What Are They and How to Repair Them. Here. McCaffrey, James D. Bingo Pinball Machines. Word Press. Here. Baldridge, Nick. For Amusement Only Podcast. Here. Pacific Pinball Museum Interview with Wayne Neyenes The Johnson Act of 1951 – Here Don Hooker's Games List – Here Lyn Durant Games List – Here Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org   

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:  Roger Sharpe is hailed as the Man Who Saved the Game from our previous episode, but he did so much more! Roger has been involved in the birth of tournaments, the second rise of licensing, and mainstream journalism. He also has had a great film based on him and his relationship with his wife, Ellen. Join us as we talk about Roger's last pinball machine, Cyclopes, his stumble into becoming the Williams 1990s Licensing guru, his friendship with Steve Epstein, and his very good film!   Sources: TopCast Episode – 17 – Roger Sharpe Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here. Barracora Inspiration. Li I, 1974 by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here and Here. Pinball Magazine. 12- Aug-2015. Interview: Roger Sharpe. Here. Pinball News.19-Jun-2020. Steve Epstein Dies. Here. YouTube. Pinball History: 1990 Today Show 1990 with Roger Sharpe. Here. YouTube. Interview with Roger Sharpe for 'Pinball – The man who saved the game'. Here. YouTube. Turbografx7. Cyclopes with Roger Sharpe. Here. YouTube. Modern Pinball NYC Closing. Here. YouTube. Broadway Arcade Commercial. Here. Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org   

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:    We've fought long and hard to avoid giving Roger Sharpe yet another ego-building podcast to spin his narrative and propaganda… but, here we are. Roger wrote about pinball. Played pinball. Promoted and evangelized pinball. Roger has been involved in the birth of tournaments, the second rise of licensing, and mainstream journalism. He also has had a great film based on him and his relationship with his wife Ellen. Join us as we talk about Roger's beginning, looking to buy a pinball machine, a thing that happened in a Court Room in the late 1970s, his pinball designs, the birth of tournament pinball, and his friendship with Steve Epstein.    Sources:  TopCast Episode – 17 – Roger Sharpe Teolis, Jeff. Pinball Profile. Here Barracora Inspiration. Li I, 1974 by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. Here and Here Pinball Magazine. 12-Aug-2015. Interview: Roger Sharpe. Here. Pinball News.19-Jun-2020. Steve Epstein Dies. Here. Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  Joe Balcer Game List. Here. YouTube. Modern Pinball NYC Closing. Here. YouTube. Broadway Arcade Commercial. Here.  

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:  Last month, we learned about Capcom, the video game company that wanted to get into the pinball industry and ride the wave of popularity, just like Data East! It didn't go well.  Even after Capcom disappeared, the lure of what could have been remained. That's when we stumble upon a crazy collector and dreamer who ruined himself. Join us this month while we discover what happened to Capcom's assets, tooling and making new parts vs. selling existing parts, more lawsuits, being a terrible business person or being a great guy, and a second crash and burn.    Sources:  TopCast    Episode 42 – Python Angelo    Episode 56 – Ward Pemberton    Episode 52 – Stan Fukuoka    Episode 49 – Mark Ritchie    Episode 47 – Chris Granner    Episode 43 – Jeff Powell    Episode 11 – Gene Cunningham Youtube. Gene Cunningham. Northwest Pinball Show. Here. 2017. Polygon. When pigs flew: The strange history of Capcom's Big Bang Bar. Here. 2004. Pinball News. More Bang for the Bucks. Here. 2000. Pinball News. Gene Therapy. Here. Pinside. Artifacts of Gene Cunningham/Illinois Pinball. Here. Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Flower, G. Pinball: The Lure of the Silver Ball Hardcover. Here. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  The Capcom Game List. Here.

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Topic starts at 8:27   Episode Summary: Capcom was a video game company that wanted to get into the pinball industry and ride a wave of popularity, just like Data East! Sadly, they were a victim of the wrong place, wrong time. Add to that a bunch of mismanagement, Python Angelo, various lawsuits, and well... you end up like Capcom Pinball.  Even after Capcom disappeared, the lure of what could have been remained, especially as we stumble upon a crazy collector and dreamer who ruined himself… but we will get into that in Part 2.  Join us this month while we discover why Capcom wanted to join pinball, who they bought to table to build machines, poaching talent from Williams, the lawsuits, and ultimately, the crash and burn.    Sources:  TopCast:    Episode 42 – Python Angelo    Episode 56 – Ward Pemberton    Episode 52 – Stan Fukuoka    Episode 49 – Mark Ritchie    Episode 47 – Chris Granner    Episode 43 – Jeff Powell Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Flower, G. Pinball: The Lure of the Silver Ball Hardcover. Here. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  The Capcom Game List. Here.  

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Topic starts at 9:10   Episode Summary: Joe Balcer is a name that some people know and some people don't. Joe spent his early beginnings at Sega Pinball, then Stern Pinball, and he basically helped start Jersey Jack Pinball. He then started up another company called American Pinball. Joe has been around; he's worked for many bosses in many companies, and he's made some memorable layouts. Joe's not necessarily known as a 'high flow, quick ball movement' kind of guy. His designs tend to be more stop and go or, as some people like to call him, The King Of Clunk.   Source:  Pinball Profile. Episode 163: Joe Balcer, a career retrospective. Podcast. Here. Head 2 Head Pinball. Ep 48 – Josh Kulger from American Pinball.   Super Awesome Pinball Show. Ep 8. Joe Balcer and Team.   This Week in Pinball. The Desire to Create – Interview with Joe Balcer, Playfield Designer for Houdini Pinball. Here. Replay Magazine. Roll out the Barrel. Here. Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  Joe Balcer Game List. Here.  

Silverball Chronicles BONUS: Our Top Pins  Join Ron and Dave in this Bonus Silverball Chronicles episode as they choose their favourite pinball machines made by featured pinball designers from previous episodes!  https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/nw2bie/Bonus_Episode_-_Our_Top_Pins9niuz.mp3

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary: John Borg is known for his distinctive style and approach to designing pinball machines.  His design philosophy is as distinct as a fingerprint. 'Borgie' focuses on creating layouts that offer smooth flow and satisfying shots. He aims to design pinball machines that provide players with a sense of continuous motion and engaging gameplay. His layouts often feature well-integrated ramps, orbits, and habitrails that facilitate fast and exciting ball movement across the playfield. John also gets the coolest theme.  This month Dave and Ron talk about how cool John Borg is and why Dave is not, what John did after he left Stern in 2000 and what he did when he got back, developing his style, reusing elements, orbit spinners (yeah!), John's themes, and what makes Borgie's second kick at a pinball career the path of a modern pinball legend.    Sources:  TopCast – Episode 27 – John Borg Head 2 Head Pinball Podcast Ep 41 – Keith P. Johnson Slam Tilt Podcast Ep. 100 Lyman Sheats Jr. YouTube – IE Pinball – Big Buck Hunter Pro Wizard Mode Achieved. Here YouTube – Stern Pinball: The Making of: Metallica, KISS, The Walking Dead, Areosmith, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rush. Shalhoub, Michael. The Pinball Compendium. Internet Pinball Database. IPDB.org  John Borg Game List. Here. * This episode was created with the use of ChatGPT, which kinda sucks…  

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Episode Summary:  Gottlieb is viewed as the romantic electro-mechanical giant to many. The pinball machine atop the coin-op pedestal for all other manufacturers to reach for… but it was its god-tier status in the 1960s and early 1970s that would ultimately lead to its epic cratering in the 1980s.  What led Gottlieb into the Mylstar Nosedive? Was it a lack of leadership? Corporate chaos? The recession of the early 1980s? Or was it a lack of creative freedom and adventure in the products?  This month, Dave and Ron talk about the massive success of D. Gottlieb and Co., the ownership changes that hobbled the company, Ed Krynski's biography, generational changes in Gottlieb, Ron not knowing Europe is a continent, and the games of Mylstar! What could go wrong?     Sources: Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1982 to Present. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. YouTube Interviews from the Pacific Pinball Museum – Here, Here, Here and Here TopCast – Episode 30 – Wayne Neyens  

Want to Support the Show? Visit our Patreon at www.patreon.com/silverballchronicles  Or pick up a tee shirt at https://tinyurl.com/kz5xt4hc   Topic Starts at 9:10   Episode Summary:  A Centenarian is someone linked to longevity, someone who has seen it all come and go, then be reinvented again. Wayne Neyens is pinball's Centenarian; he was there at the beginning, and he was there when it ended… a couple of times… and he witnessed the rebirth we now see today before his passing at age 104. He was the last of his pinball generation, the last of the woodrail masters and the man who gave his whole life to making people smile at the silverball.  This month Dave and Ron discuss growing up in the Great Depression, 1930's cubicles, Westerns, Jimmy Johnson, Harry Mabs, The Gottlieb – David Gottlieb, Wayne's most popular games like Slick Chick and Kings and Queens, Add-A-Ball and Wedgeheads, the amazing artist Roy Parker AND we make fun 1940's radio voices!    Sources:  Shalhoub, Michael (2004). The Pinball compendium: 1930s to 1960s. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. YouTube Interviews from the Pacific Pinball Museum: Here, Here, Here and Here TopCast: Episode 30 – Wayne Neyens Pinball News:    Pinball Magazine #5. Here    Wayne's 100th Birthday. Here    Wayne Neyens Dies at Age 104. Here.