The Aussie Pinball Arcade

Aussie Pinball Forums => Photo Gallery => Pinball nostalgia pics => Topic started by: bossninja17 on April 13, 2009, 10:26:18 PM

Title: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: bossninja17 on April 13, 2009, 10:26:18 PM
Back in the late 70s / early 80s, I thought I would write a book on the history of pinball in Australia. I wrote to Gottlieb, Williams, Stern and Bally (see replies below) and began collecting bits and pieces (newspaper articles, etc) that I thought I might use.
Around that time, pinball was getting some bad press. My local council even thought about banning machines. I began a defence against this and ended up on the front page of the local paper.
The oldies amongst the AP members might find this stuff of interest.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Strangeways on April 13, 2009, 10:34:33 PM

That is really interesting, Mark - Thanks for sharing.

They obviously went to a fair bit of effort in replying - back in those days, they only had typewriters, so they took your inquiry seriously.

do you have a scan of the newspaper clipping ?
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Creech on April 13, 2009, 10:36:50 PM
Wow! Very interesting. I'm impressed that they got back to you. Did Williams send you a reply?
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: illawarra_steelers on April 13, 2009, 10:37:35 PM
Thanks a million for posting those Mark!

How cool are they!

As to the second letter in reference to Goddards at Broadway, Sydney.

I remember visiting there around 1979 looking for parts for my Buckaroo as they were the major Gottlieb importer at the time.

Down stairs where their spare parts division was they would of had around somewhere between 300 to 500 pinballs all set up on there legs in storage. I can clearly remember waiting for the parts and just looking at all those games with my jaw on the ground.

Wish I took a camera!

Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: bossninja17 on April 13, 2009, 10:38:37 PM
I'll post the newspaper clippings and letters from williams and others tomorrow. I have scanned them too large and will need to convert them to smaller files.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Strangeways on April 13, 2009, 10:39:54 PM
Thanks a million for posting those Mark!

How cool are they!

As to the second letter in reference to Goddards at Broadway, Sydney.

I remember visiting there around 1979 looking for parts for my Buckaroo as they were the major Gottlieb importer at the time.

Down stairs where their spare parts division was they would of had around somewhere between 300 to 500 pinballs all set up on there legs in storage. I can clearly remember waiting for the parts and just looking at all those games with my jaw on the ground.

Wish I took a camera!



Yep - Goddards used to import the Gottliebs in the 70's - I remember the name, and when I was young, I used to call Gottlieb pins "Goddards"  %.%
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: ajlaird on April 14, 2009, 01:19:22 AM
Very interesting stuff - thanks for posting.

Anyone else notice the typo in the Stern letter?
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: bossninja17 on April 14, 2009, 09:47:36 AM
PART 2 of the bits and pieces.
(I also have some letters from Goddards and info about a pinball comp they organised. Will scan and post tonight.)
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: felixthadog on April 14, 2009, 10:00:42 AM
Very interesting stuff - thanks for posting.

Anyone else notice the typo in the Stern letter?

havy?  !@#

Matthew
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: illawarra_steelers on April 14, 2009, 10:18:45 AM
How cool! Oh they were the days!

What is the pin you are leaning on Mark?
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Rod71 on April 14, 2009, 11:34:47 AM
How cool! Oh they were the days!

What is the pin you are leaning on Mark?

Stern Dracula by the looks of it.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Extra Ball on April 14, 2009, 11:41:30 AM
I must own a knock down Nugent then. Notice the price of the fridge.........not alot dearer today. This is a great collection of pinball history, ty for sharing.
 #*#
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Rod71 on April 14, 2009, 11:50:44 AM
I must own a knock down Nugent then. Notice the price of the fridge.........not alot dearer today. This is a great collection of pinball history, ty for sharing.
 #*#

Does your Nugent have an LAI badge on the back of it Greg?

Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Extra Ball on April 14, 2009, 01:00:58 PM
I must own a knock down Nugent then. Notice the price of the fridge.........not alot dearer today. This is a great collection of pinball history, ty for sharing.
 #*#

Does your Nugent have an LAI badge on the back of it Greg?



I will check.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Extra Ball on April 14, 2009, 02:07:24 PM
Yep and here it is:

(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/Gwind/nugentplate001.jpg)

Be interesting to know how many were assembled here.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: pinnies4me on April 14, 2009, 04:30:52 PM
Mark, maybe shoot over to Nino a larger version of the newspaper clippings to be hosted - hard to read anything other than the headlines and they are pretty cool - I'd like to have a read!
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: bossninja17 on April 14, 2009, 08:59:00 PM
How cool! Oh they were the days!

What is the pin you are leaning on Mark?

Stern Dracula by the looks of it.

Spot on! It was Dracula.
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: ddstoys on April 14, 2009, 09:08:21 PM
I agree nick
             Great headlines though has me interested
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: markc on April 14, 2009, 09:11:19 PM


nice one

thanks for sharing
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: ajlaird on April 14, 2009, 10:21:29 PM
Very interesting stuff - thanks for posting.

Anyone else notice the typo in the Stern letter?

havy?  !@#

Matthew

Yes, that's the one - these days with word processors and spell-checkers you wouldn't expect that to happen (but it still does anyway).
Title: Re: pinball in australia - some bits and pieces
Post by: Strangeways on April 14, 2009, 11:53:51 PM
Mark, maybe shoot over to Nino a larger version of the newspaper clippings to be hosted - hard to read anything other than the headlines and they are pretty cool - I'd like to have a read!

No probs - Just email it to me Mark and I'll copy it up to the server !