Contributor
On October 14th, 2009, the Chicago Pinball Expo turned 25 years old. It was a remarkable event filled with fun, food, and great people. It took place at the beautiful Westin Chicago in Wheeling, Illinois. I have to admit, it didn't start off as the perfect weekend. It was cold, rainy, and the drive was very long. My first objective for the week was to pick up our very own EalaDubhSidhe at the Chicago O'Hare Airport.
For those who have driven in or through Chicago, you're probably haunted by those memories at the very mention, for when I finally arrived in Chicago, I immediately knew I was in trouble. The traffic that had once been an all-out race of death by every motorist doing at least 15 M.P.H. over the speed limit turned into a parking lot in a matter a seconds. The crawl through Chicago on the Kennedy Expressway (I-90) was long and painful, making me regret not stopping to "go" beforehand. After two hours of nearly zero progress, I turned around to find an alternate route. I found the back way to O'Hare and finally met up with Eala. Together, we made our way to Wheeling, IL for our final destination, The 25th Pinball Expo.
It was dark now, and being new to the area made for an interesting ride. The sign system in Illinois is much different than other states I've visited, making navigation even more challenging. I wish I had video of poor Eala, a visitor to The States from Ireland, trying to help me navigate a road system much more foreign to him than it was for me.
We arrived Wednesday evening at our room, unloaded, then left to register for the event. I immediately asked myself why this was my first Expo. After seeing the the variety of games for the first time, I kicked hard myself for not attending one of these events much sooner than 2009. The staff was friendly and the excitement level high in every corner of the Center. I had an opportunity to get some shots of the Expo Hall prior to the opening of the doors. (Thanks Mike!) Here's just a fraction of what I found...
The seminars that we attended were a lot of fun. If you plan on attending, I would suggest going to many of them. The fireside chats, most of all, are worth the price of admission. Being able to sit in and hear the stories of some great pinball legends was truly an experience. This year, Steve Ritchie, Roger Sharpe, Greg Freres, Dennis Nordman, and Larry DeMar were in the lineup. I was only able to attend the chats of Steve and Roger, but what a great time they were. A MUST for anyone who considers themselves a true pinhead! Also, don't forget to chack out Rob Craig's seminar on Pinball Emulation already found here.
It was four solid days of pinball fun. There are WAY too many pins to list and too many photos to post. The machines were in great shape, with few exceptions. Tables of note were TKO, Aaron Spelling, Revenge from Mars, Sharkey's Shootout, Popeye (first time I've even seen one of these), Theater of Magic, WCS94, Black Knight, Getaway - High Speed 2, Caddyshack NGG MOD, and so many more I can't list them all.
On Saturday night came the banquet and Hall of Fame awards. The food was great and the stories even better. I was able to obtain footage through the Expo to edit and show you, so sit back and relive the moments, both funny and emotional, of that night...
I could get a whole lot more in-depth, but it's something you should experience for yourself. I am happy to answer questions or get more detailed about the various events and highlights of The Expo. Whether you're in the area or have some distance to travel, THIS event is a must-see.
I'd like to give a HUGE thanks to Mike Pacak and Rob Berk, not only for the video footage, but an OUTSTANDING time. You guys are great and have made an annual visitor out of me!
Thank you, Jim Schelberg (PinGame Journal ), for being the liaison and getting the video to me. If only I had known we were neighbors this whole time! I sincerely apologize for misspelling your name in the credits in 4 of 5 parts!
A big thanks goes out to Eala! He was a delight to have as a partner attending this event. It's a time I won't soon forget. Thank you, Eala!
From left to right: Eala playing Hercules, tricked-out Getaway, GnR with a Guitar Hero controller, pinball action in the games room, more pins!
From left to right: FlipOut Tournament in progress, Rotten Dog Amusements, toys for sale.
From left to right: Alvin G., Steve Ritchie, myself and Greg Kmiec, myself with Roger Sharpe and Steve Kordek, myself and Gary Stern.
Copyright © 2010 VPForums.org. All rights reserved.
The information contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of VPForums.org.
The information contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of VPForums.org.
Top
are all trademarks of VPFORUMS.