Automatic Age

Issue: 1937 August

August, 1937
AUTOMATIC AGE
142
T h e U s e d M a c h in e B o g e y - M a n
A tta c k s th e In d u s tr y
^OBSOLESCENCE was a word to
conjure with only a few short
years ago. The automobile industry
rushed ahead over the prostrate backs
of out of date models. Consumers
junked “A” and “ B” batteries in their
stampede for all electric radios. Old
dilapidated ice boxes found themselves
on ash heaps and the housewife set
up a steady clamor for automatic re­
frigeration. And industry thrived!
Now the new economy whispers false
prophesies in our ears and the old
fashioned iceman scans windows hun­
grily for the old ice cards—and trade
lanquishes!
What about the coin machine indus­
try? A few short months ago pin
games could not be manufactured fast
We are exclusive Chicago
distributors for
4 - IN - l V E N D O R S
(F o r m e r ly
L o h m u lle r ’s)
This machine is a
money maker.
SEE
US FO R L O W E S T
P R IC E S
A new assortment of charms.
S P E C IA L L Y
P R IC E D
7 c
G ross
*
D & L Distributing Co.
828 W. 31st St., Chicago, 111.
enough to satisfy everyone.
Soon
every available corner and side street
delicatessen had its quota of games.
Yes sir! Everybody was sure to be
rich. Lots of money — hard coin of
the realm—flowed alike into the pock­
ets of locations, operators and manu­
facturers, and operators in particular
seemed to think that it would go on
forever. Only a few here and there
looked into the future and realized
that machines would wear out, that
the play of the public might wane a
bit, that new games would catch the
fancy of the fickle player. Those men
acted like business men. They set up
cash reserves for replacement of
equipment. They watched their mar­
ginal locations and as play slowed up
transferred to these spots their older
equipment. When new games appear­
ed they were ready and able to buy.
And those men continue to prosper.
On the other hand, the large class
of operators spent their “take” as fast
as it came in; they loaded up on ma­
chines of doubtful player appeal; they
assumed that every location would
support any machine they gave them.
As a result, as play slowed up and a
need appeared for new machines these
operators were caught short. There
was nothing for them to do but let
their machines limp along, keep loca­
tions satisfied as best they could and
hope that a bolt from the blue would
bring back the “good old days.”
Strange as it may seem, good games
continue to get good play. A machine
of proved appeal and in first class
mechanical condition is earning only
© International A rca d e M useum
a trifle less today in good locations
than it did a few months ago. But
games with rickety plungers, scarred
playing fields and held together with
chewing gum, twine and hairpins pre­
sent an even more mournful appear­
ance on collection day. They should
be retired immediately to the junk
heap if for no other reason than to
preserve the good will of the location
owner even though the hope may be
forlorn that the operator will find the
cash for a new game.
But the picture is not quite as black
as this if operators are willing to use
their heads and a little intelligent ef­
fort to extricate themselves from this
mess. In the first place let every op­
erator make up his mind right now
that as long as he is in the game
business he can expect his equipment
to become obsolete, either structurally
or in design, in an amazing short
time. Let him open a savings account
and religiously deposit a percent of
his weekly “take” therein, at what­
ever personal sacrifices necessary so
that he will always have available the
necessary cash to replace the lame and
the halt among his machines.
But what about the games he al­
ready has? Not all of them are in
the pathetic condition described above,
even if their earnings have fallen off.
They are still in fair mechanical con­
dition and present at least a decent
appearance. There are two possible
courses to be taken. First, a careful
survey of territory may reveal cer­
tain marginal locations not already
signed up or in which a machine
whose good appearance and expensive
design is not justified by the potential
play. Replace it with an older ma­
chine. Dig up small spots that you
passed over before and retire these
old mach'nes to a comfortable old age.
They wont’ bring you much but they
won’t be spoiling good locations. Sec­
ond take advantage of one of the
many coin machine exchanges which
have sprung up all over the country.
These concerns are specialists in ab­
sorbing used equipment. They will
turn your machines into cash or re­
place them with new equipment. They
in turn will sell your old machine to
smaller operators in smaller terri­
tories.
There has been a growing tendency
on the part of many operators to in­
vest in replacement boards for old
cabinets. This is proving to be a
doubtful economy because, unfortun­
ately, it is difficult to fit in a new
board and still give complete satisfac­
tion to the player. A good game is
h ttp://w w w .arca d e -m u se u m .co m /
more than just the playing field. It
must include perfection in cabinet
making, accuracy in ball lift and plun­
ger and a total general effect which
is pleasing to the eye.
In any event, if this industry is to
forge ahead and reach a few of the
goals we all saw in sight a short while
ago, the used machine problem must
be solved. In the final analysis, it is
up to each individual operator to see
the economy of new equipment and
expel obsolescence at whatever the
immediate cost. Take a few more
notches in your belt, pull your hat a
little fui’ther over your eyes, set your
Jaws and clean house! Players are
demanding new and modern equip­
ment. To ignore that is to court
disaster.
Distributors Go
for “Ball Game”
The visiting distributors to the Pacific
Manufacturing Co. plant have evinced
a very strong interest in Pacific’s
Ball Game. Paul Bennett, general
sales manager of Pacific said that
the interest manifest by the distribu­
tors has been a strong factor in the
continued sales increase of this game.
The test of any game is its selling
power. The way money has been
coming in from distributors and oper­
ators for an investment in this game,
it surely has “taken hold.” Much of
the interest in the game is due to
the lifelike action which the game
portrays. The players actually run
the bases, swinging their arms and
moving their legs as they advance
from base to base. This is vividly
shown in movie reel, light up anima­
tion. Visiting coin men have been
lavish in their praise of this new
game.
From all reports the operators will
no longer need to wait for their
game deliveries. Production has been
stepped up to a greater production,
which it is expected will permit imme­
diate deliveries. Ball Game brings
profuse words of enthusiasm from
Bennett. He claims the game is easy
to understand and operate and pro­
vides all of the thrills of major
league play. Every play of the game
is clearly portrayed and is easy to
follow. All of the hits, runs and outs
are shown in a very clear way, which
none can miss. All of the details of
Ball Game are automatic and are very
dependable in performance.
143
AUTOMATIC AGE
August, 1937
Ponser Progress Leads
to Larger Quarters
“We’re going up and the sky’s the
limit,” was Sales M a n a g e r Bert
Lane’s comment on the larger new
quarters of the George Ponser Com­
pany at 31 W. 60th street. “Every
operator in New York and vicinity
knows that the Ponser name behind
any coin-operated device means that
it has been location-tested over and
over again. Because we go out of
our way to make our customers our
friends, they have responded so gen­
erously with their business that we
are forced to seek more space to ac­
commodate them.”
Ponser’s new quarters are equipped
to meet operators’ and jobbers’ needs
from all conceivable angles. There
will be a large stock of the latest
games available at all times. An ex­
pert repair department and ample
trade-in facilities will help keep every­
body happy.
Among the new members on Pon­
ser’s staff are Eddie Lane, versatile
brother of Bert Lane, who is reported
to be doing a high class job as ad­
vertising manager; Leo Simon, for­
merly with the Supreme Vending Com­
pany, who now supervises the Ponser
exports; Sol Silverstein, recognized as
one of the most experienced and able
“all around” man in the industry, and
Milton Norton, who has gone out to
New England to make that region
Ponser-conscious.
Says George Ponser, president:
“We’ve helped ourselves by helping
others make money. We can stay in
business only as long as we continue
this policy . . . and we hope to be
here for a long time.
Colored Button Adds
Suspense to “Carnival”
According to Dave Gensberg, offi­
cial of Genco, Inc., the reason for the
rapidity with which the country has
taken to the firm’s novelty release,
Carnival, is not at once apparent.
As Gensberg put it: “The circus
and the carnival are popular institu­
tions and Carnival, our new game, has
earned for itself a nation-wide accept­
ance. The game provides an unusual
combination of bumper-spring and
light-up action. It might take only
one of the five balls to win an award
for the player, inasmuch as a suffici­
ent number of contacts might be
made by one ball against a bumper
spring whose number corresponds to
the number of one of the scales on
which the score is registered on the
backboard. A colord button on the
playing field is an added Genco touch
which lends suspense to the play. If
the button is contacted, odds and se­
lections change.
“The backboard,” he concluded,
“shows five scales on which the score
progresses in lights each time a ball
strikes a bumper-spring numbered to
correspond with the number of the
scale. If a winning score is made on
the scale whose number is lighted,
awards are made according to the
odds showing in lights along the bot­
tom of the backboard.”
Genco officials report that Carnival
productions has reached a point of
several hundred games daily and that
with the incessant demand for two
p re v io us Genco releases, Home
Stretch and Auto Derby, the plant
continues on an overtime production
schedule.
ROWE
6
“ S P E C IA L ”
C OLUMN
CIG A R ET T E
15c
V E N D IN G
M A C H IN E
Ca p a c ity :
150
p a c k a g e s . G la ss
w in d o w s
under
ea ch s lo t expose
la s t c o i n s w h ic h
w e re in s e rte d .
R e c o n d itio n e d a n d
r e p a in te d J u s t like
new .
O r ig in a l
c o s t $75.00 e a c h .
Operator’s
Prices
O ne
M a c h in e
$20.00
5 or More
$18.00
M e ta l F lo o r
S t a n d s $2.00
E x tr a .
O b ta in a b le w i t h
20c c o in c h u te s a t
$2.00 e x t r a
per
m a c h in e .
Rush Your Orders Now!
— I
J ".ROBBING
Il4l OeKALB A m .- BROOKLYN.N.Y
M e n tio n A u t o m a t ic A{je w h e n a n s w e r in g .
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