San Francisco Convention 2009
Our 6th Annual Convention was held in San Francisco July 17th thru 19TH
We were met upon arrival at the San Bruno Howard Johnson Hotel by Chair-
man Bill Howard. The hotel, owned by fellow convention planner Joe Welch,
was newly remodeled and offered a very friendly staff.
On Friday afternoon we went by motor coach to downtown Frisco for a walking
tour. First stop was Bill's condo at the art deco Hamilton Hotel. Bill showed
us a few of his treasures and then took us to The Olympic Flame Restaurant for
a hearty dinner. We strolled through the center of the city after dinner as Bill
pointed out the sites. Our tour ended with a walk through the Grand Palace
Hotel and a trip back to San Bruno. An auction was held that evening at Ho
Jo's. Most of the coin-op pieces offered at auction were sold, including a rare
"Legal" cast iron trade stimulator. Bill Howard served as auctioneer and co-
planner Carl Lepiane helped keep things organized.
We toured the collections of Carl Lepiane and Joe Welch on Saturday. Carl with
his wife Cece and Joe were gracious hosts. It was a humbling experience; in ad-
dition to seeing hundreds of rare machines and other great collectables, we were
treated to lunch. We went back into the city Saturday afternoon for a ferry ride
to Sausalito. The "last boat back" returned us to town. Most then went down to
Fisherman's Wharf for a tour of the Arcade at Pier 45. Hundreds of machines
both new and old were available there for play. It was noisy and fun and we
finished our day with a seafood dinner and stroll around the wharf area.
We journeyed back to the Palace Hotel Sunday morning for brunch and a trip
to the Cliff House. We enjoyed watching the fishermen, surfers and birds as we
said goodbye to the ocean, San Francisco, and good friends.
Bill, Carl and Joe had a goal of providing the club with a convention near an ex-
pensive city while maintaining an affordable price. They also knew that the city
would provide the backdrop for individuals to explore and appreciate the area.
Most attending took advantage of that idea, took tours and got to see many of
the great sites in the greater San Francisco area.
Thank you Bill, Carl, and Joe for your hard work and outstanding hospitality.