NACOMM Show
draws reported 5000:
program told.
10
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
CHICAGO.-Said to have attracted
some 5000 coinmen from all over the
country, the Eleventh Annual NACOMM-
sponsored Coin Machine Show, held at
the Stevens Hotel, here, December 12 to
15, 1938, has passe'd into history.
On display to attract the attention of
visiting operators, jobbers and distribu-
tors were approximately 15 candy bar
vendors (approximate is used because
in some instances color changes were
counted by manufacturers as different
models, and these are not included),
bulk and bottled beverage vendors and
similar units, a group of bulk vendors
divided into two classes, globe, of which
about 25 models · were shown, and
streamlined, of which about eight were
on display, a dozen penny machines for
the vending of gum and candy, some of
which are for use in conjunction with
larger pieces of equipment such as cig-
arette merchandisers of which there
were a good two dozen models in evi-
dence, ID console machines, 16 each of
bells and baby bells, 6 each of novelty
and payout amusement ta bles, six or
eight new model phonographs and three
types of penny scales.
Phonograph records, needles, wall
b oxes, grilles, sta nds, locks, finishes,
confections, and parts and other sup-
plies were also on display, together with
jar games, ticket deals and other items.
Sha ring attention with the equipment
and supplies which presuma bly opera-
tors were most interested in, was a well-
planned and carefully executed pro-
gram of entertainment which began
with the industry's first radio broadcast
over Chicago's WCFL for a period of 30
minutes. Theme of the broadcast, same
as tha t of the. entire convention, was
"We're Forever Boosting Business," and
in quick order, interspersed with enter-
tainment, the story of the convention
was told to the public. A number of
operators reported having heard the
broadcast while driving to the Stevens
that morning.
The Celebrities Luncheon engineered
by Vincent Gottschalk saw 1800 conven-
tion delegates crowded into the Stevens'
grand ballroom Tuesday noon to get
acquainted with prominents in other
fields and let the latter, in turn, get a
fair view of the coin machine · industry,
to be entertained by the Hoosier Hot
Shots, be introduced to such figures as
aviation's Roscoe Turner and the ath-
letic world's Dick Hanley, and to hear
one Dr. Hugo Koslof, Russia's special
trade representative, praise his own
country and produce a tirade against
America which brought the patriots in
the audience to their feet. Before the
speaker could be torn limb from limb,
however, it was reve a led that it was all
in fun and that he was Prof. Jeff Wha-
len of Holy Cross University.
Thirteen g orgeous creatures paraded
before both official and self-styled
judges, in gowns and then in modern
bathing suits, Wednesday afternoon in
effort to win the title of "Miss Coin Ma-
chine."
Diploma tically, when they
couldn't decide between Misses Harriet
De Busman of Kansas City and Kay
O'Brien of Chica go, the critics gave
them joint h old on the title.
Swiftly paced a nd racily costumed,
Joe Wallace served as ma ster of cere-
monies for the "Coin Ma chine Carniva l"
which was the theme of the annual
banquet's fl oor show. Acts includ ed
Rollo & Verna Pickert, dancers; Novak
& Fa y, novelty tumblers; Vilma Jozsy,
strip tease; the Five Elgins, Gus Stevens
& Co., the Redingtons (who will be re-
membered by Pacific Coast coinmen as
enterta iners at the Coast show at the
Royal Palms Hotel in 1937), Audrey
Corney, and Chaz Chase who ate ev-
erything he could get his hands on. Al
Morey's orchestra furnished the music
for the show, and the 12 Byton Girls
supplied the background for the car-
nival.
Leo Caproni, Maysville, Ky., operator
of phonographs and scales, won first
prize in the drawings held during the
banquet when Sam Harris of New York
failed to appear within the allotted time
to claim it-a 1939 four-door Buick se-
dan. Miss De Busman, named as co-
h older of the title of "Miss Coin Ma-
chine," drew the ticket under the super-
vision of A. E. Gebert, NACOMM presi-
dent, NACOMM Secretary C. S. Dar-
ling, and Wallace, the emcee. Veteran
cigarette, candy and gum merchandiser
operator S. E. Nelson of Shreveport, La.,
won the 12-tube RCA radio which was
second prize. Other winners: Chicago's
Fred Sanders, an 8-tube RCA radio; R.
L. Davidson, Coldwater, Mich., a ward-
robe bag; F. A. Blalock, Pensacola, Fla.,
an Eastman motion picture camera;
Ha rold V. Grant, Daytona Beach, Fla.,
combination desk set; and Ted Swag,
Burlington, Wis., the ma n's toilet set.
Only one consequentia l meeting of
operators was held during the Show, at-
tended by 150 or so musicmen, who
gathered under the chairmanship of
Frank Hammond, business manag er of
the Association of Phonograph Opera-
tors of Eastern Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. Purpose of the session: to "con-
tinue discussion and complete the
work" begun by a simila r meeting of
phonograph operators at the Show at
the She rman last Janua ry.
Result of the gathering: a group of 20
or more officials of various music organi-
zations wa s na med a s a committee to
select a smaller committee to meet with
manufa cturers and w ork out ideas and
pla ns for cooperation on all matters, in-
A HIT FOR THE SEASON
TOUCH
DOWN
A New Globe Step-up Board containing
Percentage Regulators
Made of case hardened steel, with
steel rollers. They fit perfectly on the
sta r wheel of Mills, Pace, Jennings
or Caille machines.
When ordering, state make of ma-
chine, also whether 10 or 20 teeth on
star wheel.
PRICE
50c Each; $5.00 per Dozen
$32.50 per Hundred
816 holes with I 00 Step-up Holes in the
Football Field , containing payout tickets
from 50c to $ I 0.00. Board takes in $40.80,
average pay out $23.22.
PRICE $2.80
GLOBE PRINTING CO., 1023 Race St., Phila., Pa.
M. T. DANIELS
1027 University Avenue
WICHITA. KANSAS
IMING DEVICES
Electrical or Mechanical
For every coin mach ine need.
We supply leading manufacturers.
ELLMAN
& ZUCKERMAN
119 S. Jefferson St.
Chlca90, Ill .
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