MARKETPLACE
NEWSLETTER
PAGE 45, DECEMBER 30, 1973
Inflation zoomed to unbelievable
ace time
ak when U.S .Labor Dept announced
wholesale price index had jumped 1.
in Nov. Inflation is now up to 17. 5% in a year.
Experts call this unheard of during peacetime. The U.S.dollar has now fallen to less
than 10¢ in purchasing power value. (Operators need "service charge" plus 70/30 commish
basis plus "2-Bits Play".) ••• Prices tremendously upped on copper, aluminum and long
list of non-ferrous metals as these removed from price controls. (Means higher prices
for all new equip't this year.) ••• Midwest gas stations reported getting as high as 68¢
a gallon of gasoline over weekends. Many now expect 75¢ a gallon price long before '74 is
over. (Zooms servicing overhead. Harshly affec ted are vending firms who are already feel-
ing loss of income from fac tory locations due to labor layoffs. )
David C. Rockola, president and owner of Rock-Ola Mfg. Corp., announced territory
changes for Monroe Dist., Cleveland,O., and S & M Dist., Memphis,Tenn. Both well known
distribs benefitted by being given more territory •••• Joe Keenan of Kee Games and Nolan
Bushnell of Atari.Inc., have come to a licensing agreement on Kee's new game, "Elimina-
tion". In return for this license, Atari has flexibly interpreted what it considers to be
Kee's use of propriatory technology. Keenan reports rapidly growing production facilities
still can't meet demand for his game. Atari's new game is called, "Quadra-Pong" •••• News
clipping from "Abilene (Tex.) Reporter-News" (Page 5,0ct.24,'73) has fearsome headlin;--
about "evidence of organized crime in Texas" in which vending firms questioned but, when
Ivan Williams of Texas Amuse.Machs.Commission statement is read in same report, headline
loses its fearsome effect. • •• U.S.Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, upholds private repo-
ssession of merchandise when a debtor defaults on his payments.
..
Most interesting billboard sign by radio station WCWA of Toledo,O., lighted for all
the city to see, features the nostalgic Wurlitzer 1050 with but one word, "Remember?"
Wurlitzer's A.D.Palmer reports, "We've been literally flooded with requests from people
who want to know more about 'The Juke Box'." (From what we hear these requests still
puring into Wurlitzer factory.) ••• "Juke Box Jack" Waterman of Wisconsin Dells, Wis.,
advises regarding today's high prices for equip't in conjunction with his favorite dia-
tribe, "It's my sincere belief the mfrs would never be able to get the rediculous prices
for their machines if it wasn't for these highly likable guys." (Sure couldn't ask for
better praise for distributors.)
Whether or not you believe today's solid state video games will or will not last,
can recall back to '33 when the top slot makers, Mills, Jennings, Watling, Pace and
Caille called pinball, "A temporary flash in the pan." Then Mills built "Official",
Jennings built "Sportsman", Watling built square type "Profit Sharing" pinball. Sad to
report, big slot makers of the '30s never did get the hang of building outstanding
pinball games. (Do you think today's solid state video games will evolve into new and
great games era? Write: Marketplace, 185 N. Wabash, Chicago 60601)
Lovely dinner with Seeburg's Bill Adair and his very charming Diane, where we learned
not only is Bill most dedicated, as all know, to automatic music but, quietly and with-
out any fanfare, has been responsible for promoting better public relations for the
juke box biz by his concerned efforts with many of the nation's top charities as well
as civic and social organizations.
One popular family that attended the past MOA
convention, Al and Leah Bettelman, along with sons, Ira and Sandy. And the whole family
enjoyed themselves but tremendously in Chicago •••• Very terrific the way Irv Green
has taken over at Runyon Sales in Springfield,N.J. (Made us feel but greater than great
the way he talked about his dad.) ••• Many were surprised to learn that Paul Hicken,
well known finance man in this field for so many years, is now with Seaburg on the
west coast. Makes his headquarters in Los Angeles.
Ever see anyone more handsome
than Ray Williams' son from Dallas? Like one young gal said, "He looks just like a
movie star."