MARKETPLACE
Some years ¥9 we were called by our late and dear friend, John (Red) Wallace, to come on
down to Cbarleston,W.Va., to help him P\lt together an operators' association. We look with
very special pride in his memory how marvelously West Virginia's operators have built up their
outstanding association over the years. What impressive, informative and tun-filled conven-
tions they've held each year. This year's convention gives promise to exceed all those of maey
past years. Forget your cares and woes, get yourseU into your Sunday-go-to-meeting-clothes
and hurry on down this Sept.19,20,21, to the Heart-0'-The-Town Motor Inn, Charleston, w.va.,
to enoy 3 grandest days of your life at the West Virginia operators' convention. And talk
about Southern hospitality juat phone Leou. Ballard. at: '°4/949-3289 in Belle,W.Va., to get
all the pleasant details. ... Midwest operators, quick, get your reservations into ICMOA
{Illinois Coin Machine Operators .lsan.) to attend their biggest aeet yet, Sept.19-22, at the
Lodp-Of-The-Four-Seasons, Lak:e-Of-The-Ozark:s,Mo. Write: ICKO.l, 510 E.Monroe, Springfield,Ill.
62701 for all the details. ... ~. ~. all you progressive Carolinians, write today to:
Nicey Wolff, Box 406, Fayetteville,N .C.28302 to attend 2 days of outstandiJ18\ new equip't dis-
plays and lots of happy events, October 5 &: 6 in Cbarlotte,N.C., at the beautiful Holiday Inn
on Interstate Rte 77 South. You'll love this great convention the North Carolina Coin Opera-
tors .A.sen have put together for your pleasure. Hurry!
Please grant us this moment to say farewell to one very great gentleman and dear friend,
Mitch Oliver of Montgomery,W.Va., who left us July 28, 1974 to "guard the pass" for the Lord.
For some years Mitch and I have been planning, one of these days, to retreat from all cares
away up to his cabin high in the beautif"ul West Virginia hills where, because there is only
one very narrow pass to get to the cabin, "With just one rifle we could hold off an army",
Kitch used to say. Somewhere, up there in heaven which abode he so richly deserves, Mitch
Oliver is guarding the pass. {Don't know when, Mitch, but the Lord willing, I'll be t'ii8N
with you to help guard the pass.)
A most outstapdipg letter trom illred w. Adic1ces of Nova, Hamburg, Germany, that clearly
defines the reason why so maey continue on ahead in this challenging industry. "If aside from
vell understood reasons to make a little money in this business", he writes, "if we would not
have the heart and soul and, particularly, still existing enthusiasm for our dynamic business,
we would certain.J.y have quit years ago." (That's about as perceptive an insight into this most
amazing industry as can be written. Aside from 11Alrlng a little money, as Freddy so modestly
writes, there must exist heart and soul enthusiasa for Freddy to give 50 years of his life-
time to "this dynaaic business".)
ChiC860 and rest of Illinois have gone wild over first Ill. State Lottery. Over 7,500
spote in Ill. selling the 50¢ lottery ticlcets. (Now that lottery is legal, wonder why Chicago
operators can't get pinball recognized? Old, old argument was "pinball is lottery" but lott-
ery now legall) ••• From whispers floatinr about on Chicago's breezy breezes hear operators
may see eolid state pimball at forthcoming MOJ. convention. (Remember: Next issue of Market-
place is Pre-Convention Issue. Airmail your ad quick to: Marketplace, 185 N. Wabash, Chicago
60601 or phone your ad to: 312/726-6799. Closing day is Sept. 10.) ... Since expose of the
"franchise hustlers" on video games in "Chicago Tribune", the FBI, Postal Inspectors, Inter-
nal Revenue Service, Canada's Dept of Consumer Protection investigating video games sales of
Ted White vho is reported to be owner of Int'l Television,Inc., Export Channel Canada, Ltd.,
Cal.max Marketing and is now believed to be in New York under name, Videomagic. According to
"Chicago Tribune" {7/28/74) some who paid for video games never received them. ••• ~.
lucky yoq, to be in coinbiz whatever the conditions with which you are faced. The other day
listened to men with really huge business investaents. They talked like the depression of the
early '30s just around the corner. Their biggest gripe, "No cash flow." {No complaints about
"ca.ah flow" in ooinbiz. Instead, how to get operators to arrange for "service charge" and
more equitable share of "cash flow" into their machines. This would, most definitely, lead
to bi,& boom for this industry. What do you think?)