Marketplace

Issue: 1974 June 30

MARKETPLACE
Very grand thanks to L.E. (Red) Holder, office mgr of Lestourgeon Dist., Chs.rlotte,N.C.,
who sent us a copy of the old "Ampco" catalog that lists and pictures all the very first
jukeboxes up thru '39. Can recall when the Wurlitzer distribs created this firm to export
these old models out of the U.S •••• Wm. G. Nutting of Nutting Associates, Mtn View, Calif.,
sends color picture of his new video game, "Table Tennis", which is actually contained in
a circular table and comes in 7 decorator colors •••• Not only is Cal Clifford of Cal's Coin
College, Nicoma Pk.,Okla., training men to become coin machine mechanics but advises, "We can
help you obtain good mechanics." (You can phone Cal at 405/769-5343) ••• Sincerely hope to
see the following wearing the beautiful "2(X)() Club" lapel pin: R.L.McCormick, Indianapolis,
Ind. , Gus Pantelopoulos, Boulder,Colo., Harry Weko, Huntingdon,Pa., Llo;FCruze, Evansvill e,
Ind., Charley Cox, Hapeville,Ga., Arnie Taksen, Harrisburg,Pa., Bob Kerley, Carson City, Nev.
(Order from: Marketplace, 185 N.Wabash, Chicago, Ill. 60601 today at $5.50 each.) ••• What ' s
Johnny Frantz of J.F.Frantz Mfg.Co., Chicago, planning to build very soon?
Talk about the twists and turns of business today, La.rry Berke, Midway's sales direc-
tor, between long distance phone calls, conducting tours for visitors thru the very mod-
ern Midway plant, still finds a moment or two to come up with a report to brighten our
news columns. "Here I am", Larry advises, "happy and satisfied with the great run we've
had for 'Gangbusters' when the phone rings and, not mentioning any names, this guy yells
for me to ship, but quick, 10 more 'Gangbusters'. I tell him nice and easy like, ain ' t
no more 'Gangbusters' but", I add, "we got a. new gun. So he hollers over the phone, ' So
ship 10 of the new guns, quick, right away.' And hangs up. So", La.rry concluded, "just
to keep the record straight and since he didn't ask, the name of our new gun is 'Twin
Pirate'." (Just goes to show, Larry, a Midway gun by any name is just as sweet.)
Noted widely syndicated labor writer, Victor Reisel, points out 100,000 jobs endang-
ered by Oregon anti-litter non-returnable can and bottle law now that Senator Marko.
Hatfield (Rep.,Ore.) has intro'd Senate Bill 2062 to cover all the U.S. with same as
Oregon law. Already Vermont has placed 5¢ mandatory deposit on all beer and soft drink
containers. South Dakota law goes into effect July, 1976. Local laws like in Ann Arbor,
Mich., Bowie, Md., other cities, also patterned on Oregon law. This KO's can and bottle
venders. (Maybe, as published in "Interim News Report" (6/15/74 issue) politicos should
also ask for la.vs against gum, candy and cigaret wrappers. These, too, litter. Or better
still, why not really enforce existing litter laws and not put over 100,000 people in
the U.S. out of work?)

Ve
sad to learn that Geor e A. Mille has tendered his resignation to the Calif.
Music Merchants Assn.,Oakland,Cal. (4 30 74) after 40 years of service to this organi-
zation as well as to all the automatic music industry. George was MOA's first president
and vas responsible for the early progress and growth of this national association. He
never let up in his efforts to help all music operators in every possible fashion. Due
to personal and health reasons, George reported, "I have to make this decision". _Everyone
engaged in the industry takes his hat off to the 40 dedicated years George A. Miller has
given this industry. All in the industry certainly wish George a most healthy and very
blessed retirement. He deserves the applause of every music operator in the nation.
Clipping from the "Action Line" column (Miami Herald, 5/28/74) featured Ron Rood of
Orlando Fla. and advises a questioner he can get the Wurlitzer he seeks from Ron who
has 'em'pric~d from $195 to $2130 without coin chutes. Ron's Southern Music Dist. Co.,
was top Wurlitzer distributor. ••• Micha.el Busko of Fulton,N.Y., who knows all about
tough times in the coinbiz and who is, today, holding his own regardless of constantly
rising costs advises "If all operators stopped giving profits away we could do much
better." ••• Art Ande;s of Tulsa,Okla., looks ahead to a very bright future for the indu~­
try. "In fact", Art writes, "the next 25 years are going to be better than the last 25.
MARKETPLACE
Warren Wolf! Los Angeles attorney, presented case for continued operation of pinball
?•fore ~h~ California Supreme Court. Leading coinmen reported optimistic over forthcom-
ing decision •••• Gene Beley of Arcadia,Cal., urges ve write "A History of the c ·
Ma .cine
h ·
I n d . us t ry 11 . b ecaus~, . he believes,
·
oin to
"It would be a valuable public relations book
giTe locations, city officials, educators and libraries." ••• Mike Kogan of Taito Corp
Tokyo,Japan, vri tes, "Knowledge of history helps to m.a ke better decisions for the futur;'
A his~ory vill not on~y help newly employed personnel to better understand the industry •
b~t vill . enha~ce the industry's prestige." ••• As far as average Russk.y concerned, Pepsi
fizzled its fizz. At 40 kopecks per bottle (55¢) Pepsi costs 3 kopecks more than Russia's
most popular beer. Original cost vas to be 15 kopecks (21¢) per bottle. Pepsi signed deal
vith Russians year ago to trade its concentrate for vodka and vine.
Interestins phone call from Fred Pollak from our old home state of Nev Jersey. Fred
advises his interest in the coinbiz has been tremendously stimulated visiting vith the
young men who are taking OTer at leading firms from Maine to Nev Jersey •••• Say, vha'
hoppen to Artie Daddis of Union,N.J.? ••• Miami's Willie Blatt vho vill, in just two
more months, be celebrating his 51st active year in the industry at age 76, had 'em all
laughing in hi• office vith his fantasy about a meeting of top mfrs in heaven telling
how they learned, vhile on earth, vhat vas doing in each other's plants. Concluding vi th
statement by one noted mfr from his soft seat on a heavefly little cloud, "Oh, boy, if
I'd known then vhat I know now, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get up here, you
(expletive omitted) angel, you." ••• Stand up and cheer for Paul Charles Calamari,
Ba11y 1 s salesma.nager, who never, not even for a fraction of an instant, fails to ansver
all your statements vith his nov famous, "Good. Good. Good." (If you vant to learn vhat
ve mean just pick up your phone and dial Paul at 312/267-6060. Good. Good. Good.)
Dr. David R. Rockola, Vice-Pres., Rock-Ola Mfg.Corp., Chicago, sent us a copy of
Bob La.ncaster 1 s column in "The Philadelphia Inquirer" (5/24/74) titled, "Jukebox
Decline Is Breaking Up Good Old Times" . in which Lancaster goes on a nostalgic binge
over his youthful association vith jukeboxes. Dr. Rockola writes, "Altho I by no means
agree vith the writer's foregone conclusion that the jukebox is on the way out, I do
like the very logical and human arguments which he uses to justify the existence of the
jukebox as a unique and irreplaceable American institution."
When you get right down to the nitty-gritty and, regardless of car and gas cost, en-
tire field overlooking va.lue of roadmen. Especially right at this moment. Just flying
into big city and using ta.xi to visit about, doesn't do the big job. The big job is to
meet the operators in the smaller towns of the nation. Visit vith them right in their
own bailiwicks. Because that's where it's happening. That's where the changes are being
made because of Old La.dy Necessity. That's from where, due to the changes being made,
like games being revamped, music being turned about, venders being overhauled, the new
idea.a a.re going to come from. It takes only a spark to ignite a forest fire. There's
ma~ a spark being flashed from many a small town that would excite and ignite the in-
genuity of the knowledgeable to help zoom this industry into its biggest boom. (Get
going. Get Tisiting. Get that boom booming again.)

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