Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

CARL TRIPPE -
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ALWAYS A S9UARE DEAL WITH IDEAL
GUNS A N D BOWLIN G A LLEY S
BEA DY TO OPERAT E
Bally Bull's Eye Gun (Wi th Base l. ....... $62 . 50
Bally Alley 11940 Modell .................... 19.50
Ev ans Ten St ri ke (150 Dial!.. .............. 59 . 50
Chicken Sam ( Without Base l. ............. 49.50
I
Keeney Anti A ircraft Gun
(Black Cabinetl.. ................................ $89 .50
Seeburg Jai lbird Gun (Without Base ) 69. 50
Baker Sky Pilot ...................................... 89 . 50
Term s: One Thir d Deposit. Balance C . 0 . D.
IDEAi. NOVEi.TY CO.
SAINT LOUIS
- - - - - -- C overed By - - - - - - -
ROBERT LATIMER
76
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
ST. LOUIS (RC)-lt was the gayest
holiday month in the remembrance of most
operators in this city as December rolled
to a close-with many distributors and op•
erators together chalking up record income
months. Outstanding point of the Christmas
season, the general consensus brought out,
was the heavy music play registered every•
where in the city, totaling to as much as
200% over Christmas in most locations.
This in turn was traceable to mild weather
and the fact that thousands of merrymakers
got an early start on the Yule with tavern
evenings.
Exchange of gifts between operators and
distributors was markedly increased-a].
most every member of the two leading St.
Louis associations coming up with some•
thing in the way of a novelty of useful
proportions for his fellow coin machine
men. Several gave away handsome cigarette
cases, one ingeniously•minded operator pre•
senting every fellow phonograph operator
with a picture of themselves-candidly
snapped when the subject wasn't looking.
Otherwise pencils, boxes of candy, small
flashlights, key cases, brush and comb sets
and other novelties led the field.
In the music merchandising bracket of
the coin machine fraternity, the outstanding
event was of course the December meeting
and holiday party presented to the Asso.
ciated Phonograph Owners of St. Louis by
Martin Balensiefer, who incidentally has
created quite a stir among operators by per·
sistently refusing to disclose what new
phonograph line he intends to handle for
1941. The largest turnout of the year was
on hand • at this meeting, which also in•
eluded the election of officers for the com•
ing year, and an evening of refreshments
and general social activity. The meeting was
also highlighted by the presence of manu•
facturers and suppliers hitherto excluded
from such meetings.
On the social end, 27 operators of phono•
l(raphs held open house over Christmas, and
there were parties too numerous to mention
held in various offices, including Ideal
Novelty Co., W. B. Novelty Co., McCall
Novelty Co., and A. M. I. Distributing Co.
A group of operators from East St. Louis,
Illinois, headed by the membership of the
East St. Louis Phonograph Association gave
a dinner dance at the Chase Hotel on New
Year's Eve.
Fred Pollnow is exhibiting a sour visage
over the death of his fine hunting dog, pur•
chased only a month ago and strenuouslv
trained for quail hunting in the field. While
on his first trip, the dog, an excellent setter,
flushed a covey of quail, and disappeared
while Pollnow and his friends pumped their
shotguns into the flight. When the dog re•
turned finally with a group of the birds, he
was found bleeding badly, and a trip to a
1518 MARKET ST.
ST. LOUIS, MO.
veterinary revealed that someone had in.
advertently shot the setter, who died a few
hours ~ater. Pollnow, whose hunting is only
secondary to operation of the largest string
of machines in Missouri, was inconsolable
for days.
Dewey Godfrey, legal counselor for all St.
Louis associated coin machine operators,
was slightly ill during December, but re-
covered in time to welcome friends on
Christmas Day. Godfrey is one of the "big•
gest" lawyers in St. Louis- tilting the scales
at over 225 pounds, and well over six feet
tall.
A somewhat unusual Christmas present
was that given by Mike O'Gilvy, energetic
manager of Peerless Vending Machine Co.,
who has spent each Saturday and . Sunday
for many months out north of St. Louis
shooting rabbits. All those who show a taste
for the cottontails received a Christmas
rabbit from Mike, who is noted for the
number he has given out to fellow coin
men in the past year.
Elmer Schewe, operator covering North
St. Louis, has opened a new phonograph
record distributorship at his Natural Bridge
Avenue office, and plans to feature both
new and used records for fellow operators.
Otis Grief, president and owner of the 0.
K. Novelty Co., will complete his new home
in suburban St. Louis shortly, and has al•
ready made invitations for a housewarming
to follow.
Most tired operator in the music field
without a doubt was Randy White, well•
known op., who runs a somewhat unusual
sideline-a full fledged ~ity delivery service.
Through the Christmas season, which set
an all.time high in the amount of holiday
merchandise delivered, Randy was on the
job about 20 hours a day, and had to press
every truck he could lay his hands on into
service. His W. W. Service Co. makes an
excellent sideline, Randy believes.
Walter Morris, youngest member of the
family who operate J . S. Morris Novelty
Co., has been drafted-and will leave for
training early in January. His fellow firm
members are planning a holiday party to
send him off for a year in style.
Two "casualties" of the season, including
Bill Illig and Harry Raiffe, are back on
their feet and like new again. Illig hurt his
back in an automobile accident just prior
to the Christmas association meeting, and
is still a bit sore in moving, and Raiffe
has just been released from the hospital
after several weeks' badly•needed rest.
* * *
In the pinball field, a lot of good humor
was the keynote of ceremonial and social
activity among the large number of vend•
ing machine and pintable operators who
turned up duri'ng the holiday months.
Carl Trippe, rotund president of Ideal
Novelty Co., played Santa Claus to his en•
tire employe staff when he gave a Christmas
party on Christmas eve for the 58 employes
of Ideal in southern Missouri and Illinois,
as well as the metropolitan staff. All em•
ployes received a week's pay as a holiday
gift, and were feted with refreshments and
a dinner at the Ideal building, winding up
with a roller•skating party at Carl's Gravois
avenue roller rink.
The final 1940 meeting of the year for
the Missouri Amusement Machine Oper•
ator's Association was held December 13th
at the Melbourne Hotel, when 60 members
and associates were on hand to vote on sev•
era! important problems. Leading off was
election of officers. Because of their excel•
lent service, and because the association
went through 1940 without the loss of a
single member, all former officers were un•
animously voted to hold thei( posts in 1941.
Officers are: Lou Morris, president, Abe
Jeffers, vice president, Harry Davies, treas•
urer, and Dave Monahan, secretary and gen•
era! manager. Chairman of the board is
Carl Trippe, with directors already elected
for two years retaining their positions. The
association functioned perfectly during 1940,
President Morris reported, and with the
exception of skipping one meeting in the
hot summer months, was in full strength
at each meeting.
Most serious note at the December meet·
ing was the recent 12 o'clock closing hour
which is now being enforced in St. Louis
with regard to taverns and cocktail bars,
and other liquor•serving locations. This new
rule has had a bad effect on coin machine
operation in general, particularly in the
phonograph field.
This problem will be met, it is hoped,
by a cooperative action on the part of the
coin machine organizations, and the St.
Louis tavern owner's association, both of
which will put up funds for fighting the
12 :00 o'clock closing hour. It is hoped that
by the purchase of a special tavern license,
which has been suggested by the city, the
locations will be allowed to go back to the
former two•o'clock closing.
The Missouri Amusement Machine Oper•
ator's Association has chartered a special
car for the trip to Chicago for the Coin
Machine Show, and rs looking forward to a
full evening of entertainment enroute. Musi•
cians, a show, and probably some singing,
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SPECIAi.
3 Bally Alley ............................ $15.00
2 Anti Aircraft Guns................ 80.00
USED PAYOUT MACHINES
2 One Two Three...................... 40.00
1 Grandstand .......................... 72.50
1
2
1
1
3
1
Congo .................................... $27.50
Brown Paces Races 30-1.. .... 80.00
Bally Royal Flush .................. 87.50
Kee Bell .................................. 32.50
Mills Rio ................................ 25.00
Tanforan ................................ 20.00
OI.IVE NOVEi.TY CO.
2625 LUCAS AVE.
ST. LOUIS, MO,
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