Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #042 - 1978 - July [International Arcade Museum]
O.
D.
JENNINGS
machine manufac-
gave Mills a run
This is the only slot
turer that ever really
for its money.
nings started his
Jen-
chines with the
pany running
career in coin ma-
Mills
Novelty
Com-
, at the St. Louis
their penny arcade
World's Fair in
1904.
he
be
saw
the
money
opened his own
pulled out and
ship in Chicago in
Industry Novelty
used machine dealer-
1906,
calling
Company.
it the
first World War,
After the
Jennings started making'
his own Bell ma-
then changed
chines from scratch, and
his
company
And
When
made he
the O.D.
name to
Company,
a
buying
big
Jennings
plant out on
It's still there, and
west Lake Street in Chicago,
the Jennings touch can still be felt. I've already made three bids
for the WWII servicemen's plaque in the lobby with the O.D. Jen
nings name on it,
but the owner's
won't budge. Jennings didn't like this cartoon; he regarded him
self as far more of a distinguished gentleman, and in later years
used one and only one picture of himself in the media. But this is
what he really looked like around 1930 or so — the cartoonist
drew it from an old picture because Jennings wouldn't sit for a
drawing.
WALTER
Here's
TRATSCH
man
a gentle-
of
the
first
one everyone knew,
water, and some-
Tratsch started
out in the busi-
ness as a bench
worker for Charlie
cisco.
Fey in San Fran-
After that
friends for life. So
com Walt Tratsch one
.
m
eu
they were dear
m: us
o
r
f
-m
ed
oad .arcade
l
n
covered
by Larry
Dow
www
/
/
:
years back;
the
p
htt Tratsch
found.
much so Fey gave
of the original
machines in the
LIBERTY
thirties.
Lubliner
third
BELL
It was dis-
one
also
some
to be
invented
coin entry and control.
and perfected the
A.B.T. Manufac-
Tratsch was the "T"
with
the
firm making a
turing Company,
many
of
Fey
design.
lot International
of trade Arcade
stimulators,
© The
Museum
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
5