Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #092 - 1982 - October [International Arcade Museum]
The Last Page
Slots doomed to the death in Ohio
It has come to The Coin Slot's
Society has also come to the aid of
as a last resort to save the slots.
attention in the latter part of
the endangered slots. The Society
"We're not trying to take them away
July that the state of Ohio has
has asked to be granted custody of
from collectors, only to find a way to
a problem: whether or not to destroy
the 15 "antique" machines intending
save the machines."
fifteen
to put them on display under glass
As of publication time, the order
where their handles could not be
to have the fifteen slot machines
pulled.
destroyed was the last word on
their fate. The Coin Slot has had no
word from Judge Baird on his final
collectible
slot
machines
seized in a raid.
October 3, 1982, in a raid on a
Said Society Trustee Jerry Osborne,
"I would hate to see them destroyed.
Gambling is part of America's history
Teamster's Union event, promoted
as a fundraiser for retarded children,
deputies seized 15 collectible slot
machines, as well as horse race
wheels,
black jack tables,
poker
chips and instant bingo cards in the
Medina County Community Center,
decision in the case; whether he
and you can't wish it away just be
would let the historical society and
cause it may not have been one of
collectors rescue the machines in
our finer hours." Osborne said the
historical society's offer was made
their final houror condemn them to
death row.
where the event was held.
The Coin Slot Gets Involved
Pasquale Capasso, aged 65, and
John Mastro, aged 75, were the
owners of the gambling parapher
nalia and the slot machines, valued
at $15,000. The two, white haired
men spent many hours refurbishing
and restoring the machines, leasing
word about the im-
pending doom of the fifteen
are not used forgambling purposes.
The states that have amended their
confiscated slot machines in
Ohio, The Coin Slot publisher and
editor, Rosanna Harris, put in a
good word for the slots to the Akron
Beacon Journal. Reprinted here, in
its entirety, is the letter Rosanna
laws since 1976 comprise the high
est percentage of U.S. population.
Ohio is one of four states that have
laws that are unclear. Because the
The two Cleveland men were found
wrote in her attempt to assist the
guilty on one count each of gambling
and received a $500 suspended
fine and six months probation by
Medina County Common Pleas
Judge Philip A. Baird. Charges of
operating a gambling house and
Portage County Historical Society
and Ohio collectors save the slots
from destruction.
have made sure that there was no
misunderstanding that the machines
them to charities for promotional
purposes It was their way to keep
from growing old.
August 17, 1982
Voice of the People
public gaming were dismissed. The
slot machines, along with the other
gambling equipment so carefully
Akron Beacon Journal
Dear Editor;
One of our subscribers has for
warded articles from your paper re
restored, were ordered destroyed.
garding the confiscation and im
pending destruction of 15 "collec
tible" slot machines. Our interest is
The one arm bandits had friends
in Medina County, however, as a
group of Akron collectors took up
the pen in hopes of rescuing the
doomed machines. The group, ap
parently led by a retired telephone
not in promoting illegal operation of
any type of gambling device, but in
lineman, has begun to write to area
newspapers to save the machines
from the sledge hammer.
Judge Baird has stood by his deci
despite the protests of collectors,
saying, "I can agree from an an
tique standpoint it's a shame to de
have them destroyed, because they
are a gambling device, a nuisance
and per se illegal."
The Portage County Historical
© The International Arcade Museum
50—THE COIN SLOT
have collected slot machines and
were being used for gambling.
As we look at the situation, it
seems that there is still a great deal
of misunderstanding surrounding
collectible machines. The machines
in question are probably mechanical.
Even during their early years they
were a pain to keep operational.
They are an intriquing piece of Amer
ican mechanical genious. But any
collector will tell you that aftera few
hours (or even less) of play, the
back door is off more than on. In
many ways it is like comparing a
protecting a part of Americana that
Model A with a 1982 Lincoln Con
has suffered bad press over the
years and has been the butt of well
tinental or a wringer type Maytag
with an automatic Maytag. Only the
name is the same.
meaning politicians.
At the present time, collectors
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stroy the machines.
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sion to have the machines destroyed
law is unclear, many people in Ohio
have succeeded in favorably amend
in 27 states and the
These machines are truly a part
of our history and deserve more
than to become a pile of rubble.
District of Columbia Machines must
Ohio is bordered by states that
have been manufactured prior to allow the collecting of slot machines
1940, 1941, 1950, 1952, 25 years for aesthetic reasons. Perhaps it is
ago or 30 years ago. (Unfortunately
no uniform date has yet been estab
now time for Ohio to clarify its law in
regard to"collectible" slot machines.
Sincerely,
Rosanna Harris, Editor
lished.) Five states allow private
ownership of slot machines manu
factured at any time as long as they The Coin Slot
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
October 1982