Marketplace

MARKETPLACE
NEWSLETTER
Nostalgic letter from Alfred W. Adickes who opened a most impressive new building for his
Nova Apparate organization in Hamburg, Germany, in addition to letter that appears in this
issue. Freddy recalls the olden, golden days at Scott, Adickes & Co., London, when he opened
Europe to pinball back in '31. But here's one incident from back in those days Freddy doesn't
know about. We recall the dazed and amazed look on the face of a certain Chi pinball mfr, we
were visiting at the time, when he opened a cable with a huge order from Adickes. He just had
to verify the order by an overseas phone call. This was the first overseas phone call this mfr
had ever made. When he got off the phone, he was even more dazed and amazed. Not only had A.W.
Adickes confirmed his huge cabled order but had doubled it. (Aside to Freddy: Agree with you
few left, today, who would believe the colossal number of pinballs you sold thruout Europe
in the '30s.)
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Shockley of Winchester,Tenn., sadly advised us of the passing of Lester
Coleman of Coleman Amusement Co.,Tullahama,Tenn., well known operator at age 80 after a long
illness. Lester Coleman was one of the fine gentlemen of this industry. In fact, Perry Shockley
worked for the late Lester Coleman 30 years ago •••• Perhaps unnoticed, the fact the speaker
for the American Dental Assn., told New Hampshire dentists in Whitfield,N.H. (6/24/74 ) that
vending machines in schools should be regulated in fight against tooth decay and diabetes. (As
reported here in many past issues this is part of campaign launched against soft drinks by
doctors, dentists, dietitians, who label fizzy pop: "Fat producing, teeth decaying, gas dis-
tressing". This campaign, like early da~s of anti-cigaret smoking has, as yet, soft drink
bottlers paying little or no attention.) ••• Hope the following are wearing the beautiful new
"2000 Club" lapel pin: Bill Ray, Harold Skinner, Roy Citron, "Red" Sabo, Jerry Becker, Ogtien
Whitbeck, Ernie Nowell, Jim Young, Mal Gildart. (Order from Marketplace, 185 N.Wabash, Chicago
60601. Only S5.50 each.) ••• Very pleasant visit with Joe Senecek, advertising director for
Rock-Ola. Joe is buying "Encyclopaedia of Automatic Music" to get more details for campaign he
is planning.
After Chicago newspaper, as reported here last issue, sent out investigative reporters to
check on mini-arcades in "New Town" along Broadway in Chicago, reporters reported kids were
having lots of f\Ul and being kept off the streets. One big Chi TV station sent out a camera
crew to check on reporters' report. All this camera crew did was verify what the press had
already reported - on film. (JoAn Mason, marketing director for MCI,Ltd.,Milwaukee, phoned the
next morning on another matter. We told Mrs. Mason that, in the 3 arcades shown on TV night
before, kids were pictured crowded around "Red Baron", mfd by MCI few years ago. That same
afternoon noted a new, big sign atop a Boul Mich bldg featuring "Red Baron". It's a new drink
being promoted by Seagram's gin. Since then we've seen the same ad in newspapers many times.
Maybe, JoAn, this is the time to present the "1975 Red Baron"?) Result of newspaper and TV
reports caused Chi's City Council to ban any new arcades in future in residential districts •
.Arcades only in commercial areas.(That's as it should be.)
..
For the record. Just made bet with "Young Hank" Tronick of Los Angeles, old time music man
from days of Jean Minthorne, he'll enjoy better business this summer than he did this past
spring. (By the way, "Young Hank" just became gran'pa 3 more times.) ••• There's an old recor-
·~ that might boom the juke box biz. Was tested in Newark,N.J. over 25 years ago. Only thing
:i:s it turns juke box into a gambling machine. Was buried, but deep, right after that test ••••
Plenty wheeling and dealing going on to move equip't faster. Not only by distribs but also by
mfrs. One new mfr desperately offers 1 game free with 10 which, ofcourse, immediately arouses
suspicion as to quality of his game. Expect one of these new mfrs any day now to ship sample
with statement, "If this isn't the best - don't pay - return." This actually happened in the
'30s by new mfr with automatic pay counter game. Didn't do much good. Mfr was out of business
before the year was over. And very few returned the machine. Wheeling and dealing okay - if
you have a real top product. Otherwise, "Goornisht helfen", like Herb Jones would say. (In
short, fo'get it!)