2004 Texas Pinball Festival

This was all a last minute thing for me. I had just gotten back from a second trip to Old Sled Works in Duncannon, PA, and The White Rose Gameroom Show a couple weeks before that. I knew the Texas show was coming up soon, but had no intention of driving almost 24 hours each way. I was able to get a last minute flight and hotel room, with a brand new JVC mini dv camcorder in hand, along with my Sony digital Mavicam and 35 mm Walgreens camera. I have to say, this was the most fun I've ever had in 24 hours!

The new dv camcorder worked great! I got 2 hours of seminars, including Kevin O' Connor, Margaret Hudson, and of course Gene Cunningham talking about the Big Bang Bar reissue among other things. I also got an hour of nonstop pin and videogame action.

Thanks to Chris Munson, Bob Herbison, and the rest of the crew for their hospitality and the time of my life. Thanks to pinball artists Kevin O' Connor and Margaret Hudson for the classic pins they helped produce over the years, the great seminar, and letting me hang out with them (I am not worthy).

A side note: As of a week after this all happened, I completed this site at 1:30 am, this morning, posted to rec.games.pinball, and within minutes the web counter started turning. I've never seen this happen before. As of 2:30 pm, the counter is at 104, subtract 1 from my pc.

If anybody buys a pin after the fact from seeing one of my pics, could you let me know? Thanks, Josh

I have arrived. My plane landed around 9:30 am Texas time. It had left from Richmond, VA at 6:00 am. My arms are ready to fall off! I have on the left arm, a steel tripod in the duffel bag, and on the right arm, my knapsack with clothes, etc., and my camcorder bag.	This is where it all starts. The line was twice as long when I got here.
The infamous "Ghost Pinball." This Fish Tales pin is actually played by remote control, so the game is being played, but there's nobody there. It was invented by Shannon Smith of SS Pinball.	I checked out the flea market area around 10:30. I missed most of it I guess. Usually the best deals are gone early.
.	In the front of the trailer is a parts Stern "Stars" pin. I sold my Stars pin on Ebay last August.
The Alien Poker pin was a parts pin, missing boards and displays. Still though, at "make an offer" it was tempting, if this had been closer to home. It might still be for sale.	There's a Spy Hunter pin inside.
Pinball Park brought various sci-fi and videogame memorabilia, along with a Guns 'N Roses poster. They sell various pins at their site.
Simpsons Pinball Party sold.	The buyer and the seller.
This guy had a cool "Tommy" shirt. He says it's an original promo shirt from the Tommy movie back from '75 which he got on Ebay. We were talking about getting a pic with him standing beside one of the Tommy pins inside the show, but it didn't happen.	A week later, guess what pic I find in my mailbox from Chris Mercer. Here's J.B. blending in.
The infamous "Big Bang Bar." It was $2.00 to play for charity. This is Gene Cunningham's pin, from Illinois Pinball. There were only 14 of these made by Capcom, before they closed their doors forever. Gene just hours later announced they would be remaking this pin. I caught this seminar on videotape. It was very interesting, to say the least.
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