The 7th ANNUAL WHITE ROSE GAMEROOM SHOW, page 1

This year the show was scheduled a couple weeks later than usual. Even so, the weather was amazing, compared to last year with downpours and overcast skies the whole time. This year, fall backed up to summer, and by Saturday, it was around 80 degrees for the high temperature. I rented a 15 ft. diesel truck this year, with a liftgate, and almost no idea what I would be bringing back, other than a possible project Whirlwind pin.

This time around, I arrived to photograph the entire show almost until when it ended Saturday. This included Thursday, vendor set up day. Also, instead of just one 35 mm camera, I brought two, in addition to my Sony Mavicam digital camera, and a pack of 10 discs. I left a couple hours early to get home at a decent time, since the truck was due back Sunday at 9 am, and I had a lot of unloading to do before I returned it. I left the show around 4 pm and got home close to 9, after taking an unscheduled detour through downtown Baltimore (I got lost). There was also lots of traffic going home. It was pedal to the metal all the way home, non stop, after just 1 stop at an Exxon in Pikesville to make sure I was headed the right way this time.

The show took place in the Horticulture Hall, a smaller hall, but that was ok, since there weren't quite as many pins this year. However, the games there made it well worth the trip. Eight Ball Deluxe, Addams Family, Medusa, Chris Bucci's near mint Taxi, Wico's Aftor, Firepower 2, Road Kings, Whirlwind, Lost World, Central Park, cocktail and full size versions of Space Invaders vids, Tron cocktail, Pac-Man cocktail, Moon Patrol, several jukeboxes, and more. The flea market was small this year, but the deals were definately out there. To summarize, I got 7 pins and a jukebox, filling up the rental truck about 3/4 of the way! I'll explain what I got throughout these pages.

Once again, thanks to Jim Winter of the West Virginia RGP gang for the nice get together at Best Western Friday night. Now, onto the pics!

Approximately 11:30 AM, Thursday. The first two pins arrive. Terminator 3 and a Congo pin inside a Jackbot cabinet.

Inside this truck is Stern's "Playboy." Wow, my first chance to finally play this pin! There are none on location at home in VA. Not around the Richmond area, at least.

The main gate.

Marlin, one of the show's organizers has just put out the sign by the gate, and now is driving one of the giveaway pins, Grand Prix, and a Duck Hunt EM gun game he sold recently, to the Horticulture Hall, where the show will be taking place tomorrow. As you can see, picture perfect weather, with the leaves peaking adding a nice touch.

Playboy and T3 are off the truck.

The Jackbot/Congo

Time to unload the truck.

Steve Engle from Mayfair Amusment. If you see his booth at a show, I recommend stopping by. He has lots of hard to find parts. To date, he's had the bumper cap I needed for my Skylab pin, and new blue posts for my Xenon playfield, to replace those faded red ones that years ago, were originally blue.

A 35 mm shot of the Horticulture Hall before setup.

Marlin and Steve Engle discussing setup. On a side note, the acoustics in this place are incredible. If anybody can get Eddie Van Halen out of hiding and get them back together, this is the place.

The setup begins!

The first pins arrive in the hall. Just a little bit of a backlight issue, but I think it looks kinda cool.

Time to test it out.

My first time playing this pin. Not bad, except for the annyoing backglass cannon during attract mode. I'm just glad it worked, though. I played the one here in town, with a broken cannon, which has been down for a month now.

Here's comes a 1920'2 Link 2-E Nickelodeon, made in Bingham, NY, $17,500, fully restored. There's Joe Hilferty, the owner of this and a really nice Centaur pin, which was set up shortly afterwards.

I think Joe said this thing weighs around 600 lbs.

A closer look.

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