# PINSPOTTING: HERE AND THERE - SEPTEMBER 2018 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2018-09-30 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/09/30/pinspotting-here-and-there-september-2018 --- ## Analysis A feature column documenting unexpected pinball machine discoveries in non-traditional venues. The inaugural PinSpotting column highlights vintage pinball games found at Portillo's Restaurant in Gurnee, Illinois (featuring four Gottlieb and Bally machines from 1949-1962 as decor) and the Gilmore Automobile Museum in Michigan (housing a 1949 Williams Maryland wood rail machine). The author notes curatorial inaccuracies, including anachronistic machine selections for the 1930s theme and misidentification. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Portillo's Gurnee Mills location has a 'Chicago in the 1930s' theme but displays pinball playfields from 1949-1962, which are newer than the intended theme period — _Article states the theme is 1930s but playfields are from April 1962, November 1962, April 1949, and July 1961_ - [HIGH] The four playfields at Portillo's Gurnee are: Tropic Isle (Gottlieb, April 1962), Sunset (Gottlieb, November 1962), Champion (Bally, April 1949), and Big Casino (Gottlieb, July 1961) — _Article provides explicit identification and dates for each machine displayed_ - [HIGH] The Gilmore Automobile Museum's George & Sally's Diner contains a Williams Maryland wood rail machine from 1949 with artwork by George Molentin — _Article identifies the machine, manufacturer, year, and artist explicitly_ - [HIGH] The Maryland machine at Gilmore was initially misidentified by museum staff on a card placed on top of the playfield glass — _Article states: 'There was a card on top of the playfield glass that incorrectly identified the machine as something altogether different'_ - [HIGH] The Maryland machine at Gilmore is not plugged in to power and has a 'do not touch' sign on the coin chute, making it non-playable for visitors — _Article explicitly states the machine is not plugged in and has restrictions on coin chute access_ ### Notable Quotes > "This column will be submitted to Pinball News occasionally to share with the readers the games that I have found in places that people would not normally expect to find them." > — **Author (PinSpotting columnist)**, Introduction > _Establishes the column's premise and scope_ > "Unfortunately the people responsible for acquiring the pinball playfields apparently were not experts – the playfields on display are quite a bit newer than the 1930s theme." > — **Author**, Portillo's section > _Highlights curatorial gap between theme intent and machine selection at Portillo's_ > "There was a card on top of the playfield glass that incorrectly identified the machine as something altogether different. We temporarily removed the misleading card when our photo of the game was taken." > — **Author**, Gilmore Automobile Museum section > _Documents misidentification issue at museum and journalistic correction for photography_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Portillo's Restaurant and Drive-Through | organization | Quick-service restaurant chain with location at Gurnee Mills shopping center featuring four vintage pinball playfields as decor | | Gilmore Automobile Museum | organization | Automobile museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan containing a 1949 Williams Maryland pinball machine in its George & Sally's Diner section | | Tropic Isle | game | Gottlieb pinball machine from April 1962 with artwork by Roy Parker, displayed at Portillo's Gurnee | | Sunset | game | Gottlieb pinball machine from November 1962 with artwork by Roy Parker, displayed at Portillo's Gurnee | | Champion | game | Bally horserace pinball machine from April 1949 (1-ball for 5 cents), displayed at Portillo's Gurnee | | Big Casino | game | Gottlieb pinball machine from July 1961 with artwork by Roy Parker, displayed at Portillo's Gurnee | | Maryland | game | Williams wood rail pinball machine from 1949 with artwork by George Molentin, housed at Gilmore Automobile Museum | | Roy Parker | person | Artist who created artwork for Tropic Isle and Sunset (Gottlieb machines from 1962) and Big Casino (Gottlieb machine from 1961) | | George Molentin | person | Artist who created artwork for Maryland (Williams machine from 1949) | | Gottlieb | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; produced Tropic Isle, Sunset, and Big Casino machines mentioned in article | | Bally | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; produced Champion machine mentioned in article | | Williams | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; produced Maryland machine mentioned in article | | PinSpotting | product | New column series submitted to Pinball News documenting vintage pinball machines found in unexpected venues | ### Topics - **Primary:** Vintage pinball discovery and documentation, Pinball machines in non-traditional venues (restaurants, museums) - **Secondary:** Curatorial accuracy and identification issues, Pinball history (1949-1962 era machines) - **Mentioned:** Pinball artwork and artists ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) — Article is informational and documentary in tone. Author is mildly critical of curatorial choices at Portillo's (calling curators 'not experts') but maintains professional, educational perspective throughout. No strong positive or negative sentiment. --- ## Transcript Date: 30th September, 2018 Welcome to the first edition of PinSpotting. This column will be submitted to Pinball News occasionally to share with the readers the games that I have found in places that people would not normally expect to find them. Portillo’s Restaurant and Drive-Through Gurnee Mills, Gurnee, IL, USA ![Portillo's at Gurnee Mills](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/08-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) Portillo’s at Gurnee Mills Each of Portillo’s restaurants have unique ‘themed’ decor; the location at the Gurnee Mills shopping center has a ‘Chicago in the 1930s’ theme. This is expressed with artwork for the Chicago World’s Fair, antique signs with neon lighting, and in one room, four playfields from antique pinball games. ![The '30s Chicago theme](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/01-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) The ’30s Chicago theme Unfortunately the people responsible for acquiring the pinball playfields apparently were not experts – the playfields on display are quite a bit newer than the 1930s theme. The playfields on display at Portillo’s Gurnee are: | | | | --- | --- | | Left: Tropic Isle, Gottlieb, April 1962, art by Roy Parker | Right: Sunset, Gottlieb, November 1962, art by Roy Parker | ![Gottlieb's Tropic Isle & Sunset](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/03-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) Gottlieb’s Tropic Isle & Sunset Champion, Bally, April 1949, 1-ball for 5 cents, horserace game | Right: Big Casino, Gottlieb, July 1961, art by Roy Parker | ![Champion & Big Casino](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/04-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) Champion & Big Casino --- Gilmore Automobile Museum 6865 W Hickory Rd., Hickory Corners. MI USA ![George & Sally's Diner at the Gilmore Automobile Museum](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/07-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) George & Sally’s Diner at the Gilmore Automobile Museum In a part of the museum dedicated to children’s pedal-cars, seeming somewhat out of place, is a Williams Maryland wood rail machine made in 1949. The artwork for this game was done by George Molentin. ![The children's pedal cars section](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/06-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) The children’s pedal cars section ![Maryland by Williams](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/pinspotting/august-2018/05-pinspotting-august-2018.jpg) Maryland by Williams There was a card on top of the playfield glass that incorrectly identified the machine as something altogether different. We temporarily removed the misleading card when our photo of the game was taken. The museum has placed a ‘do not touch’ sign on the coin chute of the machine and it is not plugged in to power; as such, it is not playable by visitors. More PinSpotting coming soon… _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 6c4fcb32-6691-46e7-a562-e4654d1be57c*