# Pacific Pinball Museum Receives Machines Donation **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2012-05-14 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/news/ppmmachines.html --- ## Analysis Pacific Pinball Museum received a major donation of nearly 50 pinball machines and associated equipment from Richard Foos, founder of Rhino Records, in March 2012. The collection, appraised at over $83,000, includes vintage electro-mechanical machines, bingo machines, bowlers, jukeboxes, and arcade equipment. Museum leadership transported the collection via 54-foot trailer from Los Angeles and is planning restoration efforts and educational repair classes. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Richard Foos was one of the founders of Rhino Records, which started in 1973 and was sold to Time Warner — _Direct biographical statement about Foos and Rhino Records history_ - [HIGH] The donated collection contains nearly 50 pinball machines plus assorted parts, playfields, cabinets, backboxes and backglasses — _Museum director Michael Schiess confirmed collection size and contents_ - [HIGH] The collection is appraised as being worth in excess of $83,000 — _Official appraisal value stated by museum_ - [MEDIUM] Most machines in the collection are in working order despite varying condition — _Michael Schiess confirmed checking Bally Spinner and Williams 4 Roses which both lit up when powered_ - [HIGH] Pacific Pinball Museum expanded its storage facility by an additional 4,000 square feet to accommodate new machines — _Stated in article context of collection arrival_ ### Notable Quotes > "Richard's gift to the museum came about when he was looking for a museum which could house his machines and asked collector, restorer and co-author of the Pinball Collector's Resource, Don Mueting, who serviced his games." > — **Pinball News article**, N/A > _Explains the chain of connection that led to the donation, highlighting Don Mueting's role as facilitator_ > "Michael told Pinball News that although the condition of the machines varies, most are in working order." > — **Michael Schiess (Pacific Pinball Museum Founder/Executive Director)**, N/A > _Confirms functional status and working condition of majority of collection_ > "It is hoped to get a number of Richard's machines ready for the public to enjoy at the sixth Pacific Pinball Expo, which takes place this September in San Rafael, California." > — **Pinball News article**, N/A > _Indicates timeline for public display and utilization of donated machines_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Pacific Pinball Museum | organization | Nonprofit museum in Alameda, California receiving the donation; expanded storage by 4,000 sq ft | | Richard Foos | person | Record mogul and founder of Rhino Records; vintage pinball and arcade equipment collector who donated nearly 50 machines | | Rhino Records | company | Record label founded by Richard Foos in 1973; sold to Time Warner; known for greatest hits collections | | Michael Schiess | person | Founder and Executive Director of Pacific Pinball Museum; coordinated collection transport and assessment | | Helmut Jordt | person | Board Member of Pacific Pinball Museum in charge of outreach to local collectors; participated in collection pickup | | Don Mueting | person | Collector, restorer, and co-author of Pinball Collector's Resource; serviced Richard Foos's games and facilitated museum connection | | Gordon Hasse Jr. | person | Collector whose sizeable collection was donated to PPM two years prior (circa 2010) | | Richard Conger | person | Collector who pledged his machine collection to Pacific Pinball Museum | | Pacific Pinball Expo | event | Sixth edition scheduled for September 2012 in San Rafael, California; venue to display restored machines | | Bally Spinner | game | Machine from donated collection verified as functional by museum staff | | Williams 4 Roses | game | Machine from donated collection verified as functional by museum staff | ### Topics - **Primary:** Museum Donations and Collections, Vintage Pinball Machine Preservation, Electro-mechanical Machine Restoration, Pacific Pinball Museum Operations and Growth - **Secondary:** Pinball Community Philanthropy, Educational Repair Programs ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.92) — Article celebrates significant donation to museum, emphasizes preservation efforts, and highlights community engagement through educational initiatives and public display plans ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Pacific Pinball Museum secured major donation and expanded storage capacity by 4,000 sq ft, indicating growth and acquisition of significant collection assets (confidence: high) — Article confirms 54-foot trailer transport and new palette racks added to expanded storage facility - **[community_signal]** Museum implementing electro-mechanical repair classes to develop volunteer expertise and potentially identify additional restoration staff (confidence: high) — Quote: 'museum is putting together a number of electro-mechanical repair classes to help spread the knowledge' - **[event_signal]** Sixth Pacific Pinball Expo scheduled for September 2012 in San Rafael with plans to display newly donated machines (confidence: high) — Museum planning to have restored machines from donation ready for public enjoyment at expo --- ## Transcript Date: 14th May, 2012 Following the donation two years ago of Gordon Hasse Jr.'s sizeable collection and the pledging of the many machines amassed by Richard Conger, the Pacific Pinball Museum has received another large collection courtesy of a record mogul. Richard Foos was one of the founders of Rhino Records. Started in 1973, Rhino produced a long series of greatest hits collections which proved to be very popular and resulted in the company being sold to Time Warner. Foos has always been philanthropic with his resources, donating time and money to charities. He was also a collector of vintage pinball and other coin-operated equipment, such as jukeboxes, soda machines, bingos and bowlers. Now he has donated this large collection to the Pacific Pinball Museum. Richard's gift to the museum came about when he was looking for a museum which could house his machines and asked collector, restorer and co-author of the Pinball Collector's Resource, Don Mueting, who serviced his games. Don suggested the PPM and in March Founder and Executive Director Michael Schiess and Board Member in charge of outreach to local collectors, Helmut Jordt took a 54-foot trailer to collect the machines from Los Angeles. Helmut and Michael with machines in Richard's collection All the machines were wrapped onto palettes and brought back to the PPM's storage facility in Alameda. To make space for the new arrivals, two new palette racks were added in the storage which was recently expanded in size by another 4,000 square feet. Helmut with the paletted machines The donated ensemble contains nearly 50 pinball machines, together with assorted parts, playfields, cabinets, backboxes and backglasses. 4 Horseman 4 Roses Aloha Apollo Bee Bop Blue Skies Bowlette Buckaroo Club House College Queens Control Tower Crossroads Dancing Dolls Ding Dong Dracula El Toro Flying Circus Grand Slam Harbor Lites Hawaiian Beauty Home Run Ice Review Mademoiselle Magic Magic Clock Melody Lane Pro Football Queen of Diamonds Royal Guard San Francisco Satellite Scuba Sea Belles Sea Shore Shindig Singapore Skill Ball Skyline Spin Wheel Spinner Super Star Superman Surf Side Surf Side Two in One Two in One World Champ World Cup Four bingo machines, six bowlers, seven jukeboxes, two baseballs, six soda machines and a numerous signs, rides, amusements and displays complete the collection which has been appraised as being worth in excess of $83,000. Michael told Pinball News that although the condition of the machines varies, most are in working order. He said he had checked the Bally Spinner and the Williams 4 Roses and both lit up when powered. The 4 Roses machine To restore the lesser-condition machines will take both time, money and effort. The museum is permitted to sell any duplicate machines to raise funds for this, and is putting together a number of electro-mechanical repair classes to help spread the knowledge and possibly find some additional help for those who currently volunteer to repair and restore the Museum's games. It is hoped to get a number of Richard's machines ready for the public to enjoy at the sixth Pacific Pinball Expo, which takes place this September in San Rafael, California. Back to the News page Like this page? 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