# Pinball Junk Drawer Episode 15

**Source:** Poor Man's Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2023-02-18  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://poormanspinballpodcast.libsyn.com/pinball-junk-drawer-episode-15

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## Analysis

Foghorn Leghorn hosts a solo episode of Pinball Junk Drawer (Craft Beer Sally is traveling) discussing his recent acquisition of a 1930s-era pre-war mechanical pinball machine, Bally Blue Ribbon, which he is restoring. He discusses restoration philosophy, the tension between originality and practicality, and hints at upcoming pinball podcast drama he'll address when Sally returns.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Foghorn acquired a Bally Blue Ribbon, a 1930s deco car racing-themed pre-war mechanical pinball machine for approximately $800 — _Foghorn Leghorn directly states he purchased the machine and paid 'like 800' for it_
- [HIGH] Foghorn intends to restore the Bally Blue Ribbon with modern upgrades including tempered HD anti-glare glass and recreated stickers/decals — _Foghorn describes stripping down the machine, recreating stickers, cutting new glass with anti-glare coating, and buffing chrome pieces_
- [HIGH] There has been recent drama in the pinball podcasting community that Foghorn plans to discuss on a future episode — _Foghorn explicitly states 'There was some new drama in the world of pinball podcasting, oh my god, but I'll make fun of that later when I have Sally to reign me in'_
- [HIGH] Restoration purists disapprove of modernizing pre-war machines with non-original materials and methods — _Foghorn mentions 'if any of the purists would see what I'm doing, they would want to murder me' and discusses community pressure around materials like Phillips screws and lacquer_
- [HIGH] Foghorn was searching for pre-war pinball machines (Fleet, Contact, or Signal preferred) through Wisconsin Pinball Group and pre-war pinball Facebook groups — _Foghorn describes putting out feelers and joining groups before finding the Bally Blue Ribbon through a pre-war pinball Facebook group_

### Notable Quotes

> "Pinball Junk Drawer. A pinball podcast that defeats the pinball drama through the power of obscurity."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, opening
> _Show's self-described mission statement_

> "So, yeah, basically after looking and looking, I had put out some feelers on Wisconsin Pinball Group saying, hey, if anyone has a pre-war pinball machine, you know, 30s, 40s, hit me up. And sadly, that fell on deaf ears."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, early segment
> _Documents supply difficulty for pre-war machines_

> "I was really hopeful to find something cool, but I was at that point after a couple months of nothing available. I was like well, I guess anything will do."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, mid-segment
> _Scarcity of pre-war machines in collector market_

> "If you have something that's been together since the 1930s, I don't know... I'm not gonna fix stuff and then put it back together because... the longevity... like you think you know what, I'm just going to strip it down."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, mid-segment
> _Restoration philosophy and decision-making process_

> "There's also, if anyone, some of the purists would see what I'm doing, they would want to murder me. And that's a funny thing. Whenever you get into a restoration or you're working on a machine, how far you wanna go... it literally is up to you."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, restoration discussion
> _Addresses restoration ethics and community pressure on originality vs. functionality_

> "They were building those as cheap as possible to sell them for as much as possible for you know like a few years. And the stuff I can save, I save. But, I mean, reality's reality, man."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, mid-segment
> _Pragmatic restoration philosophy contrasted with purist expectations_

> "There was some new drama in the world of pinball podcasting, oh my god, but I'll make fun of that later when I have Sally to reign me in so I don't get yanked from the internet."
> — **Foghorn Leghorn**, late segment
> _References upcoming podcast/community drama to be covered on future episode_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Foghorn Leghorn | person | Host of Pinball Junk Drawer podcast, pinball collector/restorer in Appleton, Wisconsin |
| Craft Beer Sally | person | Co-host of Pinball Junk Drawer podcast, absent this episode due to travel to Pennsylvania |
| Bally Blue Ribbon | game | 1930s pre-war mechanical pinball machine with deco car racing theme, recently acquired by Foghorn Leghorn for restoration |
| Pinball Junk Drawer | organization | Monthly pinball podcast hosted by Foghorn Leghorn and Craft Beer Sally focusing on avoiding pinball drama through obscurity |
| Wisconsin Pinball Group | organization | Facebook/online group where Foghorn posted looking for pre-war pinball machines |
| Free Play Florida | event | Annual pinball event in Florida featuring extensive pre-war mechanical pinball machine collection and display |
| Appleton, Wisconsin | event | City where Foghorn Leghorn is located |
| Chicago | event | City where previous owner of Bally Blue Ribbon was located |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Pre-war mechanical pinball machine restoration and acquisition, Restoration philosophy and ethics (originality vs. modernization), Bally Blue Ribbon acquisition and restoration project
- **Secondary:** Pinball collector community dynamics and purist perspectives, Pinball podcasting drama, Availability and scarcity of pre-war pinball machines
- **Mentioned:** Glass and chrome restoration for pinball machines

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Positive excitement about the acquisition and restoration project, balanced by frustration about scarcity of pre-war machines and tension with restoration purists. Self-deprecating humor throughout. References to upcoming drama suggest some negative community sentiment on the horizon.

### Signals

- **[restoration_signal]** Collector successfully acquired 1930s Bally Blue Ribbon pre-war mechanical pinball machine after months of searching, indicating scarcity and active collector demand (confidence: high) — Foghorn spent months looking through Wisconsin Pinball Group and pre-war pinball Facebook groups before finding the machine in Chicago
- **[restoration_signal]** Active tension in collector community between originality purists and pragmatic restorers who use modern materials (tempered glass, HD anti-glare, polished chrome) (confidence: high) — Foghorn discusses using HD anti-glare tempered glass instead of original materials, mentions purists would 'want to murder' him, references community pressure on screw types and materials
- **[collector_signal]** Pre-war mechanical pinball machines are difficult to locate; Foghorn searched for months across multiple channels before finding one (confidence: high) — Posted to Wisconsin Pinball Group with no response, joined pre-war pinball Facebook group, finally found machine that had been in attic/basement for 40 years
- **[content_signal]** Pinball Junk Drawer operates on monthly cadence with co-host absent this episode due to travel; hosts explicitly acknowledge better content when both are present (confidence: high) — Foghorn notes Craft Beer Sally is in Pennsylvania, says 'I'm saving it for when Craft Beer Sally is back because I think the shows are a lot better'
- **[community_signal]** Emerging drama within pinball podcasting community that hosts are aware of but deferring discussion of until next episode (confidence: medium) — Foghorn states 'There was some new drama in the world of pinball podcasting, oh my god, but I'll make fun of that later when I have Sally to reign me in so I don't get yanked from the internet'
- **[restoration_signal]** Restorer is recreating original stickers/decals for 1930s machine, indicating lack of original decal availability or condition (confidence: medium) — Foghorn mentions 'I'm recreating the stickers and I'm recreating this stuff' as part of restoration process
- **[event_signal]** Free Play Florida annual event features curated pre-war mechanical pinball collection display showing machine evolution and progression (confidence: high) — Foghorn describes Free Play Florida as having 'a gigantic collection' of pre-war machines set up in themed area showing progression from countertop to legged machines to electric variants
- **[market_signal]** 1930s pre-war Bally Blue Ribbon sold for approximately $800, described as 'paid high' for it (confidence: high) — Foghorn paid $800 for the Bally Blue Ribbon and notes 'I paid high for it' suggesting competitive market despite low estimated resale value

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## Transcript

 Pinball Junk Drawer Pinball podcast that defeats the pinball drama through the power of obscurity. Yes, and this wonderful monthly cadence is really going to draw in listeners. My name is Foghorn Leghorn and with me as always, aww, that's right, no Craft Brew Sally this week. So for those of you who only tune in for Craft Brew Sally, I'll wait while you turn off this computer or whatever you're listening to. Turn off whatever you're listening to. It's always good to ask your listeners to turn off the podcast they're listening to. Yes. Anyway, we were dragging it along and dragging it along and I was trying to we're thinking of some content we have lots of content but uh just ran out of time and craftbrew Sally got on a big old jet airplane and flew to Pennsylvania. She's gonna she's going to get hit in the head with the with batteries at the I'm not going to an Eagles game. That's not true. Well, I mean, she's not going to an Eagles game. If she were going to an Eagles game, she would probably definitely get hit with batteries because they're horrible there. But I can laugh with them because I was one of them. And I still am, I guess, in my heart. All right, enough of this dumb nonsense. As alluded to, this is the Pinball Junk Tour. A lot has gone on, but I'm going to save a lot for when Crafty Sally is here. I will give a quick update, though. I've finally, finally found a pre-war mechanical, no flippers, it's just a pinball machine that's just, instead of an EM, which is electromechanical, it's a PM. I don't know what that means, parts mechanical, no, powerless mechanical. That's wrong. I need to study more and I need to edit better, but I'm not gonna. So, yeah, basically after looking and looking, I had put out some Feelers on Wisconsin Pinball Group saying, hey, if anyone has a pre-war pinball machine, you know, 30s, 40s, hit me up. And sadly, that fell on deaf ears. So then I also joined a pre-war pinball Facebook group because that's what everyone does now, makes groups and joins them. Well, or makes groups or joins them, I guess. I guess you can do both, but if you join your own group, then it's just a group of one and that's just you. So I think I hope you understand what I'm saying. Anyway, yeah, I have, I've had too much caffeine or not enough caffeine. I don't know how that works. Anyway, the, so finally somebody put one up there like, oh, I have this saved it from, it was in somebody's, somebody's grandfather's attic or basement for 40 years. And I immediately said, I will buy that, sir. And we got, came to a price. He lived in Chicago. I lived up here. I live up here in Appleton, Wisconsin. Thank you for watching this true playlooked The initial intention you know so pre machines I love them and I fell in love with them at Free Play Florida There a guy in Florida that has like a gigantic collection of them and they always in very nice condition And he sets up like a whole area each year And you go in and you like see how it progresses and how they get legged They go from the countertop to having legs to having electric a little bit of the 12 battery stuff and it moves along Tipollinleer was another tournament best to be held for celebration ofennen lights Ryosuke Hide Flower's 0ик5 associates. 1ah Nope 1st Hilton Jones Alligators I sometimes get Dữ delicate methods dig Etc noon C Dude Lucy Happy V Day Bi discussion Clith Introduction Human Romance Electworks Such as Oculus Light Neck Hello Pinballniestuff, Fleet pinball, pinballstuff, and Fleet is one of them that I'm like, wow. Look at this thing, you know? So I was really hopeful to find something cool, but I was at that point after a couple months of Nothing available. I was like well, I guess anything will do So bally blue ribbon has fallen into my possession and that is a deco car racing theme So it's kind of perfect. I wanted fleet or contact or signal Tv 검œD döoku birdsczlyガ aklěkå mosquitoes' ragdņomeulozi įındaki awo káësá Denmarkka ramp判ã時候 mileage&onįváloyh bľamiŋaišājā ħOļ�ärēůŦg'žêŦščivenį rŧrţzŮščïśĦš subtütţščалогĬĺəŋesģsģģšĵéšįššpũŠsőţħgšëšíššnŽũcššsũšššššššţššššřnšššššššš ũșšššššŽšššššsőŸщšššššššššššššššššššš I'm gonna I'm not gonna fix stuff and then put it back together because if you have something that's been together since the 30s well the 1930s I don't know when you're listening to this in the future you know me like the 2030s I'll be like well that was a minute ago and I'm like no no old one the older one so like I think the longevity like in ten years people gonna be oh yeah let's go listen to the pinball junk drawer remember how that got really famous it didn't anyway so the so I just started stripping it down you know I In九十八ять there was nothing like putting a spin rod gingern normally fifteen minutes before the shoot, but when the shoot started started the pinball still by arms. This unlike anyone thought, that's all trash! I'm saying that Invimoto Mainstream万 Norweg relentirty uniquetracket.susanna Minute grocer Inc에도 as presora and it just takes it. Um, and I know as I'm doing this stuff, cause I'm like, I'm recreating the stickers and I'm recreating this stuff and I'm doing all this. I'm thinking about gloss coating the, uh, the playfield, which I don't know. I might not. There's some things where you're kind of like, I don't know if I want to go down that path. There's also, if anyone, some of the purists would see what I'm doing, they would want to murder me. And that's a, it's a funny thing. Whenever you get into a restoration or you're working on a machine, How far you wanna go I mean it literally is up to you You can do whatever you want It your machine literally You can I could go out and buy up every pre and burn them in my yard and it you a horrible person but you could do that if you wanted to It you know it not I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves because then when you get into these groups you like whoa you got only use you know you can use Phillips screws because I did some of those I going to switch those out I do I get through this bit first So like then you like well they used to use lacquer back then Well they only use waterslide decals back then Well they only use you know like and you like well you know yes and no you know like they were building those as cheap as possible to sell them for as much as possible for you know like a few years And when you're Congressman a non-offensive metal-core console, you have at least a 1535pack waitinglist with one door of a CurryPlease�NamePinball угly pile cantain plz Cra chama Proud monster Praise you Cats And so, and the stuff I can save, I save. But, I mean, reality's reality, man. You just, you know, you can't do, you can't make it 100% original unless you dedicate your whole life to doing that. And I don't want to anyway. Like, I'm going to get new glass cut for it. And I talked to the guy, I'm going to see if I can even get like that HD, uh, anti-glare visiglass on it. Well, now that's not what they came with. They weren't even tempered, I don't think, back then. So I'm getting tempered HD Works googles for pinballètement.ação E consigui neither e meu Mestre including the Tilburymoveru,64-ции pai ganhoza, Oca deайте! became The Cyclo Twitter best clarity comprend39 Instagram document topcovers We will NBC make the pinball sandwich while remaining with the crashed handoutутствρο. Pinball/. Puffbalanced mag GPUIPLINECHIенныйPropertyStyle filled display Instzcz sidemark easier click here for the full clip of all the below instructions. Okay thanks for the time I keep this estimate Let me look at No I not going to pay for four pieces of chrome And I not begrudging the chroming industry I understand it a very expensive and time consuming process And I also if I could do it you know then then I would be charging So oh well those pieces of they already been polished out I have a you know the buffing wheels So I buffed it down I already buffed them and polished them out there They got nice They're not... I was hoping for that like brand new chromiest chrome in the history of chrome pieces. Not in the cards. Unless I'd hit the lottery and still I'd be like, I don't think I should spend $1200 on this cuz no matter what at the end of it it's gonna be worth exactly probably like nothing $100. I paid... I paid high for it, but I wasn't... It's market, but I think for this one I was like paid like I think 800. I like how I can't remember even. Yeah, it was 800.otic regiment 651573518's In the meantime, let's watch some of the other content coming up for our next show. I'm saving it for when Kraftrew Sally is back because I think the shows are a lot better. I like to hear myself talk because you know it's my form of therapy but reality is, you know, there's only so much I can say before you're bored of hearing my voice. Lots of drama. There was some new drama in the world of pinball podcasting, oh my god, but I'll make fun of that later when I have Sally to reign me in so I don't get yanked from the internet. You know, people have a lot of feelings now, so you gotta be careful. You can't talk about things, otherwise everyone hurts their feelings. No, but so yes. Yay for blue, the Bally blue ribbon. I'll keep updates. I'm hoping to have the, I know that I gotta get the painting done because the garage is gonna become freezing very soon. And then after that, it's just gonna be dialing in the playfield and that sucker will go together and then Pinball love pinball bush Well, after working on a computer all week, the last thing I really want to do is come home and work on a computer, so laziness ensues. That is it for this week. Pinball juncture, my name is, was, and always will be Loghorn Faghorn, and I'll see you next week with more content and a co-host, and probably better content. See you next week, everybody. I mean what he said. Of course not kid. I meant that you looked like somebody had beaten you with an ugly stick. That's all. That's all folks. That's it man. Game over man. Game over.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: d1cb5a72-b660-471d-8cf2-9bda12641230*