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PINSPOTTING: HERE AND THERE - SEPTEMBER 2018

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·Sep 30, 2018
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.018

TL;DR

New column spotlights vintage pinball discoveries in unexpected restaurant and museum venues.

Summary

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

  • 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

    high confidence · Article states the theme is 1930s but playfields are from April 1962, November 1962, April 1949, and July 1961

  • 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)

    high confidence · Article provides explicit identification and dates for each machine displayed

  • The Gilmore Automobile Museum's George & Sally's Diner contains a Williams Maryland wood rail machine from 1949 with artwork by George Molentin

    high confidence · Article identifies the machine, manufacturer, year, and artist explicitly

  • The Maryland machine at Gilmore was initially misidentified by museum staff on a card placed on top of the playfield glass

    high confidence · Article states: 'There was a card on top of the playfield glass that incorrectly identified the machine as something altogether different'

  • 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

    high confidence · 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

Portillo's Restaurant and Drive-ThroughorganizationGilmore Automobile MuseumorganizationTropic IslegameSunsetgameChampiongameBig CasinogameMarylandgameRoy ParkerpersonGeorge Molentinperson

Topics

Vintage pinball discovery and documentationprimaryPinball machines in non-traditional venues (restaurants, museums)primaryCuratorial accuracy and identification issuessecondaryPinball history (1949-1962 era machines)secondaryPinball artwork and artistsmentioned

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

raw_text · $0.000

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…
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