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Pinball Junk Drawer Episode 17

Poor Man's Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·analyzed·Mar 15, 2023
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.023

TL;DR

Hosts celebrate Pinside Secret Santa and recommend 'Pinball: A Graphic History' book.

Summary

Foghorn Leghorn and Craft Brew Sally discuss the Pinside Secret Santa gift exchange, highlighting generous gifts received and the joy of community participation. They also review 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' by John Chad, which the host praises as an accessible yet informative pinball history book. The episode includes personal anecdotes about the hosts' connection to Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, and details of Spooky Pinball-themed gifts obtained through a relationship with Charlie at Spooky.

Key Claims

  • The Pinside Secret Santa has over 200 participants (213 mentioned as last known count)

    high confidence · Foghorn Leghorn discussing the scale of the Secret Santa event

  • Les Manly runs the Pinside Secret Santa

    high confidence · Foghorn Leghorn explicitly crediting Les Manly as the organizer

  • 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' by John Chad was received by approximately 15-20% of Secret Santa participants

    medium confidence · Craft Brew Sally's observation while reading through the entire Secret Santa thread

  • Foghorn has a working relationship with Charlie from Spooky Pinball and they exchange written correspondence

    high confidence · Foghorn Leghorn describing his relationship with Charlie from Spooky

  • Spooky Pinball is located in Benton, Wisconsin

    high confidence · Hosts discussing a planned visit to Spooky's factory in Benton, Wisconsin

  • John Chad, author of 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball', lives in Sacramento, California and is obsessed with giant robots, pinball, and bookmaking

    high confidence · Information provided by Foghorn Leghorn about the book's author

  • Foghorn Leghorn's family (the Schnecks) has historical connection to Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, with his great grandmother being a Schneck

    low confidence · Foghorn joking about his family's connection to Schnecksville, presented as humorous anecdote rather than verified fact

Notable Quotes

  • “Hats off to that dude. Yeah. Juggling a bunch of idiots doing stuff on the internet, that is, God help you.”

    Craft Brew Sally@ 2:56 — Tribute to Les Manly's role managing the Pinside Secret Santa community event

  • “I cannot express how awesome this book really is. Again, I read a lot about pinball...but this one I still was learning stuff even though I know a lot of stuff”

    Foghorn Leghorn@ 11:21 — Strong endorsement of 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' demonstrating its value even for knowledgeable pinball enthusiasts

  • “if you have any inkling or you want to learn about it, grab it...I would really say, if you have any inkling or you want to learn about it, grab it. Because...it's just a neat book and it's easy to read.”

    Foghorn Leghorn@ 13:33 — Recommendation to purchase the book while still in print, with concern about future availability

  • “It's not even like – like this year was kind of a – I would say a down year for what I got. But that's kind of not even what it's about. You just – No. It was the giving, like watching people – like seeing what people got.”

    Foghorn Leghorn and Craft Brew Sally@ 4:38 — Captures the spirit of the Secret Santa exchange being about community participation rather than personal gain

  • “I got a piece from a play field from hit from charlie's like parts pile which is awesome”

    Foghorn Leghorn@ 17:04 — Indicates Spooky Pinball provides official merchandise and parts as potential Secret Santa gifts

Entities

Foghorn LeghornpersonCraft Brew SallypersonLes ManlypersonCharliepersonJohn ChadpersonSpooky PinballcompanyPinsideorganizationPoor Man's Pinball Podcastorganization

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: Pinside Secret Santa demonstrates strong community engagement with 200+ participants and significant gift-giving activity; book 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' distributed to approximately 15-20% of participants indicating popularity and adoption among enthusiasts

    high · Foghorn discusses 213 participants in Secret Santa; Craft Brew Sally observed ~15-20% received the book after reviewing entire thread

  • ?

    content_signal: Pinball history book receiving significant community attention and adoption; host emphasizes educational value and accessibility; suggests strong demand for pinball history content

    high · Foghorn read book twice, praised it extensively, recommended readers 'grab it' while in print, noted he learned new information despite existing pinball knowledge

  • ?

    manufacturer_signal: Spooky Pinball actively participates in community gift-giving through direct engagement with podcast host; provides signed merchandise, branded apparel, and playfield components; maintains working relationship with media figures

    high · Charlie from Spooky signed merchandise, included patch and Rob Zombie playfield piece for Secret Santa gift; maintains correspondence with Foghorn Leghorn

  • ?

    collector_signal: Signed Spooky merchandise and branded apparel generate collector interest within pinball community; playfield pieces and limited merchandise highly valued by enthusiasts

    medium · Hosts discussed displaying signed shirt in arcade; included authenticated playfield component from manufacturer; Spooky hat described as distinctive with horizontal striping

  • ?

Topics

Pinside Secret Santa community gift exchangeprimaryBook review: 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' by John ChadprimarySpooky Pinball manufacturer and merchandisesecondaryPinball community and enthusiast culturesecondaryHosts' personal history and Pennsylvania/Wisconsin connectionssecondaryPinball history and foundational designerssecondaryPodcast production cadence and formatmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.82)— Hosts express genuine enthusiasm and joy about the Secret Santa event, community participation, and the book. Tone is warm and celebratory despite self-deprecating humor. No negative sentiment toward manufacturers or community members. Light-hearted complaints about personal effort level undercut by genuine appreciation for the experience.

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.071

0:00
Now who's responsible for this unwarranted attack on my person? I say, I say, I say, pay attention now, boy. This is, of course, Foghorn Leghorn presents the Pinball Junk Drawer. You all asked for it. I say, you all asked for it now. You're going to get it. Boy, oh boy, are you going to get it. Go, I say, go away, boy, you bother me. Yeah, we're ready, all right. Oh, my God, and we're back. Of course, by that, I mean, hey, welcome to the Pinball Junk Drawer.
0:33
My name's Foghorn Leghorn, and with me, as usually, Craft Brew Sally. That's right. Your name is Craft Brew Sally. I took a couple takes. We don't know our names. It's insane. Anyway, hey, if you're tuning in for pinball news and rumors, you should go somewhere else. Definitely. Definitely, indeed. We don't even know our own names. We don't. And this is the only pinball podcast that's finally crafted with both the disdain of a Gen Xer and the deep-rooted sarcasm given to me by my family bloodline.
1:08
Because sarcasm's great for everybody. Anyway. That is correct. That was written down. I think I had that epiphany when I was drinking and Craftrucelli was kind enough to write it down. Poorly. It's all poor. We're all poor. Everything's poor. Anyway, what's on tap for today, Craft Brew Sally? Today we're going to talk about the Pinside Secret Santa. Yowzers! And then what? A book review? That we may have seen on... I like reading the squiggly lines and learning up stuff.
1:43
No. That's the only response to that. Okay. So we, now last year I did the Pennside Secret Santa and a couple weird things happened. Now, for those of you who are not in the know, we grew up in a small little town in Pennsylvania that no one's ever heard of. Then we moved to Clearwater, Florida. That was in 93, 93 we moved there. And then in 2020 we moved to Wisconsin because that's the general trajectory that most people
Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball
product
Schnecksville, Pennsylvaniaevent
Harry Williamsperson
Rob Zombieperson
Radio St. Peteorganization

design_philosophy: 'Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball' demonstrates market demand for accessible, visually engaging historical documentation of pinball evolution; combines beginner education with advanced historical depth

medium · Foghorn noted book covers Bagatelle origins through modern era, includes terminology explanations (plunger, alien, slingshots), presents historical facts with 'neat artwork'; readable cover-to-cover unlike reference encyclopedias

  • ?

    venue_signal: Spooky Pinball maintains production facility in Benton, Wisconsin accessible to community for visits; hosts entertain plans to visit factory for potential collaboration or content creation

    high · Hosts discussed driving to Benton, Wisconsin to visit Spooky; planned factory tour mentioned before COVID prevented initial trip; facility appears to be working location with parts inventory

  • ?

    product_strategy: Spooky Pinball leverages community relationships and media partnerships to distribute branded merchandise; provides direct support for community gift-giving initiatives and podcast collaborations

    medium · Charlie from Spooky fulfilled special order request for Secret Santa gifts; included signed merchandise and branded apparel beyond standard retail offerings

    • 2:13
    dream of. and uh like so we moved and then last year now i'm in wisconsin and the guy i got for the secret santa pinside secret santa is from a place called schnecksville pennsylvania which is like a half a mile away from my little tiny house on a little dirt road in the middle of some cornfields and i went wait what and then and the guy got me like insane gifts it was the greatest gifts ever and i I was like, wow. And then Crab Bruce was like, hey, how'd you get that thing?
    2:47
    And I said, well, there's this thing called Pinside. And then there's this thing called Secret Santa, which a guy called Les Manly runs. Hats off to that dude. Yeah. Juggling a bunch of idiots doing stuff on the internet, that is, God help you. But it is so much fun. And it's so much fun seeing what people get. And it's really incredible. I feel bad for people who get me because I never get enough after I look through as I'm looking at what people get I'm like oh I should have gotten my guy more
    3:19
    it was like you're sitting there watching and you're like I didn't do that much and I got some signs and I got some tin signs that have nothing to do with pinball I've done better than some and I've done worse than a lot Yeah, you know, so this year you made a profile on Pinside. You did that earlier on in the year. Yep. And you don't go on it at all, which makes you a much better person, honestly.
    3:52
    I'm going to start going for the drama, though. Oh, who doesn't love drama about pinball? What are you excited about? Why are you so angry today? Is it about politics, or is it the price of eggs and gas, or is it that you've lost your house due to financial difficulty? No, pinball. It's pinball. I'm so angry about what some guy said on pinball. Some guy from who cares, Ohio. Idaho, I mean. Said something about a game I'll never own, and it just made me so angry I'm going to smash my car. So that's really what you want in your life.
    4:24
    You want more stupidity and nonsense and anger. Anyway, so very cool. Again, this is incredible, this thing. I look forward to it basically all year. I really look forward to it. And it's not even like – like this year was kind of a – I would say a down year for what I got. But that's kind of not even what it's about. You just – No. It was the giving, like watching people – like seeing what people got. Yeah. Can you imagine being one of the guys that got a pinball machine?
    4:57
    I don't even know how I would react. I'd be like – I would feel – I would kind of feel guilty. Yeah. I would take it. Don't get me wrong. Of course. But I would feel like, oh, my God, I could never do this. No. I could never live up to this. And then the coolest thing, now I alluded to this very, very generous guy from Schnecksville, PA. Yes. And then this year, you got him. Yeah. You got that same guy. And I was like, no way. Because, I mean, how many people? There's over 200. I think 213, I think, was the last count I saw.
    5:28
    And if you would tell me there's more than one person doing that from Schnecksville, I'd be like, no. No, there's six people in Schnecksville. So, you know, unless they've had a real spike in, there's more than six people in Schnecksville. But, 12. But the, you know, it was like, what? So then you got like insane gifts. I did. And I was like, what? And I was so jealous I got Craft Brew Sally got beer for a year Can you that what I got a case of beer every three months for the year
    6:02
    That's, you're a rapper now. Anyway, that is insane. That wasn't even it? Not even close? No. I got, because we have a Beatles machine, I got a 1964 Beatles tour artwork. that has copies of all of the city tickets. All the tickets of their first tour when the British invasion happened. And also a really cool pen because I also like pens.
    6:33
    A Beatles pen. And what does Charlie Brown say? And I got a rock. But it was, wow. I mean, as soon as you got that, I was like, oh, my. You're in for a good year. Because what a generous guy. it's just so cool and now next year I aspire, now next year after looking through the thread I'm like I gotta get some District 82 shirts local stuff and maybe what's the ready player too I have to do stuff from where I'm from
    7:05
    and include that on top of other stuff I didn't super cheap out, I got the person some nice what I consider very nice stuff I think it also has a lot to do with what you give that person. Yeah. I literally got a thing that said 2XL. Like, that was all it said. I was like, okay, buddy. And I went out, I kind of like cyber snooped and tried to find the guy on like Facebook and stuff. And I was like, well, I don't know. Like, I couldn't gather enough to give him anything meaningful. So, but I tried, you know, it was so it wasn't like I didn't try.
    7:39
    But man, what a, now this is also leading into the book report. because as soon as I started talking about the guy that got the pinball machine, what did you do? I stalked it. I was watching for it. Looking for it. You literally started at page one of the pin side thing. I was like, a year and a half, an hour and a half later, I was like, what are you doing? No, no. It was like four hours.
    8:11
    I couldn't believe it. So if you were a Fendcraft through Sally, look out. She's reading every single thing on that thread, and you're going to answer to every single syllable. Where I flippantly look through and go, meh, and I just quit for a couple days. I go back and I was like, hey, I didn't really read the end of the sentence, but it was pretty exciting. And I put the phone back down. Yeah, I did. I looked at every single thing every person got. Isn't that cool, though? Yeah, it was something. and what a fun what a fun like and people are not just like here's a box of gifts no a lot of them
    8:48
    were very like do like made poems and like did kind of not scavenger hunt kind of things but like yeah you know a line or two about what's in the package without giving away what's in the package yeah i wrote here i sit brokenhearted pain to shit but only farted and then um no so i I did that. No. And then I started doing some Wu-Tang rhymes. And then Crap Rizali hit me with a bat. A small bat.
    9:18
    And when I came to, that was gone off the package. And it was just a regular package. So that was good for everyone. It's that little slugger that you get when you go to the... When it goes to hit the other guys, hit the other team's fans day at the Eagles. They give you a little bat and some batteries to hook at Santa. And I woke up with a little bump. But other than that, I was fine. I remembered my name after an hour or so. So it was good. Now, I had gotten a book, and I read this thing. And I sat, like I read through it.
    9:51
    And Foghorn does not read books. Well, I read video game history, pinball history, pinball books, video game, like retro console gaming. I know a lot about that because it's complete nonsense and worthless. I can never apply that to anything, so I know a lot about all that stuff. but I got this book and I read it and I was like wow this book is awesome so I even took my time because I didn't want to get through too much and as soon as I finished it I waited like a week and I reread it a second time this time taking my time and like kind of looking at the artwork
    10:22
    and looking at this stuff now you said you saw a lot of people get this yes as I was spending four hours looking through every page there were a lot of people that got it probably like 15%? That's a high percent. 20%? Yeah, it was a lot. Now, when you were reading through this, did you write down a list of enemies? No. No? Or were you just reading it? No, I was just looking. Okay, that's good. I wouldn't really read everything, but I did look at every single picture.
    10:53
    Well, then you're going to love this book. Yeah. I'll tell you what. The book I'm going to talk about, and Crap to Sally will probably chime in a little bit, but she didn't read through the book yet. It's called Pinball, A Graphic History of the Silver Ball by John Chad. Now, I followed John Chad on Facebook, but I didn't reach out about interviewing him for this book because I was kind of like, eh, that'd be so much effort, and I'm really not into effort. But I did read the book twice now, and I cannot express how awesome this book really is.
    11:26
    Again, I read a lot about pinball. I have Pinball that was at Pinball Compendium like those big huge novels I've read those I read a lot I try to learn everything I can about it but this one I still was learning stuff even though I know a lot of stuff and it was presented in this really cool way like it is a graphic but it it just mostly like I don even know how to say it like historical fact and then but but mixed in with some really neat artwork, and some really cool stuff, you know, and I actually learned
    11:59
    a lot reading through it, and then I read through it a second time, I was like, wow, this book is awesome. So, if you do not, or if you haven't seen it yet, check out Pinball, A Graphic History of The Silver Ball by John Chad. One of the things, I hope this one keeps in print, but one of the things I do know from pinball stuff is it kind of goes through one thing and then that's kind of it because then it becomes made of gold. So get it now. I would suggest, while it's still on Amazon and while it's still in this,
    12:30
    see, John Chad lives in Sacramento, California, obsessed with the giant robots, pinball, and bookmaking. There you go. There you have it. But, you know, it is, I just keep, every time I look through it, I learn something. Now, it also, it has some neat stuff for, like, beginners, where it kind of talks a little bit about, like, you know, this is what a, this is what a, you know, a plunger is. This is what an alien is. This is what goes through the slap saves and drop catches and stuff like that, which is cool.
    13:00
    but it kind of flips between it starts out with Bagatelle where the history of the actual game is and then it talks about how it became more and more in our culture and then some of the inventors like Harry Williams and all those kinds of people that were doing stuff and changing stuff and then goes through the video game boom and how that kind of affected it and you think it would be good but it wasn't so it was just it really is an awesome historical piece, but it's also very readable.
    13:33
    I can't tell people enough. I would really say, if you have any inkling or you want to learn about it, grab it. Because I know Crap Your Sally is going to read it and she's going to go through it to learn, but also it's just a neat book and it's easy to read. Some books, I bought another book on Amazon. It's coming. I'm not too sure about this one. And it's kind of like, talks about the history a lot, but it's also like, we'll see. Sometimes you pick up a book and you're like, I don't like this book very much.
    14:05
    But you get through it. I bought those, NES Punk wrote the encyclopedia of NES and then the Super NES. I tried to read those, but you can't really read those. Those are more of like just reference materials, reference guides. It's just so factual. You can't, not a real page turner. I'm not saying they're not good books they're very thorough, they're really great books it's just not something you can read cover to cover and go wow that was a great read I tried but I just petered out
    14:35
    about a quarter of the way through when I get a game or find a game I'll read about it or look at what he has to say about something like that do you have anything for it? anything to talk about? unfortunately I don't and that's ok because I didn't read the book yet someone didn't do her homework for this episode and someone did. Looks like I get the A plus and the apple. Do they give apple anymore? I'll give you an apple. Does anyone know that reference even? Johnny Appleseed, something crap?
    15:06
    I don't know. I don't even know where it came from. It doesn't matter. I didn't read that book because I don't read very much. So other than that, oh, we didn't talk about the Secret Santa. I did some extra stuff for your Secret Santa. Yes, yes you did. Man. Sorry. So the person that I was given for the Secret Santa is a big spooky pinball fan.
    15:37
    And Foghorn has a, I would say. Mr. Leghorn, if you prefer. I'm just joking. Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Leghorn. I was kidding. has a i guess you would say working relationship with charlie from spooky yeah well i don't know i just write him every now and then i write him and he writes back he's a very nice guy you know so i was like hey we we live it would be a crime if i didn't at least reach out to him
    16:08
    being from wisconsin he lives in wisconsin i envisioned it going like he would reply back we would drive down there and like meet him and talk to him and walk through the factory to give us stuff and then we'd be like oh yay for things and i and then i got covid and then i was like i don't want to do this so i reached out to him and then um i said look i'm going to put in an order if you can throw some stuff in that'd be really you know very cool so he we ordered um a shirt and he signed, he autographed the shirt
    16:39
    and he included a patch and a piece to Rob Zombie Playfield. Yeah, which is insane. So this dude, the guy that likes spooky, you know, we were like, okay, so he got a sweatshirt, he got a signed shirt, which I was kind of like, I don't know what you would do with a signed shirt. I guess you just hang it up. Yeah, you put it in your arcade. yeah okay and a piece of and a piece from a play field from hit from charlie's like parts pile
    17:11
    which is awesome yeah and uh and a hat and as soon as i got the hat i was like i don't know if i'm sending this hat but i did the right thing and sent the hat and next i gotta buy a wool knit it was like one of those knit hats you know and i was like i gotta get it on a damn spooky hat i really like my car hard hat because it's warm but uh that spooky hat's kind of cool yeah It does the horizontal striping. Oh, yeah. So you kind of think of like Freddy Krueger. Not Freddy Krueger Who is it Yeah Freddy Krueger a little bit from the sweater Yeah But not really because it spooky But eventually we will drive to Yeah Benton Wisconsin Benton Wisconsin
    17:48
    Yes, which I think that the only thing in Benton is like... Spooky pinball. From what I heard, I equate it to like Emerald, Pennsylvania. Probably. And it's like, wait, wait. Oh, we drove through it. Turn around. Throw a U-ey. We missed Benton. I'm joking with Benton. And don't send any hate mail my way. I've never been there yet. Now if I go to Benton and then start talking smack about Benton, then you can send me hate mail. But I'm just joking. Also, I don't give out any emails.
    18:20
    And also, don't because you're wasting your time. I don't care. So you got anything else? So it was a very awesome time. Yeah, it was. Cannot wait for next year's. We should make up a whole bunch of like ghost. Well, you can't do that because then you're like, you're basically you're making up fake accounts to do more of that but you're still paying them out money yeah that doesn't work out financially you did learn something though that about this year yeah i guess yeah well i don't know we should probably say go ahead and say
    18:50
    go ahead yeah so this whole time Mr. Leghorn yes we've been married since 1937-ish so didn't realize that Schnecksville is actually named after my relatives my great grandmother Schnecky McSchneckerson and his Schneckmobile pulled up in what 1873 oh no it was long before that well his Schneckmobile was driven by
    19:22
    steam and chickens or what okay there was no Schnecksmobile But anyway, this is a true story. I married a landowner, y'all. Royalty. My family was out like, you know, moving muck around and get to work and picking the corn in the cornfields and baling hay. Okay, but anyway, so my great grandmother was a Schneck. And the little ville that they were in was named after them, Schnecksville.
    19:54
    So do you think he knows that maybe your Secret Santa guy knew that and he was paying homage to the owner of the land that he tilled? Do you think he tills crops there? No. No? Nah. He has someone do it. This is a three-tiered, okay. This is leading down a dark path. But yes, so that was pretty interesting. I was like, wait, what? And you're like, yeah, my relatives started Schnecksville. they came up and they said in the name of Schneck
    20:25
    I proclaim this land mine and everyone was like alright I guess so you have a gun so I guess you own this land now whatever it took back then which is kind of crazy to me that you didn't know it because I went to Schnecksville when I was in Pennsylvania the last time and went and visited the Schneck house in Schnecksville and you put your foot up on the rock and you said I proclaim this land as mine you are correct I would do that you didn't do that
    20:55
    I would have totally done that I know and everyone would have just been like get off the damn rock whoever you are we've called the cops and be like whatever they got me on Rolodex all you youngsters look up what a Rolodex is okay so there you have it all comes full circle folks and yay for that So great time was had by all. And anything else before we sign off? No. Actually, happy new year, everyone.
    21:26
    Yes, happy new year. But they're going to hear this in like three months. I know, right? This is a special. Okay, full disclosure. We have a lot of these in the can. I made a lot of these when I was in the can is what I'm trying to say. No, never. None of that. I wouldn't put this very nice audio equipment I have near a bathroom. but we were kind of making these and doing these and we weren't sure where they were going and then finally we were like, you know, let's go back to a regular cadence on poor man's, so here we are
    21:57
    and it's going to be every two weeks is what we're shooting for and if Craft Food Sally cheaps out, then you're going to just get me, so you guys should all be on the sidelines rooting that she sticks to a regular cadence of two weeks, right? Yep. I'll be here. You are correct. I'll be here. There we go. One. You got one in 2023 so far. Now, if you've been listening, that means probably over the shows you had like 100. It's so hard when you do these things. The other radio shows I do, I do two other radio shows for like an actual like Radio
    22:28
    St. Pete. And I do it a week ahead and it's on a Sunday night. So my brain's always like trying to do the math, but I don't ever really do it much. So I just avoid that. like kind of saying dates and topical things because I'm like, oh, yeah. That was last week, and everyone's already covered it. And I'm like, oh, yeah, and I also don't care. So here's music. No. So, all right, that's going to be it for this week. My name is Craft Drew Sally, and your name is? I am Mrs. Leghorn.
    22:59
    Well, I think you should have said my name. My name is Foghorn Leghorn. You're supposed to do the voice and stuff. All right. My name is Foghorn. My name is Foghorn Leghorn. it with me as always. Craft Brew Sally. And the stupidity ends now. Now I tell ya. Well, the stupidity will be back next week, but for now it's ended. For this weekend. Thanks for listening, everyone. Pinball Junk Drawer out. That's all, folks.
    23:32
    That's it, man. Game over, man. Game over.