Episode 200 - Interview with Jeffrey Lawton 9-23-15

For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·1h 2m·analyzed·Sep 26, 2015

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.033

TL;DR

Interview with bingo pinball historian Jeffrey Lawton on repair, collecting, and York Show participation.

Summary

Episode 200 of For Amusement Only features Jeffrey Lawton, a bingo pinball expert, historian, author, and master repairman. The conversation covers Lawton's background working as a repairman's assistant, his involvement with the York Show as a collector and exhibitor, his published books on Bally and United bingo machines, and detailed technical discussions of specific bingo game mechanics (Magic Pockets, hold features, scoring systems). Lawton shares restoration stories, sourcing strategies for parts and backglasses, and reflects on the bingo pinball community.

Key Claims

Jeffrey Lawton authored two bingo pinball books: 'Bally Bingo Pinball Machines' and 'Bingo Pinball War vs. United'
high confidence · Host Nicholas backbone introduces Lawton as 'the author of two different bingo pinball books. The only bingo pinball books in fact that I know of.'
Lawton has been attending York Show annually since 1999, typically bringing two games per year (sometimes three)
high confidence · Lawton states: 'I try to bring two every year. Unfortunately, this year since I hurt my back, I'm not bringing any. But hopefully next year... I should be able to get back to where I can start bringing two games again.'
Bobby Kennedy invoked the Johnson Act on bingo games, causing operator-owners to remove machines
medium confidence · Lawton recounts: 'they had it on the floor for a period of time until Bobby Kennedy invoked the Johnson Act on bingo games. And everybody that had bingo games, especially owners like that, that were like owner operators...'
Four bingo machines have hold features: Ice Frolicks, Palm Springs, Surf Club, and Tahiti 20-hole bingo
high confidence · Lawton states: 'the four machines that I have knowledge of that have hold are Ice Frolicks or Ice Capades, I'm going to say Ice Frolicks, Palm Springs, Surf Club and Tahiti, the 20-hole bingo has a hold feature.'
Game Room magazine was relaunched; new editors appear focused on modern pinball content rather than classic/EM material
medium confidence · Lawton notes: 'The concern for me as an older pinballer is that everything that they're describing in the magazine is frankly modern... I wrote to the editors and I told them that I was a provider of articles... in hopes of being published and unfortunately... they let the magazine go before that was able to happen.'
Dennis Dodal and 'Bingo Bob' in St. Louis are selling off an operator's warehouse of bingo games, parts, and backglasses at reasonable prices
high confidence · Lawton reports: 'in st louis uh... a well-known uh... aficionado in the hobby a fellow named Dennis Dodal is working with a man and they're selling off uh... an operator's entire warehouse of bingo games and bingo parts and back glasses... they're advertising a small number of games on ebay... they are reasonably priced uh... the term they used is that they are well operated'

Notable Quotes

“I try to bring two every year. Unfortunately, this year since I hurt my back, I'm not bringing any. But hopefully next year, I should be able to get back to where I can start bringing two games again.”
Jeffrey Lawton @ mid-interview — Explains his absence from 2015 York Show due to back injury; indicates recovery expected for future shows.
“mate/man comes and goes but I said a game like this comes once in a lifetime and I said that why I not selling it”
Jeffrey Lawton @ mid-interview — Lawton's philosophy on rare, irreplaceable bingo machines; explains his refusal to sell Circus Queen despite significant financial offers.
“York has something that the other two don't have and that is that York has a much, much larger diversity of games.”
Jeffrey Lawton @ early-mid-interview — Compares York Show favorably to Allentown Show and Pinball Expo regarding game variety and bingo representation.
“if you're going to ship your glass, even if it costs $10 or $12 More Brewing Company to ship it, send it USPS and they'll make sure it gets there and it won't be damaged.”
Jeffrey Lawton @ later-interview — Practical advice on backglass shipping; reflects Lawton's extensive experience with parts sourcing and shipping logistics.
“I never had a backbox broken that way and I think I never had one broken for two reasons. I would always insure the backbox for twice what the customer had paid me for. That way I didn't lose anything and the customer didn't lose anything.”
Jeffrey Lawton @ later-interview — Describes best practices for insuring and shipping delicate backglasses; demonstrates professional repair/sales experience.

Entities

Jeffrey LawtonpersonNicholas BackbonepersonYork ShoweventJim ShelburnepersonPin Game JournalorganizationRob Burkeperson Pinball ExpoeventDennis DodalpersonBingo Bobperson

Signals

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restoration_signal: Dennis Dodal and Bingo Bob in St. Louis operate a significant warehouse of bingo games, parts, and backglasses from a defunct operator; selling well-maintained, original-condition machines at reasonable prices; becoming a key parts and machine source for the bingo community.
high · Lawton directly sourced backglasses and motors from them; reports customers traveling from Louisville and Cincinnati to purchase; their eBay listings and direct sales approach emerging as primary secondary market outlet for bingo machines.
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community_signal: Tension between relaunched Game Room Magazine's focus on modern pinball vs. older EM/bingo pinball community's desire for historical/technical coverage. Lawton attempted to contribute EM content without success; indicates potential market/editorial gap.
medium · Lawton: 'The concern for me as an older pinballer is that everything that they're describing in the magazine is frankly modern' and 'they let the magazine go before that was able to happen' with his articles.
?
event_signal: York Show establishing itself as the premier venue for bingo pinball due to exceptional game diversity and dedicated bingo community support. Multiple collectors (Lawton, Bruce Moyer) commit to annual participation; attracting national attention from bingo enthusiasts.
high · Lawton: 'York has a much, much larger diversity of games' compared to Allentown and Pinball Expo; expresses optimism about sustained bingo growth there.
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historical_signal: Bobby Kennedy invoked the Johnson Act targeting bingo games, forcing operator-owners to remove machines from circulation. This regulatory action significantly impacted availability of machines and drove them from commercial operation into collector hands.
medium · Lawton references Kennedy-era Johnson Act enforcement as the reason an Eagles Club machine (Circus Queen) was removed from operation, ultimately becoming a rare collectible.

Transcript

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0:00

What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nick Baldridge. My guest this evening is Mr. Bingo, Jeffrey Lawton. I've interviewed Jeffrey before in an earlier episode And he is well known as a master repairman. He is also the author of two different bingo pinball books. The only bingo pinball books in fact that I know of. They're both excellent reads. Bally Bingo Pinball Machines is the first and it Details every game that Valley made. And then the bingo pinball war Valley vs. United. Now this details each of the games that both Valley and United made during the years that they competed fiercely for the bingo business. Both of these books are excellent, have a large number of photographs, Copies of flyers, information, historical trivia, they're just wealths of knowledge. Jeffrey is also a big supporter of the York Show. He's there every year and it's been my great pleasure to see him there each year With games, these fascinating machines which up until fairly recently I didn't know existed. So without further ado, let's go to the interview. Hi, Jeffrey, how are you? I'm fine, Nick. Good to talk to you again. Nice to talk to you. How have things been going? All in all, things have been going real well. I'm back to doing a little bit of work again. My back is not going to be an issue. I still can't bring any games to York, but I figure next year everything will be back to normal as it should be. Excellent. But you'll be at York this year, correct? Absolutely. Absolutely. And I've got a case of books for you that we will autograph so the uh... jeffrey i want to talk today and uh... not only kind of reintroduce you to uh... the slick listening public here also uh... to see if i could get some stories and recollections on uh... your time working for an operator uh... on a thing of sand uh... kind of your memories uh... and Interest in the York show specifically. All right. Let me digress for a second. As you may or may not know, the Game Room magazine is being published again. And I did receive a copy and I did read through it and I enjoyed what I saw. The concern for me as an older pinballer is that everything that they're describing in the magazine is frankly modern and that gonna ask you about that if you were still uh... on the docket to contribute or anything event it's it's it's disheartening to me because uh... i wrote to the editor and i told them that i was a provider of articles to both tim franti and kevin steele and in the magazine They show a picture of one of the mag one of the original magazine covers it shows a picture of a bowling machine and on the picture of that bowling machine just to the right of it says Lawton's crazed bowler hijinks and that issue was my debut article for gamer magazine and uh... it talked about a jumbo bowler and i mention that only because I wrote to the editors and I said I'm sure that Kevin Steele has in his archives uh... some information about my articles and if you want to go through them and use any of them you're more than welcome to do that I seriously doubt that they will only because it just seems like more and more people aren't really interested in the non digital Repair work that goes into pinballs like our bingo games. So I kinda hope that they use some of the stuff that I have there. I know Kevin had probably seven or eight articles that I had sent to him in hopes of being published and unfortunately he let the magazine go before that was able to happen. But who knows, maybe some of the older material would come out again. I would like to see personally some of my own material published. I would like to see some information by Bob Herbison who's a very serious collector of flipper games in the Texas area. And I always enjoyed Bruce's stories in Pin Game Journal that Jim Shelburne used to publish. Bruce Moyer. Right. And of course Bruce Moyers is a legacy member of the York Show. He goes every year just as I go every year. Mm-hmm. And he is a similar wealth of knowledge. Yes. Yes. You guys are both really fun to talk to and especially when you're together. So that's one of the many things that attracts me to York is not just the fact that you're so committed I'm glad that you bring bingos every year, but also that I get to meet and interact and play games from all these people that I've read their names in print for a long time or heard discussed in collector circles, but it's great to be able to talk with you in person. Well, I only have experience with two shows, personal experience, and that's, of course, the York show. Now, excuse me, three shows, my error. I have experience with the York Show, the Allentown Show which is a very big show, and the Pinball Expo that Rob Burke and Mike Pasek run in Chicago. And all three shows are excellent for pinball, but York has something that the other two don't have and that is that York has a much, much larger diversity of games. John Papadiuk, Black Water, person's name or role at Stern Pinballelectronic panel in backbox that is backlit during playelectronic I'm thrilled even though I can't bring a game personally, I'm thrilled that there will be so many others bringing games and it seems like all the effort and all the work that everybody who loves bingos has done to get the York show to get really taking off as far as having more than one bingo provider, it's finally paid off. I'm glad of that. I'm really excited for this year. So we will see. And next year, you know, we'll see if we can keep it going, but eyes are on this year so far. Yes. So how did you get involved with York? What was your first time going and how did that get you drawn there? When I published my book in 1999, Jim Shelberg, who was the author and publisher of Pin Game Journal, invited me to attend and to occupy his booth and sell my books out of his booth rather than me having to go to the expense of having my own booth, which I really appreciated. And the the that pinball expo that 1999 pinball expo expo was a great success for me. It was especially humorous because I didn't bring enough books because I didn't expect it to be as big a success as it was. And when they had their they had their authors table, they still do that. In pinball expo every year where anybody who's there who's an author, They sit down and people can get autographs.

USPS is more reliable than UPS for shipping backglasses; sending via USPS in wooden crates prevents damage

medium confidence · Lawton advises: 'people have told me horror stories about shipping backglass especially via UPS... I've been telling them, if you're going to ship your glass... send it USPS and they'll make sure it gets there and it won't be damaged.'

Lawton owns a rare Circus Queen bingo machine that was never used (purchased from Eagles Club in Paris, Kentucky) and has declined offers worth five times his purchase price

high confidence · Lawton states: 'I did have a man offer me offer me five times what I paid for it and I explained to him... I said a game like this comes once in a lifetime and I said that why I not selling it. And I still have that game in my collection today'

Game Room Magazineorganization

For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcastorganization

personnel_signal: Lawton worked as assistant repairman under Christopher Franchi for an operator; typical career path in era of EM pinball. Reflects master-apprentice skill transmission in classic pinball repair.

high · Lawton mentions work for 'Christopher Franchi' as repairman and his assistant role; indicates hands-on technical training under experienced technician.

operational_signal: USPS with wooden crate packaging more reliable than UPS for backglass shipping; professional repair dealers using insured postal service at premium cost to prevent damage. Lawton developed protocols using RapidPostal (local postal shops) with double-value insurance.

high · Lawton's detailed recommendations: 'send it USPS... won't be damaged' and his experience 'I never had a backbox broken that way' using postal insurance at 2x customer value.

design_innovation: Bingo game mechanic allowing players to reposition balls within Magic Pockets (moveable columns); requires strategic sequencing to achieve desired number combinations. Feature added complexity to gameplay but caused confusion among casual players and operators unfamiliar with the mechanic.

high · Lawton detailed technical explanation of Magic Pockets repositioning logic on Game Time and Gate Time; noted operators mistakenly thought machines were broken when observing the feature in action.

design_innovation: Different bingo machines implemented hold features (allowing players to freeze odd or even numbers) with mechanical variations. Ice Frolicks and Palm Springs had single hold; Surf Club and Tahiti had multiple shutter positions with three motors; feature rarely appears on only four known machines.

high · Lawton: 'the four machines that I have knowledge of that have hold are Ice Frolicks... Palm Springs, Surf Club and Tahiti' and detailed technical description of shutter mechanism with multiple motors on Palm Springs variant.

collector_signal: Lawton refuses to sell rare, pristine bingo machines even at premium prices (5x original purchase); values irreplaceability over financial gain. Reflects deep-rooted collector mindset that some machines should remain in stewardship.

high · Lawton on Circus Queen: 'I did have a man offer me five times what I paid for it... a game like this comes once in a lifetime... I still have that game in my collection today.'

content_signal: For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast at episode 200 milestone; represents sustained coverage of niche EM/bingo pinball community over 200 episodes; host Nicholas Backbone conducting historical interviews with key figures (Lawton, Moyer) preserving oral history.

high · Episode 200 dedicated to Jeffrey Lawton; show title and format indicates focused niche podcast serving EM/bingo collector and enthusiast community.

community_signal: Small but interconnected bingo pinball community of historians, repairmen, collectors, and aficionados (Lawton, Moyer, Dodal, Dahl, Shelburne) maintaining institutional knowledge, mentorship, and resource sharing across decades. Shows, podcasts, and personal connections sustain the niche.

high · Lawton's references to Shelburne, Moyer, Dodal, Dahl, Young spanning multiple decades; coordination through York Show; podcast platform amplifying community voices; book publishing legacy.