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Becoming a pinball wizard

By Elaine Paoloni | epaoloni@am-ny.com

February 11, 2008

Playing pinball (February 11, 2008)

Pinball is often seen as the provenance of teenage boys, but in NYC's playtime culture -- there are leagues devoted to skeeball, dodgeball and flipcup -- its not surprising that there is an organized league for the pastime.

We spoke with Max "Pinball" Blum , who has started the first league the city has seen in 12 years, about the game's attraction.

What's your background with pinball gaming? Back in the early '90s (when I was about 14) I used to play down at the New Jersey shore against a bunch of the older local guys at Shermat's Arcade on Long Beach Island. ... I eventually bought a 1991 Williams The Machine: Bride of Pinbot from Shermat's several years later.

Why did you decide to head up the rebirth of an NYC league?I desperately needed more practice in a pressurized competitive environment. I qualified 12th last year in the C division at the pinball world championships, but lost miserably in the first round of the finals. I was too nervous and too anxious. I don't want that to ever happen again.

Do you plan to expand if there's increased interest in the league? Yes, the primary goals of the league are to maximize competition and have fun. We will add more divisions or change the format of the league if necessary to keep it competitive and exciting.

What does it take to be a successful pinball competitor? Patience, concentration and an understanding of the physics of the ball movement on the playfield and at the flippers. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye. Of course practice and knowing the rules and how big points are scored on a particular machine helps, too.

What are some of the most challenging machines to play on? Family Guy, Flash Gordon, Dirty Harry, The Shadow. Just to name a few. Each of these games are difficult for their own unique reasons.

What is your season like? The regular season is nine consecutive weeks and we play all nine weeks on the same machines. We do this so players can get comfortable with the rules of each machine. The next season will begin in early April and ... we plan to have four seasons per year.

If you are interested in joining or would like to be on the NYC Pinball League mailing list, contact Max Pinball, at maxpins@gmail.com or visit the league's Web site at, www.NYCPinballLeague.com.

COMING UP The next special event will be a free pinball clinic, hosted at the Amsterdam Billiard Club. Feb. 21, 8pm. Featuring resident Three-Time World Champion Sean "The Storm" Grant. Covering basic skills and some advanced wizard techniques like the "Bounce Pass," "Drop Stop" and the "Flip Trap."