Explore the exciting world of pinball with The Pinball Guy.
Unleash your inner Pinball Wizard
Explore the exciting world of pinball with The Pinball Guy.
About The Pinball Guy
The Story of MY Pinball Life
Hi, my name is Josh. I live in New Jersey at the Shore. My pinball obsession began with my father, Richard, who always had a pinball machine in the house. I remember like it was yesterday when I first laid eyes on My dads Black Knight 2000 in the back of his storage unit. I wasn't quite sure what the very large box was, so my dad explained it was a pinball machine. Every time we went back to storage, I would ask my dad when we would bring it home, along with the Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the Twilight Zone. We didn't have a big enough house with a game room, so there they sat.
My father is also a Dentist, and had always had a game room in his office. He used to have the game room near the adjoining wall with the other office of an eye doctor who wasn't too happy with sounds of video games and pinballs coming through the wall. My dad has since remodeled the office, making the old game room a "relaxation room" with massage chairs and moved the game room to the other side of the office where there is no adjoining wall. I remember him having a Williams Taxi, Jokerz, a Pac-Man Cocktail table, Even a MAME machine with 5,000 video games and around 2,000 pinballs. He also used to have an Earthshaker and a Slugfest pitch and bat. One game he's almost always had in the office is a Bally Doctor Dude. He never really got rid of this machine, as it is the "only medical themed pinball". I've always loved trying to get up to "Super Dude" on this machine since I was 7. I have all the high scores on it.
In 2001, We bought a house in Bricktown, N.J. We had been in it for about two months when lighting hit it and burned it to the ground. There were no pinball casualties luckily as we didn't finish moving everything out of storage and no one was home. We rented houses in the meantime while we rebuilt. The first time I played the pinballs that's were in storage was in a rental house in Point Pleasant. My dad finally decided to empty the storage unit! Mom wasn't very happy though, because we were moving from house to house about every 2-3 months or so. She didn't like the thought of my dad lugging heavy pinball machines around, house to house. But we did, and when house was completed (lighting rods on top) and we had an extra room put in for all of his games.
Over the years, my father and I have gone to multiple Pinball Shows, Allentown being the favorite! One year we picked up a Williams Scared Stiff machine to add to the collection. We lived in Oceanport, NJ at this time, and the garage was of course filled with games. One Halloween, my dad decided to pull the Scared Stiff out and put it on free play for all of the trick or treaters. Word quickly got out and people were lined up down the street for cotton candy and pinball. As it turned out, the neighbor across the street had a brother who was in the planning stages of opening up a pinball arcade. My dad quickly got in touch with the neighbors brother, Rob. They talked for hours as my dad gave all of the advice he could and lent a helping hand. That arcade is now what everybody knows as The Silverball Museum! Although my dad never got involved financially, he did take on the task of writing up the history of each and every pinball machine in the museum. I remember him spending late nights researching and typing on his computer. I think I may have helped with one or two. You can still read all of the facts written by my dad on top of the games to this day.
My earliest memories of the Silverball Museum was when it all started in the basement of the record shop on Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park, NJ. (Right next to Americas Cup) I remember first walking down the stairs to all of the pinball and arcade machines folded up and ready to put together. I've never seen so many pinballs in one spot before! There was a tractor trailer parked outside with even more games ready to unload. I will never forget the first time I met Rob (The Owner). He reminded me of Joe Pesci. He came up to me and tried to get me to come and work for the arcade. "You are the future of pinball," he said. "You should definitly come and work for me, we could really use you!" I also rememeber Rob frantically looking for his laptop before realizing someone stole it.
I regret not working for Rob in the beginning. Unfortunately I was already working full time at the Carwash. Over the years, I watched as Silverball Grew. What was once in the basement of a record shop, has now expanded into 3 oceanfront units with over 200 games, a full cafe area and party room. I did become the designated game cleaner for 3 Summers. I was also fortunate enough to see the Del Ray location turn into what it is today, which is also amazing! My dad was always getting calls from Rob, "Yo Rick, you wanna sell your games?" The Scared Stiff Machine that had gotten my dad involved is the one that you can play at the Asbury location. My dad still hears from Rob every once in while. There are always whispers of a third location, but I guess we'll just have to wait to see what happens. It's kind of cool being so close to one of the pioneers of the pay one price and play all day model.
Throughout the years, I helped my dad pick up and restore hundreds of machines. From the old woodrails, to the 90's Bally/Williams games, you could say I've had a lot of hands on experience. I remember in early 2005, my dad placed a bid on a Medieval Madness for $4,500! He was so angry when he was outbid. Final price was $5,200. Good luck finding one at that price in todays market.
The first machine I have ever bought was a 1969 Gottlieb Airport. I tinkered with that for a few months before I sold it. Since Airport, I myself have had almost 60 machines. Pinball machines, video games, and even claw machines. Today, I have a barn and 2 storage units full of games. 2021 was when I really got serious about turning this hobby into a business. I have done some restoration work, and not to boast, but I impressed myself. I picked up a Gottlieb High Hand which was a basket case, and turned it into a one of a kind custom piece of art! (Check my Instagram for before and afters) I also started making Night Lights out of the old plastics and pop bumper caps from past restorations. I am currently in the planning stages of opening up a showroom in South Jersey with Sander, owner of Voodoo Tattoos.
With some of the best mentors in the business, such as Jersey Jack, Rob with Silverball, Steve with Modern Pinball, Dan the head mechanic at Silverball, and my Dad the, "Historian," I hope to create good relationships with my customers and build a pinball empire like those have before me.
I look forward to spreading knowledge and adding value to the hobby!
-Josh (The Pinball Guy)