Tucson’s Pinball Aces Gear Up for State Championship as the Game Makes a Comeback

Pinball, with its vibrant lights and sounds, may seem straightforward, yet it masks a deeper complexity beneath its surface. At its core, it’s about skillfully preventing a ball from dropping into a hole. With just a quarter, anyone can play. The unpredictability of the game keeps players like John Finnegan engaged.

“You can either do extremely well or just fall on your face,” Finnegan remarked, highlighting the challenges each game presents. His approach resembles that of a slalom skier, with a dynamic stance that adds to his gameplay.

This Saturday, Finnegan, ranked 467th worldwide by the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA), will represent Tucson at the Arizona State Pinball Championship in Tempe. He discovered his love for pinball as a child at a roller rink, but competitive play began about seven years ago. Drawing parallels between pinball and soccer, he said, “Some soccer skills kind of translate…I sort of pretend they’re like my feet.”

Joining Finnegan at the tournament is Ben Clement from Marana, Arizona’s second-best pinball player and currently ranked 168th globally. Despite his status, Clement maintains a modest perspective about his abilities. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself as ‘really good,’” he noted, while acknowledging his success in various events.

Clement manages the pinball league at Catalina Brewing Company, where he also maintains the machines. He boasts a personal collection of 15 machines at home. At the brewery’s Star Trek-themed machine, he holds the high score with an impressive 378 million. He views the game as a blend of challenge and reward: “The games reward you for doing the right thing… if you do the challenging thing, there’s a big payoff.”

The history of pinball traces back to 1871, when Montague Redgrave created a bagatelle game featuring a spring-loaded ball launcher. Over the years, pinball faced scrutiny, notably in 1942 when New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia banned the machines, labeling them as detrimental to youth. This ban remained until 1976 when writer Roger Sharpe successfully demonstrated the game’s skill-based nature to city officials.

Today, pinball is experiencing a renaissance, spurred by nostalgia and a search for entertainment during the pandemic. Last year, over 10,500 tournaments and leagues took place, according to Zach Sharpe, IFPA vice president. This Saturday, 1,152 finalists will vie for a chance to compete in the IFPA North American Pinball Championship.

Finnegan observes a significant growth in the pinball community at Catalina Brewing Company, where the league has doubled in size in just two years. He encourages newcomers to embrace the challenge, likening it to mastering a Rubik’s Cube. “Anything worthwhile is a little bit challenging… I cheer for everybody else to beat my score,” he stated, underscoring the spirit of friendly competition that defines the pinball community.