Amazing video and fantastic to see David.
Would love to hear your full story of when you won, who did you play, where was it, how many players, what were the games etc....
Ha!
It was more a trick of clever marketing.
The Pinball Owners Association ran an annual tournament for the title of Pinball Wizard, which I'd already won a couple of times.
That year some bright spark realised there wasn't actually a World Pinball Championship so the POA one became it!
It was still the same basic event with a few machines in a church hall with possibly a few international players (Marie included!)
I think that year the final was on Indy Jones and we had to leave in a great hurry immediately after playing in the final to avoid missing a ferry to France - If I recall right there were other players after me, so I didn't even know I'd won until later!!
If you look in the attached photo who came second it is either testament to the quality of Marie's playing at the time, or the general standard of the competition (I wouldn't dare say which ;-) )
However, it provided great publicity for me and the hobby - not only was I on local TV but also in several newspapers and radio, including a trip to London to take part in "Midweek" on Radio 4
I also got a tiny souvenir cup which says "World Pinball Wizard" on it, which I cherish more than any of our other glass and silverware!
My actual pinball "finest hour" was 5 years later in Arizona where I beat reigning
world champion Rick Stetta to bring home a Bride of Pinbot
Video shows Rick, and a 7 month pregnant Marie, looking on; and Steve Kordek formally presenting the game
