Lansing Pinball League

Our last league night was officially held on September 22, but so many came in to pre-play makeup games or just hang around the preceding Friday that it felt like league night was split into two smaller nights.  I was one of the people who showed up Friday just to gawk, along with Joseph, of course.  Greg, Chris, and Alex all came to play makeup games.

At this point I must pause for somber reflection, as it was at this pre-league-night meeting that I learned the awful news.  For the few who may not have already heard, I have to report that the league has sustained a great loss that has left everyone in shock.  I believe I speak for the entire league when I say that we are all struggling to come to terms with the absence of such an iconic part of our group.  I speak, of course, of the shocking disappearance of Matt’s beard.

Matt? Is that you?

What the…? Who is this mysterious, cherub-cheeked newcomer?

Yes, Matt’s been on the job market, and he has knuckled under to the Man. His hair was trimmed and he was clean-shaven and none of us can get over it.

We were supposed to play Indiana Jones, but it had returned to intermittently refusing to give up balls from the idol no matter how many ball searches it went through.  Although as far as I know everyone did manage to play through a game of IJ, Matt made everyone doing makeup games play a backup game on Iron Man in case IJ ended up getting taken out of the rotation (which, in fact, it did).  We were also supposed to play Austin Powers, but it is back to eating quarters, from the other slot this time.  Matt left a note for Pete’s stating that we will be removing IJ and Austin Powers and, I think, also The Simpsons Pinball Party from league rotation for the indefinite future since the first two so often cause problems on league night and the last is just set to be so brutal that no one gets more than a hot minute of playtime.  I’m disappointed about IJ because over the last couple of years that game has gone from “guaranteed bad score on league night” to “fairly reliably treats me well” in my books, but I certainly understand Matt’s decision, since the problems with the lock are longstanding and never seem to go away for very long.

Greg plays the “Indiana Jones malfunction” drinking game.

The actual league night on Tuesday felt a bit underpopulated due to the absence of a few regulars, but we were graced with a rare Terry appearance. Along with Aaron and Jake, he was in my group for the night, and they all took turns showing me how to play pinball since I apparently forgot.

Partway through the night, Chris appeared with his kids in tow.  Since I was surprised to see him after he had already declared he would be absent, I pointed and said, “What the hell is that?”  Jake said, “It’s a child.”  I said, “I know that, I mean the other thing.”  Although Chris wouldn’t stay for league play, he did stop by to say hello and introduce his son and daughter.  He asked how my night was going and I said, “Well, I had a s—-y Fish Tales…”  He cut in with, “You had a what Fish Tales?”  I started to repeat myself then realized he was looking meaningfully at his son.  Oops.  “A bad Fish Tales,” is what I surely meant to say all along.

Terry tries to show me how to not suck at FishTales. It didn’t work.

Mike tries to teach Joseph how to be cool in photographs.

At the end of the night some of us did the usual Theio’s visit. Mike S. had to go take care of some stuff back at home, so we weren’t able to hang around playing Betrayal at House on the Hill until late like we sometimes do.

That’s all I have to say about the last league meeting, though I’m sure I’ve forgotten plenty of entertaining antics.  I do have some more photos of both the pre-league night and the actual league night, and of course the results of the night (a tie for the Left and Right Trolls in first place!).