Search results

Title: Interview with Rich Huff
Creator: Rubio, Douglas, Atkins, James, Sipprell, Shawn, Viramontes, Daniel
Date: 2016-12-09, 2016-11-09
Description: Midwest Pinball is privately owned and operated by Rich Huff. Rich does repair and cleaning work for pinball machines in the Chicago area....
Show moreMidwest Pinball is privately owned and operated by Rich Huff. Rich does repair and cleaning work for pinball machines in the Chicago area. Midwest Pinball does not do work on commercial units, as the company is structured to help residential customers who own pinball machines keep their machines like new. Midwest pinball has been in operation since 2001 when Rich worked part time as a pinball repairman and also worked full time as a business consultant. Rich eventually switched to working Midwest full time around 2008. Midwest services pinball machines of all types from a range of production dates. Rich has experience working on some of the earliest models of pinball machines all the way up to more modern units. Rich’s expertise in the industry and willingness to get the ball rolling will have you playing your games in no time at all.
Show less

Title: News Releases, 1939-1999 Collection Index
Date: 2018
Description: Collection index for 036.01.07, News Releases collection, 1939-1999. Includes press release titles for all years.
Collection: News Releases collection, 1939-1999

Title: Street view of Lewis Institute, Chicago, Illinois
Date: 1938-1942
Description: The Lewis Institute at 1951 W Madison Ave. Lewis Institute was strategically located at the intersection of Madison Street and Robey Street ...
Show moreThe Lewis Institute at 1951 W Madison Ave. Lewis Institute was strategically located at the intersection of Madison Street and Robey Street (now Damen Avenue). This location served as a transfer point for two of Chicago's 19th century streetcar lines making the school easily accessible by public transportation. Date of photograph is unknown. Date range listed is approximate. Photographer unknown.
Show less
Collection: Lewis Institute records, 1827-1984

Title: Interview With George Langlois
Date: 2017-09-07
Description: This interview with George Langlois, faculty member in Illinois Tech's Department of Psychology and Executive Director of the Center for...
Show moreThis interview with George Langlois, faculty member in Illinois Tech's Department of Psychology and Executive Director of the Center for Research and Service, Center for Leadership Studies, and Leadership Academy, was conducted on September 7, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview with Sander Marcus
Date: 2018-08-22
Description: This interview with Sander Marcus, longtime faculty and staff member in Illinois Tech's Department of Psychology, the IIT Counseling Center,...
Show moreThis interview with Sander Marcus, longtime faculty and staff member in Illinois Tech's Department of Psychology, the IIT Counseling Center, as well as a staff member in the associated for-profit Institute for Psychological Services, was conducted on August 22, 2018 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview with Ruth Sweetser
Date: 2017-03-03
Description: This interview with Ruth Sweetser, then Director of Corporate Relations at Illinois Tech, was conducted on March 3, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and...
Show moreThis interview with Ruth Sweetser, then Director of Corporate Relations at Illinois Tech, was conducted on March 3, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview With Howard LeVant
Date: 2017-11-13
Description: This interview with Howard LeVant, photographer and graduate of the Institute of Design, was conducted on November 13, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and...
Show moreThis interview with Howard LeVant, photographer and graduate of the Institute of Design, was conducted on November 13, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview With Judith Mader
Date: 2018-10-25
Description: This interview with Judith Mader, widow of Institute of Design alumnus Bob Mader, was conducted on October 25, 2018 by Ralph Pugh and Adam...
Show moreThis interview with Judith Mader, widow of Institute of Design alumnus Bob Mader, was conducted on October 25, 2018 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview with Robert Gordon
Date: 2017-06-20
Description: This interview with Robert Gordon, Illinois Tech architecture alumnus, architect, planner, artist, and author, was conducted on June 6, 2017...
Show moreThis interview with Robert Gordon, Illinois Tech architecture alumnus, architect, planner, artist, and author, was conducted on June 6, 2017 by Ralph Pugh and Adam Strohm.
Show less

Title: Interview with Jim Zespy: raw interview Zespy 11-21-14
Creator: Barker, Thomas, Mei, Wei Shao, Elgin, Tobias, Mayorga, Ariana, Moy, Brian
Date: 2014-11-21, 2014-11-21
Description: Logan Arcade is a new arcade-bar that opened just February 2014. It features over twenty-five pinball machines and forty-five vintage arcade...
Show moreLogan Arcade is a new arcade-bar that opened just February 2014. It features over twenty-five pinball machines and forty-five vintage arcade-games. Owner Jim Zespy collects and restores arcade games, including those in the arcade. His collection started in 2009; he seeks out games from the mid-1970s through the present. He often buys broken arcade machines and fixes them. Any machine that couldn't be fixed is as spare parts to maintenance other arcade machines. Zespy chooses games to be placed in the arcade based on the games’ popularity with the general public. He first balanced all different eras, and placed different kinds of games to try to have a balance. Afterward he watched to see which games people gravitated to, then took out the games people didn't like and placed more popular games. Zespy’s daily concern is the maintenance of the arcade machines. Logan Arcade has its own Local Pinball League, for which the game changes every week. While the league has scoring, and there is some competition, it's meant to encourage participants to play different games, get to know them, and get to know other people. Some players have made major records in the Logan Arcade. These records are on games including Nibbler, Tron Ice Score, and Tetris.
Show less

Title: Interview with Whitney Roberts: Interview
Creator: Best, Elizabeth, Czibor, Ryne, Shavers, Jeremiah, Wall, Alex, Daniel, Wente
Date: 2014-11-21, 2014-11-21
Description: The history of the video game industry is filled with many people and events that helped develop and design how video games are currently...
Show moreThe history of the video game industry is filled with many people and events that helped develop and design how video games are currently accessed and perceived. As with all things however, this history tends to be swept away through time, and the pillars that helped forge this industry slowly fade into nothingness. While the general populace is content to let this natural erosion occur, a passionate few dare to resist the degradation of what they love. They do this, not for fame or glory, but to preserve what they can of the phenomena that not only touched, but defined the lives of so many of us today. One such guardian of the history of video games is Whitney Roberts. Whitney Roberts a prime guardian with multiple ties to the coin-op industry, even in Chicago. Whitney hails from Louisville, Kentucky, and he collects, plays, and runs his own podcast. Whitney collects all sorts of coin-operated games, even some rare games such as the Red Donkey Kong. He does this partially out of his love for these machines, but also to help preserve these games as well as the arcade experience for future generations to enjoy. Whitney is an advocate for arcades and thinks everyone should experience the atmosphere of an arcade. One of his favorite arcades is the Logan Arcade. In addition to collecting, Whitney Roberts runs BrokenToken, a podcast that he does as a hobby. The podcast is Whitney’s way of informing people of the important work he is undertaking, yet still trying to keep an audience by putting a southern spin on the coin-op industry.
Show less

Title: Interview with George Spanos: Interview Part 2
Creator: Farrell, Taylor, Glavan, Thomas, Grzenia, Stephen, Wira, Phil, Zhang, Shuyu
Date: 2014-12-09, 2014-12-09
Description: George Spanos is a game technician living in Schaumburg, Illinois. He works freelance around the Chicago suburbs at arcades and warehouses...
Show moreGeorge Spanos is a game technician living in Schaumburg, Illinois. He works freelance around the Chicago suburbs at arcades and warehouses fixing whatever machines and cabinets are sent his way. Spanos’s first memories of arcade machines are from playing Qbert at the age of four in his grandparents’ grocery store. Years later, the entire grocery store was converted to a game room. It was during this time that George learned to repair the various games his grandparents had acquired. After going to college, he returned to help run the establishment, and eventually moved from an operator to the freelance work he does today. In this interview, Spanos speaks about his personal background, the specifics of his work, and his thoughts of the future of the coin op industry. The interview starts with him discussing his early childhood involvement with coin-op and how he was raised in this environment. This went onto his early adulthood working for his grandparents at their own game room and the eventual transition into freelance work. Spanos believes that a number of arcades are currently setting a positive trend for the industry to grow as a whole.
Show less

Title: Interview with Davin Loh
Creator: Klima, Zachary, Ma, Yunlong, Odutayo, Olufunlola, Yang, Sunny
Date: 2014-11-04, 2014-11-04

Title: Interview with Davin Loh: Original_Audio_Group_6
Creator: Klima, Zachary, Ma, Yunlong, Odutayo, Olufunlola, Yang, Sunny
Date: 2014-11-04, 2014-11-04

Title: Interview with Davin Loh: Interview transcription
Creator: Klima, Zachary, Ma, Yunlong, Odutayo, Olufunlola, Yang, Sunny
Date: 2014-11-04, 2014-11-04

Title: Interview with George Spanos: Interview Part 1
Creator: Farrell, Taylor, Glavan, Thomas, Grzenia, Stephen, Wira, Phil, Zhang, Shuyu
Date: 2014-12-09, 2014-12-09
Description: George Spanos is a game technician living in Schaumburg, Illinois. He works freelance around the Chicago suburbs at arcades and warehouses...
Show moreGeorge Spanos is a game technician living in Schaumburg, Illinois. He works freelance around the Chicago suburbs at arcades and warehouses fixing whatever machines and cabinets are sent his way. Spanos’s first memories of arcade machines are from playing Qbert at the age of four in his grandparents’ grocery store. Years later, the entire grocery store was converted to a game room. It was during this time that George learned to repair the various games his grandparents had acquired. After going to college, he returned to help run the establishment, and eventually moved from an operator to the freelance work he does today. In this interview, Spanos speaks about his personal background, the specifics of his work, and his thoughts of the future of the coin op industry. The interview starts with him discussing his early childhood involvement with coin-op and how he was raised in this environment. This went onto his early adulthood working for his grandparents at their own game room and the eventual transition into freelance work. Spanos believes that a number of arcades are currently setting a positive trend for the industry to grow as a whole.
Show less

Title: Interview with Andrew Breyer: DSC_1758-2
Creator: De La Cerda, Edgar, Debose, Deion, Jiao, Larry, Rigg, Scott, Sutula, Oksana
Date: 2015-10, 2015-10
Description: In the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different...
Show moreIn the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different games on its systems. One such player, Andrew “Andy” Breyer, competed in the world championship for Asteroids on the Atari 2600 in 1981. Breyer went on to win the world championship in the competition in Washington D.C. With such a great feat, he would serve as a monumental person in the history of Coin-Op in Chicago. Breyer’s interest in gaming began with Pong, one of the very first arcade games produced and developed by Atari in 1972. He enjoyed playing games that allowed for twitch reaction and skill. Games, such as Phoenix, Space Invaders, and Galaga, all caught his attention. Gaming grew into a passion for Breyer, which worked well for his competitive nature. He usually attended an arcade located in the mall about one and a half miles away from his home. This allowed for easy access to the arcade for long hours without much interruption. Soon after the release of the Atari 2600, Breyer obtained the popular gaming consoles and indulged in many of the first games. One such game being the infamous Asteroids. Soon after the release of Asteroids, Atari hosted a world competition for the game. Breyer attended the regional competition for his area. The game was played on several Atari 2600s available at the competition center. Participants stood in long lines to wait for a chance to attempt to get the high score. Each participant had several chances to get the highest score before time ran out. In the regional competition, Breyer faced many fierce competitors. Breyer sought to obtain at least an Asteroids t-shirt which was rewarded for a certain score. He tried several times before reaching the highest score in the competition which he obtained by a very small margin. This success rewarded Breyer not only with a Asteroids Deluxe, but also a chance to fly to Washington D.C. to compete in the world championship. After winning the regional competition, Breyer practiced Asteroids as often as possible before making the flight to D.C. After arriving, Breyer even opted out of free lunch to practice for the final competition. Participants in this competition received two chances to place a high score. The scores would be added together to determine the world champion. Breyer led the first round with the highest points. The other participants did not come close to his score. The second round was more troubling, as he lost many of his ships very early on and used his final ship to place a decently high score. With the completion of this competition, Breyer was named world champion. The competition did not mark the end of Breyers fame. About a year later, Breyer would be asked to participate in a commercial to popularize some Atari products and be reasonably compensated for his work. Today, Breyer is an IT manager, participates in a band, and delves into arcade games now and then. He is very much into the old arcade games and not interested in the newer video game industry. His experience as a world champion and competing in arcade game competitions makes him a valuable member in the history of Coin-Op. The insights he provides are very interesting and give a unique view on the industry. Learn more about Andrew “Andy” Breyer and his world championship experience in the provided interview.
Show less

Title: Interview with Andrew Breyer: DSC_2441-2
Creator: De La Cerda, Edgar, Debose, Deion, Jiao, Larry, Rigg, Scott, Sutula, Oksana
Date: 2015-10, 2015-10
Description: In the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different...
Show moreIn the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different games on its systems. One such player, Andrew “Andy” Breyer, competed in the world championship for Asteroids on the Atari 2600 in 1981. Breyer went on to win the world championship in the competition in Washington D.C. With such a great feat, he would serve as a monumental person in the history of Coin-Op in Chicago. Breyer’s interest in gaming began with Pong, one of the very first arcade games produced and developed by Atari in 1972. He enjoyed playing games that allowed for twitch reaction and skill. Games, such as Phoenix, Space Invaders, and Galaga, all caught his attention. Gaming grew into a passion for Breyer, which worked well for his competitive nature. He usually attended an arcade located in the mall about one and a half miles away from his home. This allowed for easy access to the arcade for long hours without much interruption. Soon after the release of the Atari 2600, Breyer obtained the popular gaming consoles and indulged in many of the first games. One such game being the infamous Asteroids. Soon after the release of Asteroids, Atari hosted a world competition for the game. Breyer attended the regional competition for his area. The game was played on several Atari 2600s available at the competition center. Participants stood in long lines to wait for a chance to attempt to get the high score. Each participant had several chances to get the highest score before time ran out. In the regional competition, Breyer faced many fierce competitors. Breyer sought to obtain at least an Asteroids t-shirt which was rewarded for a certain score. He tried several times before reaching the highest score in the competition which he obtained by a very small margin. This success rewarded Breyer not only with a Asteroids Deluxe, but also a chance to fly to Washington D.C. to compete in the world championship. After winning the regional competition, Breyer practiced Asteroids as often as possible before making the flight to D.C. After arriving, Breyer even opted out of free lunch to practice for the final competition. Participants in this competition received two chances to place a high score. The scores would be added together to determine the world champion. Breyer led the first round with the highest points. The other participants did not come close to his score. The second round was more troubling, as he lost many of his ships very early on and used his final ship to place a decently high score. With the completion of this competition, Breyer was named world champion. The competition did not mark the end of Breyers fame. About a year later, Breyer would be asked to participate in a commercial to popularize some Atari products and be reasonably compensated for his work. Today, Breyer is an IT manager, participates in a band, and delves into arcade games now and then. He is very much into the old arcade games and not interested in the newer video game industry. His experience as a world champion and competing in arcade game competitions makes him a valuable member in the history of Coin-Op. The insights he provides are very interesting and give a unique view on the industry. Learn more about Andrew “Andy” Breyer and his world championship experience in the provided interview.
Show less

Title: Interview with Andrew Breyer: Transcription
Creator: De La Cerda, Edgar, Debose, Deion, Jiao, Larry, Rigg, Scott, Sutula, Oksana
Date: 2015-10, 2015-10
Description: In the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different...
Show moreIn the early days of home video game systems, Atari hosted tournaments where the best players competed to be the world champion for different games on its systems. One such player, Andrew “Andy” Breyer, competed in the world championship for Asteroids on the Atari 2600 in 1981. Breyer went on to win the world championship in the competition in Washington D.C. With such a great feat, he would serve as a monumental person in the history of Coin-Op in Chicago. Breyer’s interest in gaming began with Pong, one of the very first arcade games produced and developed by Atari in 1972. He enjoyed playing games that allowed for twitch reaction and skill. Games, such as Phoenix, Space Invaders, and Galaga, all caught his attention. Gaming grew into a passion for Breyer, which worked well for his competitive nature. He usually attended an arcade located in the mall about one and a half miles away from his home. This allowed for easy access to the arcade for long hours without much interruption. Soon after the release of the Atari 2600, Breyer obtained the popular gaming consoles and indulged in many of the first games. One such game being the infamous Asteroids. Soon after the release of Asteroids, Atari hosted a world competition for the game. Breyer attended the regional competition for his area. The game was played on several Atari 2600s available at the competition center. Participants stood in long lines to wait for a chance to attempt to get the high score. Each participant had several chances to get the highest score before time ran out. In the regional competition, Breyer faced many fierce competitors. Breyer sought to obtain at least an Asteroids t-shirt which was rewarded for a certain score. He tried several times before reaching the highest score in the competition which he obtained by a very small margin. This success rewarded Breyer not only with a Asteroids Deluxe, but also a chance to fly to Washington D.C. to compete in the world championship. After winning the regional competition, Breyer practiced Asteroids as often as possible before making the flight to D.C. After arriving, Breyer even opted out of free lunch to practice for the final competition. Participants in this competition received two chances to place a high score. The scores would be added together to determine the world champion. Breyer led the first round with the highest points. The other participants did not come close to his score. The second round was more troubling, as he lost many of his ships very early on and used his final ship to place a decently high score. With the completion of this competition, Breyer was named world champion. The competition did not mark the end of Breyers fame. About a year later, Breyer would be asked to participate in a commercial to popularize some Atari products and be reasonably compensated for his work. Today, Breyer is an IT manager, participates in a band, and delves into arcade games now and then. He is very much into the old arcade games and not interested in the newer video game industry. His experience as a world champion and competing in arcade game competitions makes him a valuable member in the history of Coin-Op. The insights he provides are very interesting and give a unique view on the industry. Learn more about Andrew “Andy” Breyer and his world championship experience in the provided interview.
Show less

Title: Interview with Larry Wilson: Transcription
Creator: Gonzalez, David, Curtis, Brian, Molitsky, Michael, Thai, Christopher
Date: 2015-10-08, 2015-10-08
Description: Larry Wilson is an electromechanical repair hobbyist, and has been one for most of his life. As a seventeen-year-old, Larry came across his...
Show moreLarry Wilson is an electromechanical repair hobbyist, and has been one for most of his life. As a seventeen-year-old, Larry came across his hobby when he discovered a Coke machine at a party. Larry was captured by the sleek look of the 1950’s themed machine and, with an initial investment of $75, launched his lifelong fascination. Although his parents disproved of him smuggling and concealing the Coke machine in his room for months, Larry’s intrigue never left him. He would later enroll at Triton College in Illinois to major in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in order to learn how to fix the Coke machine that he had bought. After realizing the simplicity of repairing the Coke machine, Larry realized that he especially enjoyed working on machines and fixing them. As a result, he decided to return to college to study electrical engineering. From there, his electromechanical collection grew with the addition of a jukebox and another Coke machine. Today, Larry owns an impressive electromechanical machine collection that ranges widely from pinball cabinets to shooting galleries to vending machines that are reminiscent of the 1960s era and his childhood. The machines have a high attraction value for visitors and mainly see action when special events and holidays are hosted in Larry’s home. Many of the machines in Larry’s collection are repaired and restored by Larry himself and are also maintained by his son, Kyle. Larry often figures out how to repair his electromechanical machines by studying schematics closely. While repair times for the machines vary widely depending on the accessibility of specific parts and the complexity of the machine, Larry estimates that 100 man-hours are needed to return a broken machine to working order. Because electromechanical repair is a niche area and quite labor intensive, Larry maintains that repairing machines will remain as a hobby for him. In order to obtain machines or parts to repair his machines, Larry consults with other members of a large and supportive network that specializes in electromechanical machines. As a result, Larry regularly enjoys contact with other hobbyists and specialists from all over the United States at large conferences – some that are hosted in Chicago. While at these conferences, Larry oftentimes finds machines that are worth repairing or scrapping for parts, as well as meeting other like-minded peers who help with his electromechanical repairs. Larry will continue to repair electromechanical machines as long as it is physically possible for him to do so. He describes his hobby as almost “addictive… but I guess it’s better than heroin”. For Larry, repairing a machine that has not worked in 60 years is incredibly rewarding for him – a “natural high” as he describes it. In addition, the amount of time and work put into each machine is very personal, and as a result, Larry does not foresee an end to his work with electromechanical machines.
Show less

repository.iit

Search the repository

Pages

Pages