Roger Sharpe (pinball)
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Roger Sharpe | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 1, 1948 |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, 1971 |
Roger Sharpe is an author, editor, professional pinball player, game designer, and activist.[1]
Sharpe gained notoriety following a 1976 New York City hearing where he provided a demonstration to members of the Manhattan City Council, that pinball was a game of skill rather than a game of chance, and therefore not subject to legal prohibitions on gambling.[2] While working for GQ Magazine, he was recruited by the Amusement and Music Operators Association to testify, and successfully predicted the position of the ball in a machine arrayed for the council and media in attendance. Speaking at the hearing, Sharpe said "Look, there’s skill, because if I pull the plunger back just right, the ball will, I hope, go down this particular lane."[3] Following Sharpe's demonstration, the council voted unanimously to lift the existing ban on pinball.[4]
In 2021, MPI Original Films announced they were developing a film based on Sharpe entitled Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game.[5]
Work
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1971 with a degree in marketing, Sharpe took a position as editor with GQ.[4][6] For several years he wrote reviews of pinball machines for Play Meter in "Critic's Corner", beginning in July 1976;[7] and adding other arcade games in June 1982.[8] He has written for The New York Times and authored a 1977 book entitled Pinball! (photographs by James Hamilton).[6] He served as editor of 1980s publication Video Games Magazine,[9] between 1982 and 1984.[10]
He continued working in the industry, including designing a number of pinball machines, such as Sharpshooter and Cyclopes, which both bear his likeness.[6] He also jointly designed Barracora.[11] He was co-founder of the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association,[1] and has been described as "among the greatest players in the world and one of the architects of competitive pinball."[4] He serves as co-chair of the International Flipper Pinball Association.[12]
Sharpe joined Williams on April 18, 1988 initially working on advertising and promotion, and shortly afterwards becoming responsible for licensing, beginning with Elvira and the Party Monsters.[10]