Feb 17, 2018 6 min read

By day, Pete Hendricks is a data analyst.

“When I’m not working, I’m playing pinball,” said Pete, a 42-year-old Canton Township resident.

Hendricks has been playing pinball since his college days. That’s about 20 years of experience, which is finally paying off. He and his wife, Virginia, are headed to the IFPA U.S. National Pinball Championships March 1 at Flipperspiel Wunderland in Las Vegas.

This is the first time Pete has qualified for a national championship after about four years of trying. He took home top honors in the West Virginia state pinball championships Jan. 20, qualifying him for the national competition. The last four years in West Virginia, Pete said he has finished fourth, third, second, and finally first.

“It’s surreal, to have a goal and have been trying for five years,” he said. “You begin to wonder, ‘Am I ever going to get to that point?’ When that final game came and I won, I was like, ‘Wow. I actually did it.'”

The couple plans to spend a few days before the tournament sightseeing in Vegas. To prepare, Hendricks is trying to practice as much as he can. Like any sport, you can get rusty if you don’t play often.

He first got interested in pinball in college, but originally wasn’t drawn to the flippers. Instead, he only tried after his favorite platforming arcade game, “Burger Time” was broken. He won a free game out of that attempt, which isn’t typical of traditional arcade games.

“I got good enough that I kept getting free games and it was a good way to pass the time. I could put 50 cents and get five minutes on a video game or an hour on pinball,” he said. “Momma always told me that free was good.”

There weren’t as many tournaments when Hendricks first began playing. Working in Pittsburgh, he heard about his first tournament, which led to leagues and other avenues. The Pittsburgh Pinball League just celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and Hendricks has been with it since the inception.

“It’s been interesting watching the whole competitive pinball scene grow up. Before, there were tournaments with maybe 10, 15 people. Now, you’re going to events with 700,” he said.

The Pittsburgh Pinball League had humble beginnings with about 20 members, Hendricks said. Now they’re 150 strong. More places are putting in pinball machines, too.

Hendrick’s signature cowboy hat is something he’s slowly becoming known for. He said he first started wearing it to tournaments so if his wife was joining him late, she could easily spot him in the crowd.

Consistency and control is the key to winning tournaments. With adrenaline and nerves running high, it can be easy to slip with the flipper. But if players calm down and focus, he said, it’s much easier to keep the ball where you want it. Hendricks said it’s a lot like trying to make a free throw shot in basketball.

Players also need to be ready no matter what machine they’re put on in a best of seven series. There can be lots of different ways to play. Hendrick’s favorite pinball machine, “Twilight Zone,” has a special place among the four machines in his home’s game room.

“It was one of the ones I learned on and it’s a very deep game,” he said. “It has a lot of different ways you can play it and a lot of different rules. It’s a lot of fun.”

Hendricks qualified for both the Pennsylvania and West Virginia state tournaments, 14th and 7th respectively. He decided to play in West Virginia because Virginia qualified in that state, too. The couple travels together to most major, out-of-state competitions.

In pinball tournaments and leagues, there can be a bit of smack talk, but it’s mostly a supportive, family-friendly environment.

“You want to beat someone while you’re doing good,” he said, adding there’s more pride in beating someone at their best. “It’s a good way to come together.”

Being good at pinball isn’t just luck, Hendricks said, it’s about learning the rules of the game, learning how to make it last longer to get more points and gain extra lives. Even hitting things the “right” way can lead to unanticipated results. One machine may not play like another.

Though some people can be grumpy if they’re not playing well, it’s mostly a comfortable scene, hanging out with friends, Hendricks said. In the end, as long as everyone has a good time, that’s what matters. Kids bring their parents to play and vice versa.

The stigma may have been that it’s a bar game, but that’s not the case anymore, Hendricks said.

“Anybody can beat anybody with just a little bit of luck,” he said.

For anyone wanting to perfect their pinball prowess, Hendricks said the best way to learn is to practice. Watching other skilled players can also be a good teacher. He’s not a fan of electronic versions of pinball, but they can be useful for learning the rules.

“It’s just not the same,” he said of the digital versions. You can’t nudge a stuck ball with a video game controller.

Some games are silly and make him smile, Hendricks explains in his basement game room with four pinball machines, board games and pinball tournament trophies. Newer games can cost upwards of $7,000, whereas $1,000 can buy an older, working one. Four is their maximum at the moment to avoid pinball machines spilling into the upstairs living space.

They had eight games at one time before Virginia said “enough.”

Hendricks helps officiate and run tournaments, and the scene has taken the pair all over, with friends across the world.

Meanwhile, a championship typically hosted a little closer to home, the PAPA World Championships, normally held in April in Carnegie, is currently looking for a new home because they need more space for their many machines. Replay FX, at the end of July at David L. Lawrence Convention Center, also hosts a large pinball tournament every year, as well as video games, board games and other family-friendly fun.