NYC Pin Pod

Episode 305 - Historical Marker Looking Things

·50 min·4 clips
A Medieval Madness screen shutdown forced a replay, confusing players mid-game.
This episode of NYC Pin Pod covers competitive pinball results, a venue review, and a speculative discussion about opening a pinball pro shop. Hosts Benjamin Furiga and Eric Sweetland, both active competitive players and league organizers in New York City, guide the conversation. Madeline is absent this week. Ball 1 details recent tournament and league results, including Dante Oliva winning the Stomp tournament and Francesco La Rocca winning the monthly tournament at Sunshine Laundromat Brooklyn. The hosts recap matches from Pinball NYC's Monday and Tuesday night leagues, noting specific team scores like the Pinister Six's 13-3 win and a 10-6 victory for the Colliders. They highlight malfunctions during league play, including a Medieval Madness game restart and a scoring glitch on Johnny Mnemonic. The segment also covers standings, with teams like Lion Persons and NYC FSA starting the season 3-0. Ball 2 is a review of the venue At The Wallace, a Cleveland-themed sports bar in Hamilton Heights with five pinball machines. The hosts describe its dive-bar atmosphere, phallic-shaped bar, and game area featuring Foo Fighters, Hot Wheels, Mandalorian (Pro), NBA Fastbreak, and World Cup Soccer. They note the bar offers PBR on tap, a creative hot dog menu, and is accessible via the 1, A, or D trains to 145th Street. Benjamin Furiga shares he set a personal high score on World Cup Soccer during his visit. Ball 3 explores the hypothetical concept of a pinball pro shop, with the hosts brainstorming essential gear like branded towels, low-light glasses, and padded gloves for nudging. They propose specialized equipment such as a training machine for practicing repeatable drop catches and live catches, inspired by mechanics in games like Spooky's Halloween. The conversation considers the business model, questioning if an IFPA-certified professional could viably run such a shop and comparing it to pro shops in golf or bowling. The tone is conversational and insider-focused, filled with league jargon and personal anecdotes from the hosts' experiences. The style is informational and community-oriented, blending straightforward results reporting with casual venue critique and speculative idea-sharing. This episode is ideal for New York City pinball league participants, local players interested in venue details, and enthusiasts who enjoy speculative discussions about pinball culture and equipment. Listeners with no connection to the NYC pinball scene or those seeking high-production narrative podcasts might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A local pinball update that folds in results, venue talk, and shop plans.

NYC Pin Pod keeps its footing in the local scene, moving from competition results to a look at the Wallace as a pinball venue and then to the practical business of opening a pinball pro shop.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Track the New York pinball scene, one tournament and venue at a time.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on