Around the Playfield with Josh Sharpe

Flyer

Josh Sharpe is the President of the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) and is one of the top ranked pinball players in the world.

The Start Button: How did you first get into pinball?

My dad and my mom decided to have a kid . . . that kid was me.

The Plunge: What was the first pinball machine you bought?

Whirlwind in 1998 while in college.

The Skill Shot: What is your best pinball achievement or favorite pinball moment?

Not quite winning Pinburgh . . . or the PAPA World Championship . . . or the IFPA World Championship (finished 2nd at all three)

Good Shots, Bad Bounces: What is your favorite and least favorite pinball machine?

Favorite = Cyclopes (Game Plan 1984). Least Favorite = Don’t have one. Like pizza all pinball is good pinball.

The Wizard Mode: What is your dream theme you’d like to see made into a pinball machine?

Can’t mention it due to NDA issues 🙂

The Tilt: What is the dumbest mistake you’ve made in pinball (mishap moving a machine, messing up trying to fix a machine, etc.)?

Bought my first townhouse when I moved out of my parent’s house. Went to move the first game down into the basement and realized once we got to the bottom of the stairs there wasn’t enough room between the bottom step and the wall for the game to fit. Some friends ended up helping me build a platform to help give the necessary space for games to make the turn at the bottom of the stairs into the game room. Probably wouldn’t have bought the townhouse if I had measured appropriately the first time.

The High Score: Describe the pinball hobby in one word.

Infectious

Match – Next Game: Where do you see the pinball hobby in 5-10 years?

Bigger and better than ever.