Episode 345: David Yopp

“Royal Flush was the machine that hooked me, but Firepower was the machine that was my favorite, without a doubt. First machine that had kind of a mission-based multi-ball. First machine with lane change. That machine set a lot of standards, that one single machine.”

“I started thinking there's got to be a way you could just solder an LED directly into the circuit and not deal with the flicker and just get the socket out of the machine altogether.”

“If it was in the same city, it would be called stealing. When you go to another city, it's called research.”

“The place really is set up to cater to the player. Even... there's a comfort, one of the rubber fatigue mats that runs the entire length of the row of machines. And that's there for a couple of reasons. First, it's like a half-inch thick. It's really, really comfortable to stand on. But the cameras and the gallery monitors, there's a rule during competition. If you aren't up, if it's not your ball, you can't be on that mat.”

“I have not played pinball in so long. By the end of the first day of qualifying, my wrists, you know, there are certain pinball muscles that you build up when you play every day. And my wrists were killing me by the end of the first day.”

“This is Memphis. And pinball alone I do not think is going to carry a bar. You've got to have good food.”

“I really appreciate my players have stepped up to really help me with this bar. I did not do it by myself. I couldn't have done it without these other guys. And I definitely could not have done it without all of their support because through all the changes, through growlers, through my garage, they've been there to support me.”