Steve Ritchie Haiku Contest at Pin a Go Go

On May 14th at Pin a Go Go I held a side contest to win a Rolling Stones translite courtesy of STERN pinball.

Each contestant would write a haiku poem with Steve as the subject.  For those who don’t know, a haiku poem most typically has five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third, like this:

I am the Grand Champ

Except for that Danish Guy

Good thing we banned him!

I was also supposed to raffle off a t shirt by Dirty Donny from the Pacific Pinball Museum, but in all the craziness of running the tournament I forgot.  (By the way, the Dirty Donny shirts are on sale at the Pacific Pinball Museum and likely at Pacific Pinball Expo as well).

Here are all the entries, at least, the ones I could publish.  Some were a bit uh… too overt in their love for Steve Ritchie.  All the entries were sent to Steve and he picked one from the stack.

Game was Getaway
I met you at Gary’s house
You forgot to shift

Steve Ritchie is cool
He makes the best pinball games
Star Trek is the best

Steve is divine
Designing games is his thing
Let’s go have some fun

(The next one is my own favorite)

Electrons in us
Electronics in pinball
We are all pinball

I love Steve’s pinballs
All lined up in a row so nice
Press the start button

Flippers hit the ball
Most awesome game ever made
So many cool games

Pinball are flying
Hold on tight this could get rough
No time for your games

Known for pinball games
Like firepower and flash
Your art is a smash

Is pinball like cheese?
It goes great with crackers
please give me a beer

Does Steve like pinball
Does he look like a pinhead?
Pinball equals Zen

Boards don’t last forever
Less so Gottlieb System 1s
Ni-whump soothe the soul

Charlie Sheen plays pinball
No Medieval or Tycoon
Doesn’t like the trolls

I dream about you
Your deep voice talking to me
The ride of my life

Mick, Keith, Ron, Charlie
How are they still going strong?
Made the extra ball

Just a little more
I want to own that translite
Now I have brain freeze

Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls
Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls
Balls Balls Balls Balls Balls

Jonny loves nachos
Dylans love to play pinball
The winning haiku!

And the one Steve liked the best?

Pinball is the best
I could play it everyday
it makes my hair shine

Congratulations to Beth Davies.  You win a Rolling Stones translite and Dirty Donny T-Shirt.