BIg Hurt Pinball Machine

The Big Hurt Pinball Machine

Sales Flyer for the Big Hurt Pinball Game
Arguably the single most expensive collectible for any Frank Thomas collection.

Only the most advanced Thomas collectors will have one - and it's usually the crown jewel centerpiece of any collection. Prices for well-maintained machines start at about $1,000 and go as high as $3,000 for mint condition examples. Even the beat-up arcade wrecks go for more than $500 - and you'll likely have to spend another thousand bucks more in restoration fees - unless you're buying it for parts to repair your "main machine".

These pinball machines, in mint condition, cost more than a genuine Frank home run bat; even more than a complete genuine game-used uniform. BTW, I completely discount the early prices reached for several of the first generation "1/1s" - like the all-time record of $8,250 paid for the Row 0 1997 Fleer Showcase Masterpiece. That was 9 years ago and 1/1's no longer bring those kinds of dollar figures. In fact, I recently bid on a 2004 Leaf Timeless Treasures Platinum 1/1 Autograph for as little as $155 - and won.

Only 1,985 machines were ever produced before Gottlieb (Premier Technology) went bankrupt in 1997. Among pinball machine collectors The Big Hurt machine is considered one of the more rare sports-related pinballs ever created, even outpacing a similar Michael Jordan game by several hundred dollars in the open market.

Here's a terrific webpage that gives you incredible insight about the technical and artistic aspects about this great Frank collectible: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3591

Collector's Note: There is a 1995 video production which originally ran as part of AMC's Pop-Culture series titled "Pleasure Machines: The History Of Pinball". One segment interviews Big Frank! He talks about his game's namesake and his own love of pinball machines. The 1-hour show was later released as a VHS tape intended for hobbyists. It's not too difficult to find, but try getting one with the original box in decent condition - it has Frank on the back cover.

'Nother Collector's Note: Oddly enough, each and every one of these pinball machines are individually numbered.

Final Collector's Note: If you're serious about getting one of these badboys. Don't forget to ask these questions:

• Ask to see images of both sides and the front of the game. Most games have moderate to severe damage to the paintwork. Bringing it back to "original-condition" via restoration is extremely costly and you'll need to get a sense of how much paint is lost/damaged in order to make a proper (cost effective) offer.

• Beware: There are some sellers that don't actually have the product on-hand or in-stock. They act as brokers who, after being paid, will search for a unit to send you. This very shady, and potentially dangerous, practice will not only hurt your wallet - it could damage your sense of self respect, so be very cautious. If the seller can't provide images of the actual game they have - in my opinion you should walk away.

• Does the game still have the "glove" armature? If it does, does it still work? (Many sellers won't mention this so don't forget to ask. Replacement gloves are virtually impossible to find)

• Does the video screen still work? (CPU Board damage) Also, how many of the lights are burned out, if any?

• Ask that the original maintenance log be included. It's usually kept inside the machine itself and records all the repairs done over the years. This really helps if you're going to hire a pinball repairman to work on your game.

• Ask if a local pick-up can be done. Delivery charges are unbelievable, and even more dangerous to the game itself since many owners do not properly package & palletize the game. If it has to be delivered, ask that it be packaged by a professional service like The UPS Store or FEDEX Kinko's. Pay the extra money to get it professionally palletized, it's worth it in the long run.