Tweak Article

[Ray F]

Fellow Coaches:

I have an idea for the Fall issue of the Tweak scheduled to hit the newsstands in late November. It’s a consolidation of stories related to receiving Electric Football games over the December holidays season. To complete such a collection of stories I will need the details listed below beginning with the year, age, inspiration etc… Please answer as many of the questions and provide as many details as prompted below.

The year, the age receiving the game, the model received (620, 610, 510, 610, 500, 613, 618, late Tudor/Miggle), teams received with game. First memories setting it up and playing. Who was your first opponent, family member or friend. Memories of the anticipation, what inspired you to ask for the game, or was it a surprise. Did you see it in one of catalogs (Sears, Montgomery Ward, etc..). Did you receive more teams later? Did you improvise and embellish the rules for more enjoyment? Was it wrapped, or was it a gift from Santa? What was your first reaction when you saw the shape and size of the box? Do you still have it or know where it went as you got older? Do you have any photos of you and the game? You can also say what other toys or gifts you received that year should you remember.

If successful, I plan to open the article with something like this to set the stage followed by a series of personal stories related to Electric football and Christmas/ Holiday Season.

It was December 1970 and boys across the US were anticipating the holidays and receiving the new Tudor 620 Superbowl edition featuring the Chiefs and Vikings with never again duplicated end zone artwork featuring team colors specific to the 1970 Superbowl. That board was a beauty then, and still is today when acquired in mint collectable condition with all the pieces and players. When the little plastic men were placed on the board, featuring a backdrop of cheering fans and scoreboard, the field literally came alive with the flick of the switch, and every boy’s dream was realized. This collection of personal stories from some of our outstanding coaches is meant to relive those electric football dreams and experiences of boyhood felt during the holiday season.

Please help me capture and publish your unique story for the Fall edition of the Tweak. I need your input no later than 1 October in order to meet the press deadline. You can provide your story in rough form via email (rfanara@verizon.net) or via telephone (301-774-2821) and I will take it from there. We can work out / talk through the details together and I can capture the story suitably for publication. If you have photos I will need them scanned or sent to me for scanning.

Thanks for the support,
Ray Fanara, (Ray F/Manhattan Ray
Brookeville, MD

[Shabby J]

I actually started a thread on this very topic two years ago and I bumped it up last Christmas. I plan on bumping it up again this Holiday.

There are some great memories there to read, just go back and find the thread I started if you want to read them.

[NATIONAL]

Originally Posted by Shabby J

I actually started a thread on this very topic two years ago and I bumped it up last Christmas. I plan on bumping it up again this Holiday.

There are some great memories there to read, just go back and find the thread I started if you want to read them.

Sounds like a great idea for a story. Shabby you think its too late to run this idea for the Tweak article? I guess if everyone's story is already on here....why bother!?

Nat'l

[Shabby J]

No, it would be a fantastic article, I was just bringing up my thread as there are a ton of memories already posted there in case anything was needed for the article.

I thinkn it's a great idea!

[WEIRDWOLF]

Yes, it will make a great article. Lot of people miss or don't see these posts and many people that are not full time users of the forum come to the site and download past issues of the Tweak. Once edited down to article format it will be perfect for our winter edition!

Remember the magazine is not just for our 200 members but is a great promotional tool for the masses so repeating some of the info on the forum in the magazine is important.

Bump that thread you started, Shabby!

[Ray F]

In the article I will draw out more details from each Coach I profile, capturing everything related to the endless anticipation and waiting before receive the game, the possible economics involved, the motivations and inspirations for wanting such a game, and any other factor offered related to receiving such a gift. I will carefully set up each story and embellish it to make it an enjoyable read. I always enjoyed reading the posts over the past 12 years or so, but they can be short and to the point, I hope to bring out more details and feelings related to the topic in preparation for the holiday season. For any coach willing to participate, I promise to make it easy, we can talk it over the phone if you wish and leave the writing to me. Thanks, Ray F

[Ray F]

Please contact me at rfanara@verizon.net with your personal story related to EF and Christmas. I need to be writing this in October. I will help you to draw out the details needed, you don't have to write anything. Please contact me by email and I will call you on the phone.

Thanks,
Ray F./Manhattan Ray