November 28, 2010
A Brief History Of The Air Hockey Table
Air hockey is a game played recreationally that is meant to be played between just two people. Each of the players brandishes a paddle and stands on either side of a smooth surface table. The game’s goal is to knock the disc forth and back with the objective being whacking it in the goal of your opponent. The player with the higher score after an amount of time or the one that scores a predetermined set of goals will be declared the winner. Like other popular games of the time, the brief history of the air hockey table is an interesting and unique one.
At a manufacturer based in Chicago called Brunswick in 1969, three employees began working on the project that would end up becoming the air hockey table. The three men were all interested in developing a game that was to be played on a surface completely free from friction. They put a bit of work into their project but it was still ultimately abandoned and scrapped for roughly three years. Then, Bob Lemieux, a fellow employee can along to revive it in 1972.
The game is played on a special electronic table that provides a layer of air. When switched on, this air layer lets the small plastic disc glide around the table. Every table hockey user uses a plastic paddle to whack the disc around the length of the surface. To protect your fingers, most paddles are equipped with small ridges around the bottom.
The air hockey table was a sudden and complete financial success. By the 70′s, table hockey lovers had even started creating local competitive cells. The avid interest surrounding the game ultimately led to the formation of organized air hockey associations. The cells were committed to running and organizing legitimate tournaments. They also made sure that the rules and regulations of the sport were upheld.
The very first air hockey tournament was orchestrated and hosted by the game’s manufacturer, Brunswick. The company had become disenfranchised with the image of their game and wanted to market it as a more serious sport. Their event was held at a New York City Holiday Inn in 1974 and offered a five thousand dollar prize to the first place winner.
When the newer arcade games of the eighties started to threaten the significance of air hockey, a company called US Billiards started to breath new life into the game. The company totally revamped the original design of Brunswick and produced tables that were tournament worthy.
The only tables, as of now, that have been approved for tournaments are the eight footers that the Dynamo corporation manufactures. The air hockey association of the United States chose these tables because of their popular design and high quality.
The game’s basic rules were predetermined by the American association. Possession of the puck is determined by a coin toss before the game and coming into contact with it with things that aren’t the mallet is forbidden. Placing your mallet on top of the puck to stop it is frowned upon and awards its control to your opponent.
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