pinball makes a comeback

Who knew?!

Are the Olympics next?

Pinball appears to be on a roll.

The old-school arcade game of pinball is resurging in popularity.
Interest has skyrocketed over the last decade or so, with the number of players and competitions growing worldwide, according to the International Flipper Pinball Association. There were 500 players in 50 competitions worldwide in 2006, according to the IFPA. In 2017, there were nearly 4,500 competitions and more than 55,000 players.

In an age of gizmos and gadgets and apps, I suspect that old farts like me find some smug satisfaction in all this. Not least, perhaps, because pinball seems to be a pastime and delight that -- for a change -- doesn't rip anybody off.  It's whimsically serious ... and fun.