Mention “electric football” and, for many, it conjours up images and memories of “that game that made alot of noise and the players just ran around in circles”. After a few minutes of playing the game, frustration and disappointment would set in and the game was shoved under the bed or thrown in the closet to be forgotten.
But for me, it brings back the childhood memories of hours of fun and fantasy, my first game (the AFL Jets and Chiefs) odering additional teams and waiting for them to arrive, building a league of my favorite teams ( Raiders, Vikings, Dolphins and Colts) faithfully recreating rosters of my favorite players, 11 player ironman teams ( Joe Willie Namath and Johnny Unitas doubling as QB and defensive back, the Purple People Eater defensive front four also blocking on offense for Joe Kapp), and spending endless hours in the floor of my bedroom playing game after game until I had completed 10 seasons over a three year period.
My story is just one of many similar stories for a generation that grew up in the 60’s and 70’s, when the game was at its height of popularity. It has become an iconic symbol of that time, representing the industry of table top sports games that led to the creation of many other table top sports games.
in 1997, I rediscoved the game sitting on a toy store shelf, amazed that it was even still around. It brought back to me those memories of my childhood. It also led to a new love and passion for the game and more memories of collecting and playing the game. But more importantly, it has led to a discovery of the many others who have “fond memories” of the game and share in the same love and passion for the game that I have.
It is the reason I am building this museum!!!
And that is perhaps its “true value”.
The National Electric Football Game Museum 