Cool story John. I too have fond memories of Electric Football, although the constant resetting up of players would become tedious. But my favorite Christmas gift was another sports game: Tabletop Hockey, where you could pull long metal rods to move the players, and twist the rods to pass or slap the puck. We had the Original Six teams in the game so we could change out teams for each game. Fun memories, sparked by your column John!
I loved that game. I too had Pong. I also loved this game https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1721082/bas-ket. Simpler times where we had to be creative. I’m not sure they were better times, but the memories are.
I received the Roman Gabriel electric football game and since I’m a girl my brother was very jealous 😀. During the Ram games I would do his calls for each play. Fun times best gift that Christmas.
What a great game, electric football! I played the game with a neighbor kid on his garage floor around 1966 when about 10. So that game must have been around a while when you got yours. We could play that for hours! And yes, the player motions were all very unpredictable and goofy (running backward towards the wrong goal with the felt football). There was also a playbook that came with the game and so I learned the basics about play calling, like a draw, a screen, a QB sneak. I am not sure if that book came from Tudor or some other source, but we needed to know what plays to call. Childhood was so simple back then :-)
I had a deluxe electric football, painted both teams, placed number decals on them, ordered four more teams and did the same for them, gave every player a name, devised 16-game schedules….I had a kicker who could make 80-yard FGs with that felt ball! I had a running back for my Hawaii Surfers team who was 6’2, 280, and ran a 4.4 40! It was a whole world unto itself! That was 60 years ago and I still have fond memories of electric match-ups from my youth!
I remember getting an "electric" football game for Christmas in the early 70s. The vibrating field terrified my dog and the players did more square dancing than actual football. It was awesome.
I still have the little hand held game from way back when squirreled away...I did not realize someone was selling it again, plus I also had the other one also, but long gone. Simpler times when things like the now defunct Rose Bowl the greatest college game of all time and a New Year's day tradition.
Now you kids get the hell off my lawn or I will squirt you with the damned hose :)
I too got an electric vibrating football game when I was 10. (I think it was Christmas of 1953) My brother and I played for hours. I tried to have my grandsons put down their phones for a few minutes to explain the game. They had the same blank look I have when they hand me the controls and try to explain how to play the most recent Madden football version.
Cool story John. I too have fond memories of Electric Football, although the constant resetting up of players would become tedious. But my favorite Christmas gift was another sports game: Tabletop Hockey, where you could pull long metal rods to move the players, and twist the rods to pass or slap the puck. We had the Original Six teams in the game so we could change out teams for each game. Fun memories, sparked by your column John!
I loved that game. I too had Pong. I also loved this game https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1721082/bas-ket. Simpler times where we had to be creative. I’m not sure they were better times, but the memories are.
I received the Roman Gabriel electric football game and since I’m a girl my brother was very jealous 😀. During the Ram games I would do his calls for each play. Fun times best gift that Christmas.
My best friend had an electric football game..we spent hours and days playing it..so much fun..thanks for the memories John
What a great game, electric football! I played the game with a neighbor kid on his garage floor around 1966 when about 10. So that game must have been around a while when you got yours. We could play that for hours! And yes, the player motions were all very unpredictable and goofy (running backward towards the wrong goal with the felt football). There was also a playbook that came with the game and so I learned the basics about play calling, like a draw, a screen, a QB sneak. I am not sure if that book came from Tudor or some other source, but we needed to know what plays to call. Childhood was so simple back then :-)
I had one!!! Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs! 1970!! I loved it!
Love your nostalgic post, John. Merry Christmas to you and your family 😊🎄
Score!
Merry Christmas John Merry Christmas.
You and I played the same games as kids. One of my favorite gifts was action GI. Joe with the jeep. That and Evel Conival stunt bike.
Now this is a story I can relate to. But passing that felt football was a real trick. Nothing close to the Geno Smith completion rate of 70+%.
And then there was APBA football with real players, and dice!
Electric football was the best. Our version was using magnetic paddles under the players to move them around the field. We played constantly.
I had a deluxe electric football, painted both teams, placed number decals on them, ordered four more teams and did the same for them, gave every player a name, devised 16-game schedules….I had a kicker who could make 80-yard FGs with that felt ball! I had a running back for my Hawaii Surfers team who was 6’2, 280, and ran a 4.4 40! It was a whole world unto itself! That was 60 years ago and I still have fond memories of electric match-ups from my youth!
Did you ever have the "Basket" game?
Oh, how we LOVED that in 1968!!
Pull the little metal lever, and watch your
Ping-pong ball short towards the little hoop
No electricity, but we thought we had TALENT.🤣
I remember getting an "electric" football game for Christmas in the early 70s. The vibrating field terrified my dog and the players did more square dancing than actual football. It was awesome.
I still have the little hand held game from way back when squirreled away...I did not realize someone was selling it again, plus I also had the other one also, but long gone. Simpler times when things like the now defunct Rose Bowl the greatest college game of all time and a New Year's day tradition.
Now you kids get the hell off my lawn or I will squirt you with the damned hose :)
I too got an electric vibrating football game when I was 10. (I think it was Christmas of 1953) My brother and I played for hours. I tried to have my grandsons put down their phones for a few minutes to explain the game. They had the same blank look I have when they hand me the controls and try to explain how to play the most recent Madden football version.