Cooperstown, New York and Ottumwa, Iowa will soon share an unbreakable bond -- as cities that host a hall of fame. According to USA Today,
the International Video Game Hall of Fame will induct its first class of 29 members this weekend. The honored include the classic arcade game 'Pac-Man,' 'Mario' creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the Xbox design team, video game record holders Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe, and still others. But why Ottumwa? The city gained notoriety in the '80s for holding some of the first competitive gaming tournaments at the Twin Galaxies arcade, which is owned by Walter Day, a force behind the
International Video Game Hall of Fame. Mayor Dale Uehling told NPR in an interview that
this makes his town "The Video Game Capital of The World," a strong claim for a town of only 25,000. [From:
USA Today,
NPR and
IVGHOF]
Tags: Arcade, Cooperstown, Hall of Fame, HallOfFame, iowa, mario, ottumwa, pac-man, pacman, shigeru-miyamoto, top, TwinGalaxies, video game awards, video games, VideoGameAwards, VideoGames, xbox
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Comments
32
Subscribe to commentsplatehead1Aug 8th 2010 2:28PM
I was born and raised in Iowa and if I never go back it will be too soon.
gobluespartyonAug 8th 2010 2:44PM
Thats awesome there making a video game hall of fame. If I ever visit Iowa will make sure to go to the video game hall of fame.
alsoagood1Aug 10th 2010 6:16PM
Don't forget other than the fictional character Radar O'Reilly from M*A*S*H don't forget Tom Arnold - he is also from Ottumwa.
As far as morons and losers -- well, if you haven't been there or plan to visit don't be so quick to judge. There are losers and morons in every city -- probably from your city also
dragonrage2aAug 8th 2010 4:02PM
They need to have Pong in the Hall of Fame if it isn't already (First I've heard of the video game hall of fame). I know its not exciting or anything, but without Pong, there would be no Pac Man, no PS3s, no Wiis. Pong started it all and should have been the first game inducted into the hall of fame. Heck, the first prototype that was put into a local tavern kept having problems after a few days and it was from an overflow of quarters.
jake_ivAug 8th 2010 5:24PM
Before you all get uptight about a "tiny town" what do you know about Ottumwa? Highest number of patents granted in a locality during the first 1/2 of the 20th century? VERY BIG cigar industry until the US govenment shut down tobacco imports from Cuba? US Naval Air Station during WWII? Served by SEVEN railroads? Shared home of John Deere (with Moline, IL - another "tiny town"); major coal producing region through the 1950's; leader in reclamitation of swamp land and turning it into community recreation areas; maintains a National Guard Armory in the center of town; new regional center for the arts and entertainment; low unemployment rate; high scholastic achievement rate; major meat, fertilizer and vitamin manufacturing region; thriving daily newspaper; high rate of internet users; regional medical center; several local higher education centers; stable real estate market; reasonable RE tax rates, community funded housing for t he elderly; etc. etc. etc.
Like many "tiny towns" in the US - Ottumwa, IA saw problems and solved them. Heer people help each other ---- and when the US Government dependent "big city" leaches figure out that there is no one left to steal from --- these "tiny towns" will carry on, and your kids and grandkids will still have a USA!
Gary MayerAug 8th 2010 6:01PM
jake_iv: You don't have to brag about Ottumwa and Iowa; I already did and I'm not from Iowa - I've just been there mucho times, like more than any state except where I've lived. Don't you read others blogs? And here I wrote that Iowan men were polite.
LouAug 8th 2010 7:05PM
I was born and raised in Iowa on a farm. I love Iowa but I moved to CA in 1959. I do not miss the awful cold winters and very humid summers. I still like to go back but only in May or Oct. The small towns are great. Congratulations Ottumwa.
JustDenaAug 8th 2010 7:14PM
Just because you don't play video games does not make people who do morons. Your comment made you sound like a moron and surely you are not. I truly miss playing one game of Ms Pacman everyday while I was working on my first doctorate. I dearly loved that break everyday. I suppose I could have had two martinis and smoked 4 cigarettes, but that would have cost more than the quarter I spent everyday and I would have become an alcoholic with lung cancer. At least I would have been a sophisticated moron and maybe gotten to know you.
clserwinAug 8th 2010 11:13PM
actually Alan Alda's character, Franklin Peirce was nicknamed Hawkeye after the indian in The Last of the Mohicans( a book and movie). He was from Crabapple Cove in Maine.
maeAug 8th 2010 11:54PM
These two arcade places in Michigan are not to be missed!
http://www.marvin3m.com/ -- it's in Ripley's I think...
http://www.klassicarcade.com/
Or do a check for an arcade or pinball show near you. The ones I've been to in Ohio and in Chicago have loads of games on free-play.
I think it's a great idea to celebrate something so many of us have as childhood memories (and continue to share...)
maeAug 8th 2010 11:58PM
There is a display with Pong and others in it at The Henry Ford in Dearborn (next best thing to the Smithsonian....) But not for play, just in a display case.
jacnmacAug 10th 2010 12:14AM
I read all your comments, but didn't see a work about Tom Arnold, who also hails from Ottumwal.