1965 Gotham "Big Bowl" NFL Electric Football

[nefgm.org]

Recently acquired the Rules and Instructions for a Gotham G-1502-S  NFL "Big Bowl" Electric Football Game. Very interesting in that it includes the instructions for the assembly of the Stadium, a Color Chart for painting the teams in NFL Colors and "Key Plays of All NFL Teams"

Gotham G 1502 S Rules and Instructions.pdf. 

 

[Daryl Collins]

It ain’t Tudor, but if you ain’t impressed by this one, check for a pulse!

[Terry43]

On 5/23/2023 at 10:01 AM, nefgm.org said:

"Key Plays of All NFL Teams"

Hi, Awesome Stadium. I wonder how many Gotham Big Bowls still exist? Or, more tragic, what percentage ended in the landfill a year later?

Is it legal for the Electric Football Game Museum to post pages from the Key Plays book on this Forum? I'd like to try setting up a few plays.

Enjoy the Journey T43 ⚡🏈♾️

[nefgm.org]

I don't know why it would not be legal. 

 

[Terry43]

Hi. Gotham was a Canadian Company but they might have applied for copyright protection of their game documents. "Key Plays of All NFL Teams," sounds original and was probably produced in-house. I don't know. I do know that Gotham, or the person who produced the document, might still be covered by copyright. Gotham created the document in 1965, so according to copyright law the document could be protected for 95 years.  

 

"Thus the maximum total term of copyright protection for works already protected by January 1, 1978, has been increased from 56 years (a first term of 28 years plus a renewal term of 28 years) to 95 years (a first term of 28 years plus a renewal term of 67 years). Applying these standards, all works published in the United States before January 1, 1928, are in the public domain." Duration of Copyright, United States Copyright Office, Circular 15A

So, I'm excited to see the  "Key Plays of All NFL Teams," and I certainly want to try running those plays, but a public forum operated by a For-Profit business (Tudor) may not be the correct venue for me to see the booklet.

That's why I asked if it was legal.

Enjoy the Journey T43 ⚡🏈♾️

[callmegina]

A Gotham Big Bowl was under our Christmas Tree in 1965 (my dad labored all night to put it together).

But it looked amazing!

Unfortunately, the grandstand was flimsy cardboard and it got wrecked within a few weeks when somebody caught a foot on a corner of it and tripped (we always played it on the floor). I tried to repair it but my childhood craft and fix-it skills weren't up to the task.

I recall the motor was quite powerful and loud compared to Tudor models of that time -- players would sometimes jiggle and even fall over, which never happened on Tudor's more buzzy boards. The players' weights also seemed to make them a little stronger.

The metal spring-loaded QB was rather hard to use -- although the idea of the magnetic footballs and the way they'd stick to the metal discs on the player bases made catches easier to see.

[Terry43]

19 hours ago, callmegina said:

 

A Gotham Big Bowl was under our Christmas Tree in 1965 (my dad labored all night to put it together).

 

So jealous! 😃

19 hours ago, callmegina said:

the idea of the magnetic footballs and the way they'd stick to the metal discs on the player bases made catches easier to see.

I didn't know this. Makes sense. So very, very jealous. 😃

Enjoy the Journey T43 ⚡🏈♾️

[LandofLogic]

On 6/18/2023 at 9:10 PM, callmegina said:

A Gotham Big Bowl was under our Christmas Tree in 1965 (my dad labored all night to put it together).

But it looked amazing!

Unfortunately, the grandstand was flimsy cardboard and it got wrecked within a few weeks when somebody caught a foot on a corner of it and tripped (we always played it on the floor). I tried to repair it but my childhood craft and fix-it skills weren't up to the task.

I recall the motor was quite powerful and loud compared to Tudor models of that time -- players would sometimes jiggle and even fall over, which never happened on Tudor's more buzzy boards. The players' weights also seemed to make them a little stronger.

The metal spring-loaded QB was rather hard to use -- although the idea of the magnetic footballs and the way they'd stick to the metal discs on the player bases made catches easier to see.

My Gotham Yankee Stadium is actually my go-to for electric football (although maybe that's because my only other option is a 2005-06 Tudor Super Bowl game). It's really cool looking, especially the tin litho stands. It's quieter than my Tudor field because it is made of some type of wood, not metal. That is a blessing and a curse, as it makes it very flimsy and easily warped. It has dead areas around the center of the board, and some bubbling in the end zone. So drives normally slow in intensity about the center of the field. But I absolutely love it, and it fits my older (1920s to 1950s) teams a lot better than the new Tudor board I have, which is better suited for my modern teams. When a game starts it really does feel like your players are playing in that era. Despite it's issues, including how flimsy the board can be, it's worth buying one. They are rare but they are cheap (I paid $15 for mine).

Edited June 23, 2023 by LandofLogic

[Terry43]

On 6/23/2023 at 9:37 AM, LandofLogic said:

When a game starts it really does feel like your players are playing in that era.

I can feel it! 

Enjoy the Journey T43 ⚡🏈♾️