Sad News

Richard Tuck, the founder of Playland-not-at-the-Beach, passed away on
Tuesday.

As a few of you know, Richard encouraged me to run my first tournament
last February.  He supported the local scene in so many ways and for
so many different kinds of people. Seeing three-year-olds playing
pinball next to 75-year old grandmothers wasn’t some occasional kodak
moment at Playland, but the norm.  Richard could reach anybody.

I know most of you didn’t really know him, but Richard was a truly
rare guy.  He saw the world for what it is and understood it well.  He
was neither oblivious nor self-deluded about the negative and the
cynical.  He just chose not to accept it and instead mobilize the
positive.  And he did it with tremendous skill, heart, tenacity and
business savvy.

He understood more than anyone I know in the arcade business that fun
is not about sticking a bunch of games in a room.  Fun is about
people.

Richard has a lot of friends.  I was not a close friend of Richard, I
was probably tier three or four, yet he had a big impact on me.  I
will miss him.