Lempereur1
03 Mar 06, 17:53
I have met just about everyone who is anyone in the game industry. Both computer and boardgames. That is not to say each and every person, but most of the important ones.
I would like to share my impressions of some of them.
I want to start with Tom Shaw of Avalon Hill. Tom was the only hold over from the Charles Roberts Avalon Hill 1958-1963 time frame. When Charles Roberts, Founder of Avalon Hill, ran up a printing bill larger than they could pay, Monarch Printing took over the operation. They were owed the most money and quickly paid the remainder of Avalon HIlls Debts.
IN turn, Monarch got all of Avalon Hill's assets. The new management fireed everyone but Tom Shaw. Tom was the "sports game guy" responsible for all of AH's sports games.
Tom took over the job and worked totaly by himself until AH turned a profit. Always an optimist, Tom smiled all the time. He loved sports games and truely felt that it was his job to turn everything around. He did.
In my stint at Avalon Hill, 1990-1994, TOm told me many, many stories about adventures during the Goldern Era of gaming. At this point he was at the end of his career and had gone into retirement. He would come to work one day each week and help out anywhere he was needed.
The very best story he told was about Jim Dunnigan. It was 1967 ans Jim Dunnigan came up to the AH booth at Toy Fair. Jim posed as a reporter and asked all kind of questions about wargaming and the industry, etc. Eventually Tom caught on to Jim and said to him, "Gee you really know alot about military history!" Jim confessed who he was and went on to publish sveral games with Avalon Hill. The rest is history!
Tom always said that it took 90% of the effort to finish the last 10% of the game!
I would like to share my impressions of some of them.
I want to start with Tom Shaw of Avalon Hill. Tom was the only hold over from the Charles Roberts Avalon Hill 1958-1963 time frame. When Charles Roberts, Founder of Avalon Hill, ran up a printing bill larger than they could pay, Monarch Printing took over the operation. They were owed the most money and quickly paid the remainder of Avalon HIlls Debts.
IN turn, Monarch got all of Avalon Hill's assets. The new management fireed everyone but Tom Shaw. Tom was the "sports game guy" responsible for all of AH's sports games.
Tom took over the job and worked totaly by himself until AH turned a profit. Always an optimist, Tom smiled all the time. He loved sports games and truely felt that it was his job to turn everything around. He did.
In my stint at Avalon Hill, 1990-1994, TOm told me many, many stories about adventures during the Goldern Era of gaming. At this point he was at the end of his career and had gone into retirement. He would come to work one day each week and help out anywhere he was needed.
The very best story he told was about Jim Dunnigan. It was 1967 ans Jim Dunnigan came up to the AH booth at Toy Fair. Jim posed as a reporter and asked all kind of questions about wargaming and the industry, etc. Eventually Tom caught on to Jim and said to him, "Gee you really know alot about military history!" Jim confessed who he was and went on to publish sveral games with Avalon Hill. The rest is history!
Tom always said that it took 90% of the effort to finish the last 10% of the game!