Buzz Off
Norman Sas, who set the bar very, very low for electronic
sports games, has died at the age of 87. In 1948, Sas invented Electric
Football, a low-tech migraine-inducing game that captured the
imagination of a nation hamstrung by Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys, Yo-yos,
Hula Hoops and Pogo Sticks. Sas’ game consisted of a metal field with 2
teams of 11 players. Hand the ball to one of them. Flip the motor that
starts the field vibrating with the mellifluousness of a fluorescent
bulb with a faulty ballast. Thrill as the players move about the field
with no discernible purpose, evoking the gridiron performance of the
2008 Detroit Lions. Delight as half of them fall over immediately while
the rest spin in position, like the opening scene of Saving Private
Ryan. Quite possibly the worst game ever invented, Electric Football
took off
among an unsuspecting populace in 1967 after signing a licensing
agreement with the NFL, Pete Rozelle’s greatest regret as commissioner
after playing the weekend after John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
Labels: Toy
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