Will you mourn this man's passing with me?

1998 Yankees · 07-15-2012, 12:02 PM

Are you old enough to remember?

Quote:

Norman Sas, electric football inventor, dies

Published: July 14, 2012 8:40 PM
By MATT SEDENSKY. The Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Norman Sas, a mechanical engineer who created electric football, a tabletop game with a vibrating metal field and unpredictable plastic players that captivated and frustrated children and nostalgic grown-ups for decades, has died. He was 87.

Sas died June 28 at his home in Vero Beach, his daughter Martha O'Connor confirmed Friday.

Sas' father, Elmer, owned Tudor Metal Products in New York, surviving through the Depression by making xylophones and a six-slot Budget Bank that allowed users to divide their savings for different purposes. The company developed technology that used a small motor to create vibrations on a metal plate, the basis for car and horse racing games.

When Norman Sas took over the company in the late 1940s, he was set on using the technology to create a football game. It was introduced by Tudor in 1949 and, with the flick of a switch, sent its tiny players vibrating haphazardly around the field, a felt ball in one of their hands. For children of that era, it was unlike anything they'd ever seen.

"You had your own NFL right there on your living room floor," said Earl Shores, a writer who interviewed Sas for his forthcoming book on electric football, "The Unforgettable Buzz," which he wrote with Roddy Garcia.

"Any time we look at it, we're remembering that first time," he said. "We're touching our childhood. We're touching innocence."

The game could be infuriatingly slow and its players' movements nearly impossible to predict. But its popularity endured into the 1980s, when video football games began to emerge. By then, Sas had sold his company.

Sas was born in New York on March 29, 1925, and earned degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Besides O'Connor, he is survived by his wife, Irene, another daughter, Wendy Jones, and seven grandchildren.

Orcin · 07-15-2012, 01:22 PM

I will. I had this game in the early 60's. Let's don't pretend that it actually worked, but I have fond memories anyway.

David Watts · 07-15-2012, 03:27 PM

Had a blast playing that as a kid. Remember when it went high tech with the little dials on the base that were supposed to help you control the players? Did anyone ever actually complete a pass or kick a field goal with those crazy flick and kick things?

1998 Yankees · 07-15-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

Did anyone ever actually complete a pass or kick a field goal with those crazy flick and kick things?

Yes! Sometimes.

Remember the "football" itself was a piece of felt, or something? And the NOISE. Flip the switch and GNNNNNXXXXXXXRRRRRRR!!!!

travis649 · 07-15-2012, 04:39 PM

Infuriating, but I loved it.

BaseballMan · 07-15-2012, 08:13 PM

I used Super Toe for field goals

koohead · 07-18-2012, 11:12 AM

I had the Steelers Rams set. always tried to get my parents to let me buy more teams, but never got them. Probably still in their basement somewhere.

1998 Yankees · 07-18-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koohead

Probably still in their basement somewhere.

e-Bay, baby!

Leo_The_Lip · 07-19-2012, 12:20 PM

generic, red and yellow teams for me. That metal kicker/passer and cotton footballs. Had to replace those many times.

Spent hours making slight bends in the celluloid pieces to try and get the players to move predictably. Some guys ran backwards, too.

Sigh!

1998 Yankees · 07-19-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

Some guys ran backwards, too.

Yes, very upsetting when it was the guy with the "ball." NOOOOOOO!!!

Splitter24 · 07-20-2012, 10:31 AM

Me and my brother inherited my Uncle's game. It had yellow and white players that my Uncle had stuck on little number decals that had come with the game. My brother was always the whites and I was the yellows. I never beat my brother ever. All because of #89 on the white team. That little plastic bastard was possessed. He avoided tackles like Barry Sanders. Even if he turned around and ran backwards for 30 yards, he would always reverse course and end up ripping off a big gain. The only way to stop him was if he ran out bounds.

Wherever you are #89, I bow before your electric vibrating football skills.

koohead · 07-20-2012, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitter24

Me and my brother inherited my Uncle's game. It had yellow and white players that my Uncle had stuck on little number decals that had come with the game. My brother was always the whites and I was the yellows. I never beat my brother ever. All because of #89 on the white team. That little plastic bastard was possessed. He avoided tackles like Barry Sanders. Even if he turned around and ran backwards for 30 yards, he would always reverse course and end up ripping off a big gain. The only way to stop him was if he ran out bounds.

Wherever you are #89, I bow before your electric vibrating football skills.

Seriously I swear that of the 2 "RB" players I had for Pittsburgh, one was a short yardage bruiser and one was the speed back.

1998 Yankees · 07-20-2012, 08:51 PM

Any of you guys ever try to adjust the brushes on the bottom of the player pieces? We swore that bristly was good, but too bristly made them run backwards or in circles. So here we were, combing and arranging the bristles and running tests like some sort of NFL combine, for gosh sakes. We tried to make a science out of it, but of course we didn't know what the heck we were doing!

Splitter24 · 07-20-2012, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Any of you guys ever try to adjust the brushes on the bottom of the player pieces? We swore that bristly was good, but too bristly made them run backwards or in circles. So here we were, combing and arranging the bristles and running tests like some sort of NFL combine, for gosh sakes. We tried to make a science out of it, but of course we didn't know what the heck we were doing!

Ours was a vintage 60's version; the players only had a bristle at each corner of the base. They were so soft and flimsy that if you tried messing with them you would probably forever doom your little plastic man to eternal circledom.

lebby20 · 07-21-2012, 12:02 AM

How about the linebackers( arms out to their sides palms up) dosi-doeing in the middle of the field when their hands locked together. Did anyone ever actually play for more than two or three plays? I tired quickly of the set up of each play.

1998 Yankees · 07-21-2012, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lebby20

How about the linebackers( arms out to their sides palms up) dosi-doeing in the middle of the field when their hands locked together.

HA! And I do mean LOL, just now.

Yes, yes, I do remember such nonsense, now that you bring it up!

Lucas718 · 07-21-2012, 08:04 AM

I don't think I would have the patience for it now, but I played mine for hours when I was a kid. I had a Super Bowl edition with the Vikings & Raiders. As most have mentioned, I could never complete a pass, but I did manage to get a few FGs.

Lucas718 · 07-21-2012, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaseballMan

I used Super Toe for field goals

I had one of those. You had to smash the guy on the head to get him to kick. Totally forgot about that until now.

1998 Yankees · 07-24-2012, 09:36 AM

Well, it looks like we did more reminiscing than mourning here which is often what happens, I suppose. And it's a good thing that we recalled what this guy gave us all those years ago. Sure it was a goofy game but for most of us, and for most of the time, it was a lot of fun. Simpler times.

So R.I.P., Mr. Sas. Thanks to everybody who participated in this thread.

Mark D · 08-01-2012, 07:17 AM

Old game rules again. Legends are live among us.

07-18-2012, 11:12 AM	#7
koohead Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,233	I had the Steelers Rams set. always tried to get my parents to let me buy more teams, but never got them. Probably still in their basement somewhere. __________________ GM - New Jersey Bears of the NPBL;

07-20-2012, 10:31 AM	#11
Splitter24 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Willsboro, NY Posts: 2,895	Me and my brother inherited my Uncle's game. It had yellow and white players that my Uncle had stuck on little number decals that had come with the game. My brother was always the whites and I was the yellows. I never beat my brother ever. All because of #89 on the white team. That little plastic bastard was possessed. He avoided tackles like Barry Sanders. Even if he turned around and ran backwards for 30 yards, he would always reverse course and end up ripping off a big gain. The only way to stop him was if he ran out bounds. Wherever you are #89, I bow before your electric vibrating football skills. __________________ Currently Reading: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen "Well, the game is afoot. I’ll take anal bum cover for 7,000." - "Sean Connery" SNL Celebrity Jeopardy R.I.P. Tommy Holmes 1917-2008

07-21-2012, 12:02 AM	#15
lebby20 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 158	Electric Football Fun? How about the linebackers( arms out to their sides palms up) dosi-doeing in the middle of the field when their hands locked together. Did anyone ever actually play for more than two or three plays? I tired quickly of the set up of each play.

07-24-2012, 09:36 AM	#19
1998 Yankees Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yankee Stadium, back in 1998. Posts: 8,645	Well, it looks like we did more reminiscing than mourning here which is often what happens, I suppose. And it's a good thing that we recalled what this guy gave us all those years ago. Sure it was a goofy game but for most of us, and for most of the time, it was a lot of fun. Simpler times. So R.I.P., Mr. Sas. Thanks to everybody who participated in this thread. Last edited by 1998 Yankees; 07-24-2012 at 08:00 PM.

08-01-2012, 07:17 AM	#20
Mark D Bat Boy Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 12	Old game rules again. Legends are live among us. __________________ Play the Best Baseball Games Online

07-15-2012, 01:22 PM	#2
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,883	I will. I had this game in the early 60's. Let's don't pretend that it actually worked, but I have fond memories anyway.

07-15-2012, 03:27 PM	#3
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 10,142 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Had a blast playing that as a kid. Remember when it went high tech with the little dials on the base that were supposed to help you control the players? Did anyone ever actually complete a pass or kick a field goal with those crazy flick and kick things?

07-15-2012, 04:39 PM	#5
travis649 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 36	Infuriating, but I loved it.

07-15-2012, 08:13 PM	#6
BaseballMan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 6,647	I used Super Toe for field goals

07-19-2012, 12:20 PM	#9
Leo_The_Lip All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,813	generic, red and yellow teams for me. That metal kicker/passer and cotton footballs. Had to replace those many times. Spent hours making slight bends in the celluloid pieces to try and get the players to move predictably. Some guys ran backwards, too. Sigh!

07-20-2012, 08:51 PM	#13
1998 Yankees Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yankee Stadium, back in 1998. Posts: 8,645	Any of you guys ever try to adjust the brushes on the bottom of the player pieces? We swore that bristly was good, but too bristly made them run backwards or in circles. So here we were, combing and arranging the bristles and running tests like some sort of NFL combine, for gosh sakes. We tried to make a science out of it, but of course we didn't know what the heck we were doing!

07-21-2012, 08:04 AM	#17
Lucas718 Major Leagues Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 402	I don't think I would have the patience for it now, but I played mine for hours when I was a kid. I had a Super Bowl edition with the Vikings & Raiders. As most have mentioned, I could never complete a pass, but I did manage to get a few FGs.