Local Pinball Lights Flash Once More As Mickey Sullivan Gnashes Teeth

Lights out since last June flashed last week in Cambridge. From Mass Avenue to Mem Drive, from Mike's Club to Harry's Arcade Spa, the news was spreading. Pinball is back! Despite Mickey Sullivan's staunchest efforts for the opposition, the game of the flashing lights and tinkling bells is legal again. The State Supreme Court has said so. And, immoral or not, pinball is here to stay.

The long and complicated battle over the legality of the machines came to an end last Wednesday, as Justice James J. Ronan declared the city's ordinance of restriction to be unconstitutional. With the return of the original ten dollar fine to test case Sidney Wolbarst--proprietor of the Turnpike Bowaldrome--all became quiet on the pinball front for the first time since March 1945. Even Mighty Mickey is speechless.

For the benefit of the Class of '49, veterans, and transfers, who undoubtedly will soon be big customers to the now lily-white operators, a short recapitulation of the long case is in order:

Last March, suddenly overwhelmed by conscience, City Councilman Sullivan dreamt up a clever way to turn his delinquency complex on the city. "The cause of delinquency," quoth he, "is the pinball machine!" Since logic is logic, his next deduction was simple. "Let's ban it!" he beamed. And he did.

Ten Dollar Fine Was Levied

Then, since all crimes must have punishments to fit, the honorable Mickey enlisted the services of the local police department to enforce the city council ordinance. After a long huddle with Chief Timothy Leahy, a ten dollar fine was hit upon as the best way to check the pinball owners.

Undaunted by the prospect of a fine, however, the operators struck back, hitting the ordinance with everything in the book from stupidity to unconstitutionality. Sidney Wolbarst was chosen to provoke a test case. On April 4, he returned the machine to his establishment. On April 5, he was taken to court and fined, thus precipitating a series of court cases ultimately reaching the state supreme court.