Calgary pinball wizards prepare for Silverball Rodeo tournament

A group of Calgary pinball wizards will be putting their crazy flipper fingers to the test at the first-annual Silverball Rodeo this Labour Day weekend.

The Atlantic Trap and Gill will play host to the tournament put on by the Stampede City Pinball League running taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

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More than 20pinball machines willbetrucked in for the event, which is open tothe public to try their luck against some pinball champs.

"There will be no waiting to play, it'll just be pinball all day,"lifelong pinball fanatic DarrenKrywolt, told the Calgary Eyeopener."So someone like me just lives for this stuff."

Sure plays a mean pinball

Ever since hewas a young boy, he's played the silver ball.

Krywolt'shas had a loveaffairwith pinball sincehe was 5-years-oldwhen he was given a plastic pinball machine toy.

Fast forward to his adult years and he is now the proud owner of 14 machines, filling three rooms of his family home.

"Needless to say, I have a very understanding wife,"Krywoltsaid."Andmythree kids absolutely love it. So we have noNintendos, noPlayStations.No,we have pinball."

Becomepart of the machine

Krywoltsaid Stampede City Pinball hasrankings,standings andtrophies just like anyrecreational sports league.

Stampede City Pinball meet on Wednesday nights at the Atlantic Trap and Gill to share a love of all things pinball and breed some healthy competition between players.

"There is sort of a courtesy a pinball courtesyto sort of give [an] arm's length distance to the person playing,"Krywoltsaid."We don't get too much pushing and shoving, but there has been a bit of kicking."

Registration for theSilverballRodeo is open from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at theAtlantic Trap and Gill.Qualifying round will run until 6:30 p.m. and tournament play wall start at 11 a.m.on Sunday.

The tournament costs $30 to enter and registration fees will be put into the prize pool.

The second season of the Stampede City Pinball League starts in October and runs untilMarch. Tobecome a full member of the league costs $100 per season.

Visitthe Stampede City Pinball League's website for more information.

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With files from the Calgary Eyeopener