The Flippin’ With the Greats “Fantasy Football Club” is opening the 2016 season by awarding a very cool prize package recognizing this year’s partnership with Mike Ditka’s and Alice Cooper’s Charities. Gridiron Greats and Solid Rock.

This Great Prize Package Features a NOS Frankenstein Pinball Translite, as well as limited edition Alice Cooper & Coach Ditka Hall of Fame Medallions.

Also, to be included in this initial giveaway (and every upcoming giveaway) is an “Invitation” to the Final Super Bowl / Pinball Tournament Party at Alice Cooper’stown Sports Bar in Phoenix, AZ.
Pictures from last season’s Cooper’stown party with Alice Cooper – Click HERE

We will be Drawing for this prize package on Thursday Sept. 29th (8pm CDT).

Additional upcoming prizes to be awarded randomly to FFC Members include-

• 20 Invitations to Alice & Coach’s Final Super Bowl / Pinball Tournament Party Event at Cooper’stown Sports Bar (Phoenix, AZ) to compete for a Brand New Pinball Machine.
• Reconditioned Pinball Machine
• Alice Cooper Autographed “Hollywood Vampires” CD
• Limited Edition Alice Cooper & Coach Ditka Collector Medallions
• Vintage Casino Slot and/or Video Poker Machines (for home game room use only)
• Rock & Roll Memorabilia
• NOS Pinball Translites
• Autographed Football Collectibles

To join the Fantasy Football Club and become eligible for This and ALL upcoming giveaways – Click HERE

A quick reminder – There are TWO components of the Flippin’ With the Greats Campaign… Details at www.gridironsupport.org

1) The “Fantasy Football Club” – A club where Pinball Enthusiasts can support their favorite NFL teams (and win GREAT Stuff!) by simply buying and Creating a PERSONALIZED IFPA/FWTG Medallion to include the player’s name, IFPA #, and the NFL Team they support. Great prizes will be distributed to Club Members throughout the season. Click HERE for more details.

2) The TOURNAMENT SERIES – A Nationwide series of tournaments to be scheduled throughout the NFL season culminating in the SUPER BOWL Pinball Party at Alice Cooper’stown in Phoenix, AZ. Click HERE for more details.

Be sure to join the 2016 IFPA FWTG Series (Group) on Facebook. For more up to the minute information Click HERE

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) is a non-stock, non-profit 501(c)3 organization, providing financial grants and “pro bono” medical assistance to retired NFL players in dire need. The organization focuses on the humanitarian side of post-football related issues, which include coordination of social services to retired players who are in need due to a variety of reasons including inadequate disability and/or pensions. Learn more at www.gridirongreats.org

Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, also. Solid Rock’s primary mission is to make an everlasting difference in the lives of teens by helping them meet their spiritual, economical, physical, and social need. Alice Cooper’s Rock Teen Center offers a safe, engaging environment during non-school hours –a time when they are most vulnerable to drugs, violence, and gangs. Maintaining a teen’s worst enemy is too much time on their hands Solid Rock provides the music, arts, vocational programs and fellowship that challenge teens to discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression, and creativity. Learn more at www.alicecoopersolidrock.com.

Support and Follow our 2016 Flippin’ With the Greats Pinball Campaign and please “Like” Gridiron Support on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gridironsupport.org

The IFPA is excited to announce that the following players have been now qualified for the $tern Rewards Program based on their August 2016 IFPA endorsed tournament performance! These players have until August 15th, 2017 to exercise their reward option.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH – Steven Bowden
BIGGEST MOVER AWARD – Derrick Bidlingmeyer
BIGGEST MOVER AWARD – David Konwiczka
BIGGEST MOVER AWARD – Michael Hodge OH

Detailed rules for the $tern Rewards Program, including an updated list of qualifiers, and updated list of rewards available can be found HERE.

The IFPA is pleased to announce that the following players saw the biggest jump in their world ranking based on their August 2016 tournament performance.

The biggest movers for August 2016 included Derrick Bidlingmeyer from Harrisburg, PA, who moved up 15,610 spots from the following results:

Derrick moved up to a rank of 9813th in the world, and currently sits in 915th place in the Pennsylvania SCS.

David Konwiczka from Buffalo, NY moved up 12,685 spots from the following results:

David moved up to a rank of 5964th in the world, and 404th in the New York SCS.

Michael Hodge OH from Cleveland, OH moved up 10,581 spots from the following results:

Michael moved up to a rank of 8641st in the world, and currently sits in 278th place in the Ohio SCS.

Congratulations to Derrik, David and Michael, as well as the other players that saw a jump in their ranking from their August tournament performance!

The IFPA is pleased to announce that our Player of the Month for August 2016 is Steven Bowden from Franklin Township, NJ. Steven earned a total of 185.50 WPPR points in August. This included the following results:

Steven is currently qualified in 6 different states for the SCS, including Georgia(1st), New Jersey(1st), New York(2nd), Kentucky(3rd) and Pennsylvania(15th).

The rest of the top 5 for the month of August included Trent Augenstein from Delaware, OH with 122.67 WPPR points, John Flitton from Canada with 94.68 WPPR points, Adam Becker from Keswick, ON, Canada with 94.57 WPPR points, and Greg Poverelli from New York with 76.99 WPPR points.

Congratulations to Steven and the other top WPPR point earners of the month!

The September 2016 issue of the Hewlett Packard eNewsletter included a piece on pinball featuring newly sponsored player Zach Sharpe. Click HERE to read the article.

(photo courtesy of Gioco News)

The legacy for current World #3 [player]Jorian Engelbrektsson[/player] grew even greater this weekend, as he became the 2nd player in competitive pinball history to capture his 6th Major Championship (Keith Elwin is the only player with more – 9). With respect to the European Pinball Championship, Jorian became the first 4-time winner in tournament history, and has won 3 out of the last 4 EPC’s. For Jorian, this was also his 11th top 4 finish at a Major, one of only 4 players in history to hit that double digit level (Elwin, Sheats, Kerins are the other 3).

After missing PAPA and IFPA in 2016, with this EPC victory Jorian jumps back into the discussion for the World’s Greatest Pinball Player chase for 2016. Those results should hopefully be submitted sometime this week.

To view the most current list of Major Championship stats, click HERE.

The IFPA and Gridiron Support are pleased to announce that the “King of Shock Rock” –

Alice Cooper, and his charity – Solid Rock – is once again teaming up with Coach Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund for the 2016 “Flippin’ With the Greats” Pinball Campaign.

Pro Football Hall of Famer – Mike Ditka and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer – Alice Cooper are excited to partner with the IFPA to raise money and awareness for their respective charities, while bringing the competitive pinball experience to their NFL and Rock & Roll Fans!

Once again, Players will be competing for WPPR Points, as well as

Tens of Thousands of $$$$ in Cash and Prizes, including a BRAND NEW PINBALL!!!!

The 2016 Flippin’ With the Greats campaign will again consist of 2 elements:

1. A Fantasy Football Club where IFPA members can support their favorite NFL team (and win cool stuff) by simply buying an IFPA medallion Personalized with their name, IFPA number, and the NFL team they support. Great prizes will be distributed to FFC Participants throughout the season.

2. A Nationwide series of tournaments to be scheduled throughout the NFL season, culminating in the SUPER BOWL Pinball Party at Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix, Az.

Lots of Pictures from last year’s event (with Alice in attendance!) can be seen HERE.

For Details on the FWTG Fantasy Football Club, including how to register, format, prizes and more, click HERE.

For Details on the FWTG Tournament Series, including registration fees, format, prizes and more, click HERE.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) is a non-stock, non-profit 501(c)3 organization, providing financial grants and “pro bono” medical assistance to retired NFL players in dire need.  The organization focuses on the humanitarian side of post-football related issues, which include coordination of social services to retired players who are in need due to a variety of reasons including inadequate disability and/or pensions.

Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Solid Rock Teen Center’s goal is to make an everlasting difference in the lives of teens.

The Rock Teen Center provides a creative sanctuary for teens …”Allowing teens to build confidence and discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression & creativity”

Support and Follow our 2016 Flippin’ With the Greats Pinball Campaign by joining our 2016 IFPA FWTG Hall of Fame Pinball Series “group” on Facebook, click HERE.

and “Like” Gridiron Support on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gridironsupport.org

blog post courtesy of Marc Bell

What do you get when you cross a pinball competitor, collector, operator, taxation lawyer, and part time magician and keen gaming (including gambling) theorist? You get a man with a tremendously rich history of games in Australia, and a man with endless entertaining stories; a man called Andrew Ferguson.

You can see the Player Feature on Andrew by visiting: http://gamethesystem.co/andrewferguson

blog post courtesy of Keith Brown

The IFPA and Stern Pinball are looking for members to join the Stern Army!

The Stern Army is the official street term and brand ambassadors of Stern Pinball, working in partnership with the IFPA to help create more tournaments and leagues at public locations.

The mission of the Stern Army:

1 – Expand the player community through events and leagues at public locations that include Stern pinball machines.
2 – Get more Stern games into more locations
3 – Get more people playing in tournaments and leagues at these locations
4 – Be the voices of the Stern brand!

We’re looking for IFPA endorsed event organizers to pioneer the creation of ongoing monthly tournaments and league featuring Stern pinball machines all around the world.

Stern Army members will be rewarded for recruiting new players, starting up events in new locations, and helping facilitate the sale of more Stern pinball machines to these locations.

If you’re interested in joining the IFPA and Stern family and becoming part of the Stern Army, please contact the IFPA at ifpapinball@gmail.com to learn more!