112 players
62 machines
Another solid night of incidental exercise + mental gymnastics + community connection.
10k+ steps earlier in the day ✔️
2.5 hours of “Fitbit Golf” (aka pinball) ✔️
Brain workout ✔️
Stress relief ✔️
Still counts ✔️
Finished 42nd in a strong field (tied with Andrew), which honestly reflects what competitive pinball often looks like:
tight margins
stacked players
lots of learning opportunities packed into every game.
Pinball is one of those activities where improvement compounds quietly over time:
rule knowledge
shot confidence
tilt control
reading the machine
adjusting to different setups
Every location plays a little different.
Every game teaches something.
Still learning.
Still improving.
Still having fun.
Incidental Exercise Report
Pinball doesn’t always show up perfectly in fitness trackers (apparently it counts as golf 😄), but the movement is real:
standing
walking between machines
micro squats
core engagement
balance shifts
mental focus fatigue
2.5 hours of light movement adds up.
Still counts.
Post-Pinball Fuel
Came home to a creamy veggie & bean, loaded turkey kielbasa & mac creation, that turned out WAY better than expected.
Rotel tomatoes
mixed veggies
black beans (liquid included for flavor)
cheese
cream of chicken
turkey kielbasa
chili powder
Pasta slightly undercooked before going into the sauce so it could absorb flavor and finish cooking.
Result:
super creamy
very filling
lots of veggies
comfort food that actually supports activity levels
Small bowl was plenty satisfying after league night.
Community Matters
Leagues like this continue to reinforce why the pinball community is special:
supportive
welcoming
competitive in a positive way
full of interesting people
Grateful to be part of it.
John Shopple won 1st place for the night and some Pacman Scratcher Tickets!
Progress isn’t always dramatic.
Sometimes it’s just showing up consistently.
Still counts.
Keeps counting.
Compounds over time. 📈
For more great pinball league and tournament recap articles, go to my pinball pages.
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