sam2002 wrote:If you happen to find out where the dive is , could sure use a back door for an FOK !
Rick:
Lots-A-Luck, finding that back door. Not to mention how full of holes it would be from the salt water!
My diving days are all but history now. But in the 'hey-days', I dove in many waters, but never seen as
much as a crusty mech., or a rusty door. But then again, I wasn't diving much in the Atlantic either.
Which is where the greatest number of slots were dumped. More-so than the Pacific.
Several years ago, I was in contact with an old time operator, whom shared many stories with me. He
had a pretty extensive route, that went from Jersey to Maine, and had a close friend that was a Judge.
When the Johnson Act was passed, the Judge called to relay the news, and possible penalties. Without
wasting any time, he hired a few men, and trucks, which hastily cleared out his entire route. Tossing
machines in the ocean, bays, lakes, dumps, and anywhere else he could. He did mention saving a couple
of slots, but strangely enough, also stashed 75 to 80 trade stimulators behind a false wall in a warehouse.
It was at a time when he first connected with me, via Dick Bueschel, because he was now digging those
machines out of hiding, to clean up and sell. Some of the machines he mentioned having on the route,
that got chucked, just blew my mind. Some Rare, and many that are Scarce today. Just one example, I
remember him saying that he had 100 to 150 Pierce "Whirlwinds". Geez!
I have always wondered how many machines were seen, and ignored, by the ones that dive for ship wrecks.
I have had two close friends that were Salvage Divers, and neither of them had ever mentioned anything
about finding slot machines. One of them was a diver on the SS Andrea Doria, which collided with the
Stockholm, off Nantucket, in July 1956. That was in an area where thousands of slots may have met their
demise. He was diving there in the late 60's or early 70's, but never seen any coin-op. It is hard to fathom,
the amount of machines that sank to the bottom of the deep-blue.
Thanks for the links to the pics and videos. I have collected many of these over the years. Very interesting.
Bill