Manitoba pinball player competes on international stage

One of the top pinball players in Canada calls Winnipeg home, and he recently got a chance to showcase his skills once again on the World Stage.

Jack Tadman, who is ranked third among Canadian players, recently returned from Germany, where he competed in a World Championship event in Germany held by the International Flipper Pinball Association.

“You have the best players from about 20 different countries coming together for a weekend of pinball, and it's just an amazing experience,” Tadman said. “You get to play at a high level with players who are just as interested and knowledgeable and passionate as you are about pinball.”

During the tournament, Tadman finished 44th out of 80 players. The tournament sees eight rounds, with players playing three different machines in each round, and rankings are tabulated after each round.

“After five of the eight rounds, I was in third place. I was feeling great,” he said. “And then I guess I flew a little close to the sun, had a tough ending.”

Despite his showing, Tadman said getting an opportunity to spend time with like-minded pinball enthusiasts is hard to beat.

“It's incredible,” he said. “Again we've got a really strong community. Whether it's the pinball community in Manitoba or the international pinball community, seeing familiar faces, getting to share stories, secrets, tips and strategies and just to hang out. It really is a great experience."

Tadman has been playing pinball since he was four years old, currently owns seven machines in his home, and is Manitoba’s provincial pinball champion.

He says anyone who is interested in playing pinball or joining a local league should check out Manitoba Pinball’s website for info.

-With files from CTV’s Joseph Bernacki