Author: skquinn

As most of you may have heard or even experienced firsthand, the greater Houston area was hit by Hurricane Beryl causing widespread damages and power outages this past Monday morning (2024-07-08). First and foremost, please stay safe during this difficult time if you are in the area. Various officials have made important safety announcements in the past few days; please heed them.

To say the least, the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has complicated any attempts to organize future events on the previously announced timeline. It is possible there won’t be any IFPA sanctioned events until well into September or possibly even October (in which case they would likely be after Houston Arcade Expo). To fill the gap I may try to throw together something informal and/or aimed at players brand new to competitive pinball.

To directly refute any possible rumors along these lines: I am not giving up on the Bayou City Pinball League or competitive pinball in the Houston area. Stay safe, stay in touch, and we’ll get through this together.

Shawn K. Quinn
Commissioner, Bayou City Pinball League

As of tonight, 2024 July 2, I am pausing the Moonstruck Tournament Series. Currently I intend for it to return in late August or September. I do have other events in the works to be announced shortly (by the end of next week, July 12).

This temporary dormancy should not be interpreted as giving up on the league.

Shawn K. Quinn
Commissioner, Bayou City Pinball League

For the first time in a good long while, a substantial change to the rulebook is in the works. This change required particular care as it involves rules related to some of the core values of the league as I envisioned it, namely legal compliance and citizenship.

In a perfect world, those responsible for making laws at all levels (city, county, state, and Federal) would always get it right and the laws passed would be a perfect implementation of justice as seen by every sane citizen of society. Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world. Every once in a while a law is passed that egregiously and abominably fails in its purpose of implementing justice. Or, an existing law is interpreted or re-interpreted in an egregiously and abominably unjust manner.

Rule 21.1.3 regarding unlawful conduct, and rule 21.3 regarding fugitives and outstanding arrest warrants, were intended to protect the reputation of the Bayou City Pinball League as well as the safety of law-abiding players. However, in the face of egregious, abominable failures of the law, it only makes sense for such failures to be excluded from the scope of 21.1.3 and 21.3. Rule 21.6 is the result, which allows the Commissioner to make exceptions to these rules in such extreme cases as a last resort while we await the repeal, nullification, or more reasonable re-interpretation of such laws.

Effective with the upload of version 2024.03.09 of the rulebook later today, I am invoking rule 21.6 to activate the first two such exceptions (and hopefully the only two for the foreseeable future):

1. Offenses under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 170A (Performance of Abortion), any substantially similar laws of other states, and any substantially similar Federal law(s) if and when enacted; and
2. Offenses under City of Houston ordinances under Section 20-251 et seq (Charitable Food Services, perhaps better known as the “homeless feeding ban”) and any substantially similar laws of other cities, counties, or states.

I expect these to be the only such exceptions for at least the remainder of 2024 and, of course, it is my hope that these exceptions become obsolete sooner rather than later.

Sincerely,

Shawn K. Quinn

Commissioner, Bayou City Pinball League

Join us for great times and great pinball at Little Dipper (304 Main Street, downtown Houston) on Tuesdays beginning April 2! Every Tuesday night of the month at 7 pm except for third Tuesdays (see followup post), we will be playing a three strikes (3X) tournament. Entry fee is the $1 IFPA fee plus coin drop. ($1 IFPA fee may be sponsored in later weeks, I will update as needed.) Venue is 21 and up only.

Parking: On-street parking in the area, unmetered after 6pm.
Transit: Preston Station, METRORail Red Line. Routes 20, 30, 48 bus stop at Congress Street and Main Street. Route 151 bus stop on Congress Street at Travis Street (1 block walk). Routes 11, 51, 52 bus stop at Fannin Street and Preston Street (2 block walk). Route 82 bus stop at Congress Street and Milam Street (2 block walk).

Dates: April 2, 9, 23, 30; May 7, 14, 28; June 4, 11, 25; July 2

[Edit 2024-07-02: Currently on hold, to return/re-launch in August or September]

Despite the fact it’s been a bit quiet for the first month of the year, there will be events coming up starting in late March or early April. Details will be posted as they are finalized.