Walter Day National High School and Collegiate eSports Award Ceremony

This weekend I had the opportunity to participate in the second annual Walter Day National High School and Collegiate eSports Award Ceremony. This ceremony recognizes the high school and college players around the United States. On hand to help present and encourage the players were Billy Mitchell, Steve Sanders, and Walter Day from the 1982 Life photo shoot.  Just as those three helped bring Iowa fame back then, the Iowa eSports teams are bringing Iowa fame now.  By hosting this awards ceremony honoring the players in Iowa where eSports began, it is continuing the legacy of Iowa being on the forefront of the gaming legacy started all those years ago.  

I loved hearing the stories from both classic arcade gamers and the new generation of players. The major difference in the stories were how the players were treated. In the 80s, it was not considered cool to be a video game player. Even though now most now have successful careers, back then, they were definitely considered strange for spending hours mastering a game. The players today have that same dedication and determination. We know realize that the determination and dedication given to the games are the same skills that we admire in other sports programs.

The night ended with a first -- a high school player signing a letter of intent to play video games for a college eSports team.  Watching that moment, I thought of all the classic arcade gamers I have met who have obtained very successful careers on their own. I cannot imagine where these new players could be in the future with the support of a whole community and culture behind them.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1284032699122388

Walter Day and Guinness World Records partnership

When I first became interested in Ottumwa's Video Game Legacy, I read The Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records written by Walter Day.  We are lucky to have a couple of signed copies in the collection.  The first edition was released 25 years ago today on February 8, 1998. This started a tradition between Guinness World Records and Walter that lasted until 2020. If you get the chance to read the early editions, check out the bonus section that Walter wrote that chronicles the early history of Twin Galaxies, the US National Video Game Team, and all the fun times that Walter and the gamers had during that time.  It is a great read and without Walter's writing it down, so much history would have been lost.  If you don't have the chance to read, don't worry. I am sure that in this blog, we will be talking to the people involved and sharing their stories with you.

Day, W. (n.d.). Walter Day Post. Facebook. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=879164960001979&set=p.879164960001979&type=3 

Video Game Capital of the World? Ottumwa?

When you a hear a title like Capital of the World, you think some large city. Chicago, New York, Tokyo. You do not think of a town in Iowa. You do not think Ottumwa, Iowa but all great things have to start somewhere by someone. In 1981, Walter Day, the "Father of eSports" decided to open a little arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa called Twin Galaxies.  Little did he know that this one act would change his life and the reputation of the town all around the world.

Even though I have lived in Ottumwa all my life, I only entered into the retro gaming community about seven years ago.  I am not a gamer but instead a lover of history. I became fascinated that people all over the world respected and recognized our contribution to gaming history and people living here did not even know about it.  When I was invited into a group that wanted to change this, it was a challenge that I was willing to accept. 

In this blog, my goal is to document Ottumwa's great legacy in one spot. To start of on this special day, I want to share about Chasing Ghosts:  Beyond the Arcade. 16 years ago today, Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.  This film chronicle the 1982 Life photoshoot, held in Ottumwa, Iowa, that immortalizing video games as an important part of American culture. It has become a must watch for the retro gaming community.  It also chronicles the beginning of Ottumwa and Walter's legacy. Grab some popcorn (an inside joke for all those that know and love Walter) and spend the next hour and a half reliving the golden age of video games.

Click here to watch Chasing Ghosts.

References:  GovindHair. (2020, July 23). Chasing ghosts: Beyond the arcade - HD 1080p. YouTube. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w6dAE8T0II