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
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