Hey everyone! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kevin, and I am finally getting around to posting my introduction after being added as one of the Manitoba Pinball League online minions. I hope I can help out Dave, Jon and Mr. Miller with running the show around here, and keeping some content going on here. I have some ideas, but more on that later.
In the interest of keeping things moving along, I will try to keep this bio short and sweet…
Name: Kevin Peden
Also known as: Peden, Mr. P, The Badger King, SUPrUNown and Matrix (I used to hang out on BBSes and Internet Message boards a lot)
Pinball initials: KEV
Location: O’Hanly, MB (half an hour north of Pine Falls); previously, Rorketon, MB (3 and a half hours northwest of Winnipeg); originally from Winnipeg
Occupation: High School ELA, ICT and Social Sciences teacher
How did you get into pinball? One of my earliest memories is when I was about 4. My parents bowled in a league at Roxy Lanes on Henderson, and used to take me along sometimes. One night, between games, my dad’s friend put a chair in front of the pinball machine, lifted me onto the chair, and let me play a game. I was hooked. Been playing on and off ever since.
Favorite machine(s): I really like the new Iron Maiden and Star Wars machines from Stern. My all-time fave is probably Addams Family or Twilight Zone. There are too many other favorites to list (Gorgar, Centaur, Diner, Taxi, Space Shuttle, Fire!, Fish Tales, Earthshaker, Whirlwind…)
Least favorite machine: The Walking Dead. Ugh.
Favorite arcade: Village Inn Bowl and Cue (now known as Academy West Lanes)
Favorite pinball moment: Running the table with a perfect record to win my first tournament…. or surviving the blowout in Dave’s van coming home from getting blown out at the Red River Cup in Fargo 🙂
Favorite drink(s)? Pure Leaf Unsweetened Ice Tea, Diet Coke, Kraken dark rum, Guinness, Kilchommen single malt scotch
Favorite burger place: The Burger Place at Portage and Rutland
Favorite pizza joint: the Pizza Place in Swan River… their monster pizza is PHENOMENAL!
Other interests? gaming (video games, role-playing games like D&D, board games, card games like Magic the Gathering, and Texas Hold’em), music (piano/guitar/singing), reading, drinking stouts, following the Philadelphia Flyers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Dolphins, Arsenal Gunners and Winnipeg Jets
Anything else? Yes, I routinely drive two hours each way JUST to play pinball. I used to drive 3 and half each way, but not as frequently. I have no kids, but I have (counts on fingers and toes) like…. 11? 12? kids who are my “godchildren”.