Topic: Can't remember brand of 1970's table

[lhedquist]

Back in the days when foosball was getting very popular, we used to play on tables that had solid bars with ball bearings.  The tables were very solid and heavy and a buddy of mine actually bought one- I think he paid over $600.00 for it in the late 1970's.  Pinning the balls was not a problem and the bars, bearings, and sturdiness of the table allowed for extreme shot speed- especially kick shots.

I haven't played regularly since the mid 80's and recently considered buying a table for our rec room.  I started looking around and was disappointed by the feel of the "high-end" tables I found.  All the "quality" tables now primarily have hollow rods and bushings.  I really prefer the feel of those old-style tables and can't seriously consider paying the going rate for a table that doesn't provide the feel that I remember.

Started wondering if I could find one of the older tables for sale used but can't remember the brand or brands that had similar features.  Any information or advise is greatly appreciated.

[SumnerH]

Back in the days when foosball was getting very popular, we used to play on tables that had solid bars with ball bearings.  The tables were very solid and heavy and a buddy of mine actually bought one- I think he paid over $600.00 for it in the late 1970's.  Pinning the balls was not a problem and the bars, bearings, and sturdiness of the table allowed for extreme shot speed- especially kick shots.

Most 1970s tournaments were played on Tournament Soccer tables.  These had solid rods, but not ball bearings.

The only quality US tables I know of that had ball bearings were some of the Stryker/Dynamo tables in the early 1990s, but the ball bearings proved to be a problem and a retrofit kit with bushing bearings was provided to people who'd bought the ball bearing version.

Some of the new european tables (Eurosoccer) have ball bearings.

The Tournament Soccer tables had a somewhat grippier surface, kind of like modern Lemacher tables.  They were much better than modern Tornado tables for front/back pin shots and for bank shots.  The solid rods are heavier and slower than the hollow rods, though they could have felt faster for a couple of reasons: 1. The prevalence of race defenses; 2. The narrower men, making defense much harder; 3. There was a little more room on the pull of some earlier tables, so with good recoil you could get well past deadbar.

[lhedquist]

Now I'm thinking they might have been deutscher meister tables.