Expert: Don - 11/29/2011

Question
QUESTION: First, thanks for even taking the time to read my question.

I am desperate--lol.   Anyway, here is my question.

I had a football board game that I received for Christmas back in the late 70's/early 80's.

It consisted of roughly 12 offense, and 12 defense cards----and once each player selected a card-----each card was roughly 6 inches long, by 3 inches wide-----the cards were overlayed, and the player on offense spun a spinner that was attached to a multi-color "pie-chart", and when the spinner landed on a color, that color was then used in determining the outcome of the play.

I still have the game---but not the box, therefore I can not find the manufacturer.   My boys still love the game, but it has clearly seen better days.  I would love to be able to get a new one for my boys.

Thank you!

ANSWER: Hi John,
Thanks for your interesting question about a very unique football game.  Most football games in the 60s and 70s have smaller cards than the ones you describe, have circular cards or extra large ones with plays on them, like the Foto-Electric Football games.  Also, the game play mechanic on most of them is determined by dice, several spinners or card play.  I would suggest using the "advanced search" on the largest database of board games on the web:  www.boardgamegeek.com
You can type in a possible word in the title (like football) and the years you would think your game would fall between and run the search.  The search will produce a list of games with pictures of the games which could be very helpful to you.  Also, when you click on a specific game in the listing, you can get pictures of the game itself and a description of game play.  I will continue to search for the title of your game.  In the meantime, feel free to give me updates on your progress so that I can better focus my search too.  Hopefully we can get a publisher and title and ultimately get this game for your boys.  You sound like a wonderful dad.
Best regards,
Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Don, Thanks so much for responding so quickly.

I do have one follow up---I visited boardgamegeek.com, and performed the advanced search still with no luck.

In my search, I read somewhere--and I haven't found it again---but one of the big game companies, either MB, or Hasboro, went to a spinner in the early 80's as to keep from associated the rolling of dice/gambling with the games they were selling.   Is there any truth to that?  I ask because that may be able to tell me when I got the game, and potentially who manufactured it.

Thanks again!

John

Answer
Hi John,
What an interesting tidbit of information.  I am always learning something new and will have to check into that myself.  Milton Bradley was a game pioneer and is often viewed by many as the one who launched the game industry in North America. He had a successful career in lithography before inventing his first board game.  I do know that back in the early days, when Milton Bradley first began his game company, they used and typically have continued to use spinners (instead of dice) as a way to bring something different into the world of boardgames.  Parker Brothers games have traditionally used dice for player movement, and eventually MB and PB became a part of Hasbro.  Thanks for the excitement.  Keep those questions coming.  
Best regards,
Don