LINK PENDLEY, BOB FURR Inducted 2003

March 25, 2003 LINK PENDLEY, BOB FURR ANNOUNCED AS NEWEST MEMBERS OF FOOSBALL HALL OF FAME

For the eighth consecutive year, the sport of table-soccer celebrated its rich and diverse history at the season-opening event in Las Vegas, as two new names were added to the prestigious Foosball Hall of Fame. Legendary promoter, tournament director and executive Link Pendley and original Tornado table designer Bob Furr became the newest members of this exclusive club in a ceremony held Saturday evening at the Riviera Hotel. Link Pendley first played the game of foosball in Frankfurt, Germany in 1967 and he was instumental in bringing the very first table to the state of Oklahoma one year later. He then went to college and started a career, and didn't play foosball again for 13 more years. In 1982 Link began playing again, and In 1983, he decided to get involved on a full time basis, opening the first of his foosball playing locations, "Tornado Alley� in Mustang, Oklahoma. He began running tournaments and soon decided to expand, opening "Jammers� in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore in 1984. In 1985 Link ran the first of his legendary Oklahoma State Championships, an event that would grow into one of the sport's most succesful regional events. That same year Link began working the Tornado pro tour, and was named its official Tournament director in 1987. Anyone who has competed at a Tornado event fondly recalls Link's voice echoing throughout the tournament ballroom calling matches. In 1988 Pendley expanded again, opening "Starbucks", which would become the home to Oklahoma foosball for the next eight years. Each year Link would run two major regional championships at Starbucks, the Oklahoma States and Halloween Open, events that would often approach major tour events in player attendance. In 1996 Link was hired by the Valley Company where he was soon named Vice president of their international division. Currently, Link travels the world promoting Tornado and the sport of foosball and has been a driving force behind the growth of american style foosball worldwide. In his speech, an obviously touched Pendley thanked his wife Marsha and his kids, including Chuck Pistole a former Hall of Fame Classic doubles champion, along with fellow hall members and good friends Dave Courington and Steve Murray. Link closed by saying, "I've stood on this stage a lot of times over the past fifteen years, but I have never felt like this. Thank you very much." Also inducted at this year's classic was Texan Bob Furr, who designed and manufactured the original Tornado foosball table back in the early 1970s. Bob was the brains behind many of the innovations that make the Tornado table unique, including the heavy duty cabinet, faceted handle and the counter balanced man. Bob also created the name "Tornado" and helped design the table's logo which is still in use today. In his heartfelt acceptance speech, Mr. Furr expressed his deepest gratitude and said he was especially appreciative of all the kind words expressed by the modern day players in attendance in Las Vegas. Everyone involved in the sport of foosball can be very thankful for the contributions of the two newest Foosball hall of Fame inductees, Link Pendley and Bob Furr.