Punk Robbers At The Fair

By Sam Staffen

When I broke into the games in the carnival things were certainly different. And I only started working games back during the end of the 1989 season. That was not that long ago. Through the years many of us carnies have raised a family. And for the most part the carnival has been good to those who have stuck and stayed and made it pay. Getting paid seems to be getting harder and harder and sometimes nearly impossible.
So when I am sitting in these events which still have thousands in attendance and it sometimes seems impossible to get a dollar or two, it gives me much time to think. Why am I not getting money at this spot when I did three years ago? How did this happen? Most people would say it is the economy. Others would say it is the overall image of carnies. But in my experience and from my polling of the actual customers I have come to find it is mainly do to a practice that was forbidden when I broke in.
When I broke in it was regularly known that nobody working games would beat a handicap, pregnant woman, or a child out of any significant amount of money. You were supposed cut them loose after the original game was done. Whether it be two dollars or five dollars. Cut them loose. If you were caught working any of these three types of people you were lucky if you did not get an whooping and then ran off that midway by the other games people.
Due to rules changes at most major events the games are ran to be less aggressive on the players. The Carnival owner no longer want the games workers to do some of the things they have been allowed to do in the past. These rules were intended to make the carnival a more user friendly environment. They were instituted, for the most part, by people that have no experience in the games. They are the law makers because they are event committee members or an owner of rides. They certainly were trying to make it better but may have failed.
What has happened is that the old school carnies began finding other professions and many have went to the old school shows still traveling around playing lesser celebrations. What this means is that many of the game concession owners have had to hire what we call green help. Because the old school guys are less apt to be seen, because of the rules changes, at these large events, the green help has less opportunity to learn what they are actually doing. Possibly no one was around to tell them do not beat pregnant women, handicaps, and kids. But nowadays the kids are certainly targeted at the least.
Recently in the Winchester Virginia Apple Blossom Festival a couple old school carnies were talking about all the punk robbers that have infiltrated the amusement industry. They agreed that the tub game they were working was slow this year because of the punk robbers who had worked it at this very good festival the past couple of years. They had this idea because several kids had told them they lost all their money last year in that game. Just as they were getting into the conversation a young man walks up with his girlfriend. The kid would not throw a ball but stated he had been beaten a long time ago. The one old school carnie then asked the young man how old are you. He replied 20 years old. The carnie then asked what is a long time ago, maybe two or three years. The kid inferred much longer and restated a long long time ago. Theses two veteran carnies began to laugh emphatically because this meant he was beaten out of all his money at a very young age. He had been a victim of a punk robber. Carnies used to tell the kid he had to bring back mom and dad to play for the big prizes.
Punk robbing has been a major discussion recently amongst long time game workers. The governing bodies making these rules changes should at least have to get the opinion of an experienced game operator. In every other field companies are required to consult a field professional. In the carnival they do not seemed to be required to consult anybody. Which means the rules and regulations changes are derived from people who are ignorant to what actually happens behind the counters. Many old school carnies realize these regulators are just that ignorant.
I created the web site http://uscarnys.com/ The web site was first published for use on the internet on February 4, 2008. Already USCarnys.com boasts arguably the best free listing of bonafide fairs and festivals on the internet. USCarnys.com has 48 pages of fairs and festivals which you can find all the pages on the home page in a drop down menu. There is a merchandise page with several vendors, a carnivals page with nearly 80 links to different carnivals web sites, a contact page, an employment page, and the home page to go with the 48 pages of fairs and festivals listings. You will find this site truly informative and a very helpful tool for anyone who does anything in the outdoor amusements. Come check out USCarnys.com now!
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