New Games Timeline
John O'Connell and Bill Michaelis came up with this working draft of the history of New Games and the New Games Foundation. Please let me know if you have any information that would make it more complete and/or accurate.
Please use this e-mail address: new games at todd strong dot com (delete the spaces and the @ and . where needed)
New Games Timeline (draft)
(abbreviated)
Please consider this timeline as a work in progress. There are lots of omissions and possibly some inaccuracies, as well. Looking at items more closely, one can see that both Barbara Naiditch and Dale Le Fevre were hired in both 1975 and 1976. My hope is to make this as comlete and accurate as possible. It's also a working document and the items should not be taken as undisputed facts.
Pre-History:
WWIII; “Trips Festival?” – Stewart Brand
1973
First NG Tournament
Gerbode Preserve
Stewart Brand, Pat Farrington, Wavy Gravy, et al
PBS/TVTV Video of the First NG Tournamen
1974
Second NG Tournament, Gerbode Preserve
Spring 1974 – Pat Farrington
John O’Connell gets involved acts as referee for 2nd Tournament
Burton Naiditch at arts area.
CBS Evening News w/Walter Cronkite coverage
ABC TV, film on NG, “If You Were a Foot?”
NGF Incorporated
Also working on promotion of small ‘Tournaments’ in local areas
Visitacion Valley Playground Project, San Francisco, -- local events.
1975
Third NG Tournament, Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park = 10,000 estimated – Pat Farrington
Dale Le Fevre joins NG as an organizer. Burton joins; John takes hiatus
Burton Naiditch and Dale Le Fevre begin working in Foundation w/Pat
Andrew Fleugelman and John O’Connell (as NGF Editor) begin work on the New Games Book
Bill Michaelis submits a box of games materials, Bernie de Koven submits games, little girl submits “The Christmas Game.”
Burton and John take over NGF after Pat leaves to Australia to run program in Victoria.NGF left $70K in debt.
Set up office in “The Ecology Center,” Barbary Coast, SF
Barbara Naiditch and Trina Merriman hired.
John begins development of NG Training Program
Burton seeks grants.
The Whole Earthball published in newsprint tabloid format
Burton develops the very complex design of the silk screened Earthball w/continents
1976
Dale Le Fevre hired as Associate Director
Barbara Naiditch joins staff
Fourth NG Tournament and Bicentennial Celebration, ‘Rifle Range,’ GGNRA, Marin.
The New Games Book is published, Headland Press/Doubleday-Dolphin; Andrew Fluegelman editor; first printing of 10,000, quickly followed by another 40k
NG Training Program begins w/4 programs, one at ‘Games Preserve’/Bernie; one at Cal Poly Pomona/Bill; one in Oakland/Marcelle Weed: one in New York/Long Island
NGF moves to store front in Glen Park, SF
Trina Merriman joins staff
Pam Cleland joins staff
1977
Burton secures three year Mott Foundation Support Grant
NG Training Program blossoms into major Foundation activity
Todd Strong joins staff
Training Program Fine Tuned w/input from Bernie de Koven, Bill Michaelis, Marcelle Weed, Todd Strong and others.
Fall of 1977 the NGF offers thirty trainings in ten weeks. Three trainings given each weekend, one each in the East, the Midwest, and the West of the US.
’Backward Boston’ Training, Chuck Conn, Steve Butler, et al
National Parks Service ‘Interpretation Service’ Training @ Unicoi State Park in Georgia; Burton, John, Bernie, Cyndy Yoshitomi
Bernie invited to become the 3rd Director after Games Preserve Program
Burton develops NG ‘Slide Show,’ which becomes element of the Training Program
Training Program begins recruiting player-teachers from around the country as members of the NG Trainers Cadre
1978
NGF moves to house on Arguello St., in Inner Sunset, SF, ‘Big Time’ office
Barbara Naiditch develops New Games News Letter
Burton starts NG ‘Sales Program,’ books, t-shirts, games equipment. Foundation holds the trademark to the “Earthball.”
Spring of 1978 training program extended to sixteen weeks. Again, three trainings per weekend.
NGF buys a Toyota Corona station wagon as a staff vehicle. Todd absconds with vehicle (with blessings of all involved) to make a 20k mile road trip in four months.
August 1978 - Trainers' Conference, Headlands GGNRA, Marin County
The Well-Played Game by Bernie De Koven
NG Newsprint Tabloids, Ron Jones
International spread
Deutsche-Sportbund Representatives visit US; John & Bill lead training with them, adding to international extension
Dale LeFevre takes NG to UK (and ultimately to 33 other countries as a NG Field Rep
1979
NG Trainings and Festivals held in Europe, Canada and Australia, as well as US
NG Field Representative Program inaugurated
FONG/Friends of developed
August 1979 - Trainers' Conference, Estes Park, Colorado
Friends of New Games (FONG) membership program inaugurated
Burton develops New Games Catalog
Deutsche-Sportbund Program at ‘Der Grugepark’ in Essen, Germany (John leads training and festival with several thousand people.)
First New Games ‘Camp’ – aka advanced training, at Fellowship Farm in PA.
Contract/Group and ‘Open Trainings continue to grow – around 50 per year.
1980
Pam Cleland takes over as NGF Director, Burton leaves NGF and John shifts to become head trainer.
The Earthball Lawsuit’ begins, (Denison University, Ohio)
More New Games published, First printing 65,000 copies
The New Games Book goes into its 7th printing (750,000 copies, (second only to ‘Foxfire Book 1’;) combined book sales eventually exceed 1,000,000 copies.
Pam Cleland, Bill Michaelis & Ray Murray – become Editorial Board with Andrew Fleugelman, Editor.
Hundreds of New Games Festivals conducted around the US.
The New Games Book and More New Games! are translated into German by Ahorn Verlag and published in Germany
Nancy Kretz takes over as Director.
Lawsuit (Denison University, Ohio) is settled through NGF insurance coverage.
1983
Helen Meier hired as Director
Nancy briefly resumes role as part time Director as the Board of Directors begins the process to dissolve NGF.
Final training programs conducted.
Todd and John put in proposals to reinvent the foundation, but Board decides to shut it down.
1985
NGF officially dissolved by Board of Directors [Ray Murray, Chair; Andy Grimstad, Jim Dutcher, Marcia Taylor,].
Assets, -- NG books supplies, mailing list, library, -- turned over to National YMCA.
