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Colorado Teen Bests Pros, Dad To Become Youngest Pinball World Champ

Stacy Nick
Adam Lefkoff is the 2017 Professional & Amateur Pinball Association World Champion.

The last time I talked with Adam and Escher Lefkoff, the Longmont father-and-son pinball aficionados were on their way to compete at the Professional & Amateur Pinball Association’s World Championships.

At the time, I asked Adam: Between the two of them, who’s the better player?

“I’m better than he is,” he said “And it’s only because of that experience. So many things come natural to him. He’s fearless. No doubt, he will be better than me when he gets older.”

What a difference a year makes.

After a tense tiebreaker, 13-year-old Escher Lefkoff was crowned the 2017 PAPA 20 World Champion. Escher is now the youngest champion in the event’s history after beating three-time PAPA-champion Bowen Kierens, the former youngest champion.

“These are absolutely the most experienced, best players in the world, and Escher was right in the middle of the mix, holding his own,” said a proud Adam, showing me around their barn where they house about 30 pinball machines.

But Escher -- who’s been playing against, and beating, adults since before he could even see over the glass top of a pinball machine -- is taking it in stride.

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“When I’m playing against the professional players, they don’t see me as a 13-year-old kid,” he said. “They see me as every other player. That’s one of the cool things about pinball. I can just play pinball and not really worry about how old I am.”

Credit Stacy Nick / KUNC
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KUNC
Escher Lefkoff received $7,000 and a 55-pound trophy he's named Marty for his win at the PAPA tournament. He also gained entry to the 2018 International Flipper Pinball Association's tournament.

As Escher recounted the tiebreaker moment on the game Skateball, it’s clear that the victory was pretty sweet.

“I lock in my 100,000 bonus and it’s looking good,” Escher said. “And I drain out but I’m ahead of him. So if he doesn’t catch me, I win there. He drained out, and I won without even having to play my third ball.”

But it wasn’t the first tense tiebreaker of the day. Before the final showdown for the championship, Escher had to beat the guy who taught him everything he knows about the game.

It’s never ideal, playing against each other, Adam said. Although it’s something that, as Escher continues to get better, has become more common.

“We both always try our best and you try and sort of put aside that this is my son and my prodigy,” he joked.

Credit Stacy Nick / KUNC
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KUNC
Shown in this 2016 photo, Adam and Escher Lefkoff play pinball games in the family's Longmont barn.

It’s important to enjoy this moment, Adam said.

“Because I know, having been in the finals myself, it’s fleeting,” he said. “It seems to only last for a second or two, and then it’s over.”

Back to that earlier question about who’s the better player: Adam said it’s clear that Escher is the best pinball player in the family, for now.

“The good news is -- on pinball -- on any given day, anyone can have a good day and play well, and so I still am confident I will be able to beat the boy -- occasionally -- at tournaments,” he said, smiling. “Although lately, it seems he always finishes higher than I do.”

Stacy was KUNC's arts and culture reporter from 2015 to 2021.