Salem man takes home world pinball title again
Bowen Kerins hasn’t played much pinball lately. With a day job writing mathematics textbooks and a 1-year-old son at home, the Salem resident has a lot on his plate. But he’s still one of the greatest pinball wizards in the world, and he proved that last weekend in England by winning the World Pinball Championship for the second year in a row.
“I was really surprised,’’ Kerins said yesterday. “There’s enough luck involved in pinball that anyone can win or lose anytime.’’
The tournament, held July 31 to Aug. 2 just outside London, brought together 64 of the world’s top players. After Kerins won the tournament in Las Vegas last year, he was declared the number one pinball player in the world, but his rank had slipped over the past year because he cut back on competitive events.
With his victory in England, Kerins is back up to number three in a composite of rankings by several pinball organizations. His rank may rise further next weekend, when he travels to Pittsburgh for the Professional and Amateur Pinball Association championship.
“One thing that helps me a lot is that I tend not to feel the pressure of the situation,’’ Kerins said. “It’s just a blast. It’s a lot of fun.’’
Kerins has three pinball machines in the basement of his condo, where he lives with his wife, Nancy. By day, he writes math textbooks, including the eighth-grade math curriculum being used by the City of Boston and about 500 other communities next year, he said.
“Bowen’s achievement is truly remarkable, especially given that for the first time in competitive pinball history a World Championship was held on foreign soil,’’ said Zachary Sharpe, vice president of the International Flipper Pinball Association. “For him to not only travel and compete head-to-head against 64 of the world’s top players from 15 countries, but to also capture this title two years in a row, it’s nothing short of spectacular.’’
He took home a $1,100 cash prize and will receive a new pinball machine for winning.
Kerins learned how to play pinball as a kid, watching his father play at local arcades. His own son is “not quite tall enough’’ to play, Kerins said, but he can reach some of the buttons already.
John M. Guilfoil can be reached at jguilfoil@globe.com 
