History of Tudor Games - Written by Earl Shores

Electric Football's ancestry can be traced back to 1929, when Elmer Sas incorporated Tudor Metal Products in New York City. The company survived the Depression through the popularity of its Budget Bank, which Elmer created. In the late 40's, Elmer's son Norman became president of Tudor, and invented the toy we all know and love - - Electric Football.

A mid-50's Tudor #500 model.

Norman based the game on a vibrating car race game that Tudor already made. Those early No. 500 Electric Football models look crude to the modern eye - - but, just for a second, imagine being a child on Christmas morning in 1949. No spinners, no dice, no cards to flip over. . . just turn on the game and watch your players run - - all by themselves!

Electric Football was an immediate hit, captivating boys' imaginations like few toys ever had. Tudor did so well with the game that by the mid-50's another company, Gotham Pressed Steel, sauntered up to the scrimmage line. Over the coming years, some of Electric Football's greatest innovations would come out of the competition between the two companies.

Tudor produced the first all-plastic 3-D men in 1958, including a running back that carried the ball in his arm. In the early 60's, Gotham became an NFL licensee and produced not only the first NFL endorsed Electric Football game, but also the first "big game." Finishing off this G-1500 model was a colorful metal grandstand that nearly surrounded the field.

The 1962 Tudor #600 model, complete with Payne's new "sculpt-action" players.

About the same time, industrial designer Lee Payne was showing Norman Sas a set of player prototypes whose realism would change Electric Football forever. Tudor introduced these players on its first large game, the 1962 #600 model. Besides figures in four different "sculp-action" poses, the game also had a metal grandstand with a lithographed crowd scene photo. This addition was another Payne innovation.

By 1966, the grandstands on both Tudor and Gotham big games reached beautifully realistic, yet somewhat ridiculous, proportions. But Tudor had more than grandstands on its mind. Lee had perfected his third generation of players. They were finely detailed, down to thigh pads and face masks. Norman then approached the NFL, showing off the fine detail the company could add to the figures. Tudor could paint them like any team in the NFL!

Soon after the Packers beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl I, Tudor unveiled its new line of NFL games and pre-painted NFL players. Now every kid could play Electric Football with his or her favorite team. As the NFL's popularity exploded over the next decade, so did the popularity of Electric Football. At one point in the 70's, four different companies were making games. Of course, with the NFL license, Tudor always had the most popular models.

With the advent of video games, hands-on toys like Electric Football struggled to remain part of the 80's & 90's fast-forward kid culture. Fortunately, Michael Landsman of Miggle Toys recognized that many people still have a place in their hearts (and under their tree) for Electric Football. So, as the 21st Century unfolds, the Tudor story continues to be written.

A 1967 Tudor NFL #613 model. This game was sold exclusively through Sears, and featured the Bears and the Cardinals.

This "History of Tudor Games" and the photos on this page are all courtesy of Earl Shores.

Special Post-Note: Sadly, Lee Payne passed away in May 2003 at the age of 69. From the painted players, to the field markings, to the goalposts, Payne's vision of realism is part of every Electric Football game made today. While a faculty member at Georgia Tech, he would sometimes show his industrial design classes slides of Electric Football - - and get standing ovations. He was truly one of the most important figures in Electric Football history. He will be missed.