A Sense of Debt

Against the wall in the Detroit bar there is a Pachinko machine. This is a type of Japanese pinball game that uses ball bearings stamped with Japanese kanji writing. Traditional pachinko parlors in Japan and elsewhere have walls of these. On the other side of the wall there is a person whose job is to keep scores from getting to high. He does this by moving a sliding lever on the back that alters the spring tension. Sometimes these pachinko balls are taken and get in to circulation. Those who don't know what they are have been known to see these as strange occult or alien artifacts, but they're nothing of the sort.

Magnum is a die hard Tigers fan and yet doesn't recognize either Lou Whitaker or Alan Trammel. They were perennial all stars during that time period and even if you were casual fan of baseball you would know who they are.