Atari's Landfill Adventures, I now have the proof it's true.

[Spud]

I used Stingrays map and drew in what I remember of the area.

The gas tanks are off just a few feet from the top of the map, I think what were seeing is the gravel base they are on.

[Stingray]

Moycon, you continue to crack me up. I love your super close zoom in shot. I may use that on the landfill page.

 

I finally heard back from the guy I emailed yesterday and he has given me permission to quote him. The entire email is here.

 

He is John-Michael Battaglia and was the Senior Copy Writer at Atari in 1982 & 1983. The manuals that he did include Football, Space Dungeon, Phoenix, WaterWorld, and Adventure.

 

Here are a few quotes from the email:

 

Regarding the dumping of game cartridges, I have no physical evidence about the event myself, but I do recall the essence of the story, or rumor, you guys appear to be discussing. It was a long time ago, but I believe the story to be true.

 

Actually, I sort of mocked the whole issue of excess inventory in my next job. A week after being laid off by Atari, I went to work for Atari founder Nolan Bushnell as his publicist at Catalyst Technologies, an incubator of prototypes for new high-tech companies. One of the new companies Nolan and his investors were developing was Cumma Technology, which was designed to directly deal with the problem of excess inventories in the game cartridge department by inventing re-writable EPROM cartridges that could be programmed by jukebox devices I dubbed the "MetaWriter."

 

A Cuttle Cart/ Croco Cart years ahead of it's time!

 

Cumma was one of several other companies who appeared at the Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas the following year to try and come up with a new form of Electronic Distribution of Software. I know, because I co-ordinated the Public Relations for Cumma's presence there. In the process, I developed a brochure to illustrate the concept of the company. You can see the entire brochure on my portfolio web site, where you initially discovered me. The cover of the brochure shows a stressed-out man (modeled by me, representing a retailer of video games) buried almost up to his neck in Atari game cartridge boxes. The headline reads: "No More Inventory Risks, Please."

 

 

 

I had to use boxes from the game, "Outlaw," at the time, because all the E.T. boxes were vacated, missing, destroyed, and the Outlaws were the only ones I had access to then to make my point. I do know that the game cartridge debacle was on my mind then, however, because I also designed a version of the cover with the illumininated finger of E.T. sticking in one corner of the photograph, but I later opted for the version without that finger protruding in the shot. It was meant to be a direct reference to the problem created by the over-production of game cartridges for the E.T. game, and others, a direct consequence of which, along the new game machines, led to the precipitous fall of Atari.

 

He also said that he might have the unused E.T. brochure cover in the attic, and will scan it for us if he comes across it.

 

-S

[Spud]

So has anyone managed to contact the world famous M.E. McQuiddy yet? An interview with the reporter who actually wrote the stories would be great, even if it's a quick over the phone interview.

 

 

I went ahead and called the phone number I had for her in El Paso today.

It was an answering machine with a female voice, the message just said "your're here and I'm not, leave a mesage" or something to that effect. I left one and an waiting to hear back. I may try back tomorrow it being Sat. and all. Just incase she doesn't want to call me back long distance.

 

Spud

[frogstar_robot]

...E.T. got buried in a pit. I crack me up sometimes. I really do.

[Spud]

...E.T. got buried in a pit.  I crack me up sometimes.  I really do.

 

If thats not irony.....

[nudicle]

I sent the email a week ago today and haven't heard back. That's not too surprising since the last reference I could find for that email address was 1997.

 

Stingray sent a message today pinging me about this and said he had already started a postal letter so I'm deferring that bit to him.

 

Sorry for the delayed response, Apple has been holding my laptop hostage for 10 days and counting because the HD that needs replacing is "back ordered," even though it's the same HD they're pumping out in laptops from their bto web store. It's more than a little annoying and has kept me away from this place among other stuff. Didn't mean to leave everyone hanging on an update from me -- sorry about that.

 

-nudicle

[nudicle]

btw, until some time in May, I will have free access to Lexis/Nexis searches. If anyone has ideas for potentially relevant searches or even just records, please send me a message.

[Spud]

I sent the email a week ago today and haven't heard back. That's not too surprising since the last reference I could find for that email address was 1997.  

 

Stingray sent a message today pinging me about this and said he had already started a postal letter so I'm deferring that bit to him.

 

Didn't mean to leave everyone hanging on an update from me -- sorry about that.

 

-nudicle

 

No Problem, maybe between the 3 of us, we'll get something back.

[Spud]

I made a list of people from the newspaper stories who may be of help if we can track them down.

 

Bruce Enten - of Atari in California said Atari was sending scrap to

the Alamogordo dump.

It is by and large inoperable stuff.

After we finish this operation, we will have to

determine where we will do it in the future. Some

of the stuff sent to Alamogordo

is good stuff.

 

 

Ed Moore - Crushed the carts.

 

Jack Keating - Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) Manager, that

was paid to crush and bury the

materials.

 

Nelson Concrete - Poured the 290 yards of cement.

I heard they were out of business, but the

owner may still be around.

 

Guy Galloway - Commissioner of Alamogordo back then.

 

 

Dan Malone - City manager then.

 

 

Henry (Pac-Man) Pacelli - Mayor then

[moycon]

I've got an email out to Jon Dean.

He was one of a handful of Atari UK personnel. Unfortunately he didnt start working there until 1985 and pretty much left a year later because by that time Atari had shifted away from the games and was concentrating on home computers which he wasn't crazy about, he didn't agree with Atari's move away from what made them famous...games. Still it's worth a shot. He was distributor and dealer support in the UK and Ireland. So I asked him if he had any information on that Atari Inc.'s Raheen Industrial Estate plant in Ireland.

 

Interesting too...He left Atari and went to Activision International.

 

Another long shot. But maybe he will be able to add something. So far everyone we've been in contact with falls into the "Heard it from someone" camp. Just like the rest of us.

[Spud]

Stingray sent a message today pinging me about this and said he had already started a postal letter so I'm deferring that bit to him.

-nudicle

 

I tried to call again today, but again got the answering machine. Your turn Stingray. I don't want to spook her calling everyday. Maybe send a stamp addressed envelope with it or something to make one less reason for not replying.

[AtariDude]

Let us assume for a moment that E.T. was in fact buried in New Mexico and let us say that someone manged to unearth some of the items. What do you think such items would be worth?

[Spud]

Let us assume for a moment that E.T. was in fact buried in New Mexico and let us say that someone manged to unearth some of the items. What do you think such items would be worth?

 

I'm selling an Atari ET cartridge, this puppy in brand spankin new in the box, well the box has disintegrated along with the instructions, and the label has a few blemishes, but it does have that new cartridge smell, well once you get around the 22 years of garbage stinch that was setting on top of it. Just dust it off, and maybe use a chisel to remove any excess cement and it will give you many hours of enjoyment. Well, it is E.T. so your enjoyment results may vary.

 

Actually I think it would be cool to have one. Maybe 3 or 4 bucks is what it would be worth to me. Now if it was some cool not suppose to be seen paperwork, Mindlink, or something, thats another story.

[+Random Terrain]

I love this thread. If we can't even get this straight, there is very little about ancient history that we can trust (religion included).

[Stingray]

Stingray sent a message today pinging me about this and said he had already started a postal letter so I'm deferring that bit to him.

-nudicle

 

I tried to call again today, but again got the answering machine. Your turn Stingray. I don't want to spook her calling everyday. Maybe send a stamp addressed envelope with it or something to make one less reason for not replying.

 

Sent a letter today. I very politely & briefly explained who and what we're looking for and why. I included the URL for this thread and the URL for the page on my site where I'v been compling the data. I gave my home phone number, my cell phone number, my email address, and a self addressed stamped envelope so there's no reason for this person not to reply even if it's not the M.E. McQuiddy we're looking for. I'm in Oklahoma, so it should only take a letter a couple of days to reach El Paso.

 

-S

[Shannon]

I think since I'm a premium google member I can use the advance tools set. I was able to zoom in much closer Stingray. The results are indeed....Compelling.

833763[/snapback]

 

That pic would be more convincing if it had the google watermark.

[moycon]

I think since I'm a premium google member I can use the advance tools set. I was able to zoom in much closer Stingray. The results are indeed....Compelling.

833763[/snapback]

 

That pic would be more convincing if it had the google watermark.

836160[/snapback]

 

Premium Google members don't have to deal with silly "watermarks"

Memberships really does have it's privledges.

 

BTW: Never did get a response Jon Dean. I think he's hiding the truth.

[Spud]

The last video I have is up now. It's just showing the drive to the dump.

 

http://members.aol.com/atarilandfill6/landfill_today.mpg

[Spud]

btw, until some time in May, I will have free access to Lexis/Nexis searches. If anyone has ideas for potentially relevant searches or even just records, please send me a message.

834099[/snapback]

 

 

I'm not sure what exactly Lexis/Nexis is, but could it be useful in helping find these people?

 

Bruce Enten - of Atari in California said Atari was sending scrap to

the Alamogordo dump.

It is by and large inoperable stuff.

After we finish this operation, we will have to

determine where we will do it in the future. Some

of the stuff sent to Alamogordo

is good stuff.

 

 

Ed Moore - Crushed the carts.

 

Jack Keating - Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) Manager, that

was paid to crush and bury the

materials.

 

Nelson Concrete - Poured the 290 yards of cement.

I heard they were out of business, but the

owner may still be around.

 

Guy Galloway - Commissioner of Alamogordo back then.

 

 

Dan Malone - City manager then.

 

 

Henry (Pac-Man) Pacelli - Mayor then

[iguana]

this was on the site from the 12th. pretty cool. I assume this is about you Spud?

 

Daily News

[ubikuberalles]

this was on the site from the 12th.  pretty cool.  I assume this is about you Spud?

 

Daily News

838420[/snapback]

 

Good work Spud! You're famous! (in Alamagordo, at least).

[Spud]

this was on the site from the 12th.  pretty cool.  I assume this is about you Spud?

 

Daily News

838420[/snapback]

 

Good work Spud! You're famous! (in Alamagordo, at least).

838574[/snapback]

 

Yeah I guess, I'm not real proud of that story. Wish I had seen it before it went to press. Some of it was not the way I said it, or meant it anyway. The part about Great Britian, Europe and Japan, I said There is a lot of interest here as well as around the world, such as.... the above countries. Also of course no one has 6000 systems, that was suppose to be games, just a bunch of little errors, oh well. Maybe I'll write a story about it soon and send it to the paper. I ordered some of the papers and got them in the mail, I'll take a pic and post it soon.

[Spud]

Here is the way it looked in the paper. I wonder if this will be the last time that the old Atari will be on a front page of a paper? Unless we dig it up someday.

[Haydn Jones]

Here is the way it looked in the paper. I wonder if this will be the last time that the old Atari will be on a front page of a paper? Unless we dig it up someday.

838629[/snapback]

 

A lot of ontrest from uk, japan and europe? UK is in europe!!

 

Haydn

[keilbaca]

And when they said japan, i wonder if they meant me?