MANCHESTER, NH – Ralph Baer – the name may not immediately ring a bell, but if you’ve ever played a video game, you have enjoyed the evolutionary fruits of his genius. Did you know the “father of the video game” had significant ties to Manchester?
- A life well played: Ralph Baer, 92, inventor of video games, playful spirit to the end
- Game Over: Ralph Baer, inventor and ‘father of video games,’ has died
Well, not only was he a game-changer in so many ways, but now his legacy has a chance to live on here in a very public way, in the heart of the city already bursting at the seams with pride for its many VIPs.
His son, Mark, is working with some city influencers, including the Manchester Historic Association, to create a Ralph Baer commemorative bench for Arms Park. It will be a small brick square featuring a bench and the likeness of Ralph Baer sitting with his signature brown box, which begat Pong, which started it all.
→You can read more here on the Kickstarter page. The goal is $10,000.
The stated goals of such a memorial include:
- To preserve and celebrate the memory of Ralph Baer, the “Father of the Video Game”.
- To foster a community of tech-oriented innovators and to inspire youth.
- To drive community traffic to the Millyard river walk and Millyard Museum.