Toy Crane Machine
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A Toy Crane Machine is a popular game machine seen regularly in United States supermarkets, restaurants, sports venues and other varied places. Players must put either a quarter of a dollar or half of it in order to try their luck.
After inserting the money into the machine, players have fifteen seconds to use a handle to maneuver a crane, directing it to a desired toy placed inside the machine. The machines are covered with glass, therefore, no one can open them and take toys away. Usually, these machines have stuffed animals, super hero characters and sports teams stuffed balls as awards. The rate of success for each player depends largely on the individual's practice and level of talent.
History
These machines first came out in 1987, with large presence at Pizza Hut restaurants. Later on, they'd be seen at movie theaters and other places. By the early 1990s, the NFL began to advertise their teams with stuffed footballs of each team placed on some of the machines. Soon after, the MLB, NBA and NHL also joined, although the NBA no longer uses these machines as a mean of advertisement.
By the middle 1990s, the machine's popularity had made such establishments as Safeway's, Fry's Supermarkets, K-Mart, Walmart and others make them a staple of their locations. Some hotels also acquired them to satisfy their younger guests, as did sports venues that would stuff them with collectibles related to their home teams.
Early in 2004, a seven year old boy found his way into one of these machines, and the 9-1-1 emergency service had to be called to rescue him.