Earl Feddick, founder of the legendary Valley Pool Tables, is one of the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame’s legacy members, who were posthumously inducted back in March.
Feddick started up his business in 1935 as Valley Manufacturing Co. in a garage in Bay City, Mich. (the Valley name comes from the location’s Saginaw Valley). He made little wooden toys like cars, wagons and an assortment of novelties for kids.
An entrepreneur at heart, Feddick had also opened an electrical appliance store, a record shop and an art and gift outlet in Bay City.
Starting in 1954, Valley started building their mainstay product – 6-pocket pool tables. Called the “Cadillac of coin-op pool,” Valley tables were and continue to be ubiquitous in the industry. VNEA (Valley National 8-Ball League Assn.) continues to host annual events bringing together the best pool players in the world to play on Valley tables.
