# Operation (the game) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 29, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518 "2016-03-29T13:59:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/1 "2016-03-29T13:59:30Z")
[Remember the game Operation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_%28game%29)? My friend’s dad, [John Spinello](http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2016/03/25/operation-game-inventor-visits-heinz-history-center/) is the guy who invented the game. He was in college, needed cash, so he sold the game for a few hundred dollars. The game went on to sell millions of copies. John recently needed surgery that he was unable to afford. Word got out and [crowd sourcing helped pay for what was needed.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/27/john-spinello_n_6055174.html) A documentary about John and the game is in production. Once I buy him a beer tonight, I’ll add his name to the list of famous people who I’ve bought drinks. Jack Lambert (NFL HOF), Flea (RHCP), Keb Mo (Kevin Moore), and John Spinello. BZZZZZZZTT.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/2 "2016-03-29T14:11:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > John recently needed surgery that he was unable to afford. On his Bread Basket or his Funny Bone? ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/3 "2016-03-29T14:15:05Z")
I only knew one of your famous peeps. One of us needs to get out more. Probably me ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/4 "2016-03-29T15:00:42Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > I only knew one of your famous peeps. > > One of us needs to get out more. > > Probably me ☹ “Famous” to me, I guess. Who’d you know? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/5 "2016-03-29T15:50:39Z")
Cool story, kayaker. We played with that as kids. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/6 "2016-03-29T15:52:51Z")
I recognized all the names. Great story! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/7 "2016-03-29T15:52:59Z")
I hated that damn game. Obviously it was given to me a bit too young…that or I had the DTs at way too young an age 🙂 Good for him! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/8 "2016-03-29T16:20:30Z")
I loved that game and I can never get anyone to play it with me. I can still remember the commercial where the woman says " . . ._operate_?!" and the annoying little kid yells “take out wrenched ankle!!”. Can anyone remember all the maladies / body parts without looking it up? Adams apple Bread basket Funny bone Wrenched ankle Water on the knee Butterflies in the stomach Spare rib (?) Something about removing a rubber band that I can’t quite recall Those are all I remember though it seems there were a few more. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/9 "2016-03-29T16:33:01Z")
All pretty easy except for Writer’s Cramp. That damn pencil was nearly impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/10 "2016-03-29T18:58:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > [Remember the game Operation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_%28game%29)? My friend’s dad, [John Spinello](http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2016/03/25/operation-game-inventor-visits-heinz-history-center/) is the guy who invented the game. > > He was in college, needed cash, so he sold the game for a few hundred dollars. The game went on to sell millions of copies. John recently needed surgery that he was unable to afford. Word got out and [crowd sourcing helped pay for what was needed.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/27/john-spinello_n_6055174.html) A documentary about John and the game is in production. > > Once I buy him a beer tonight, I’ll add his name to the list of famous people who I’ve bought drinks. Jack Lambert (NFL HOF), Flea (RHCP), Keb Mo (Kevin Moore), and John Spinello. > > BZZZZZZZTT.😃 I’m interested in the stories of you buying these people a beer? Especially Keb Mo, since I’m a fan. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/11 "2016-03-30T12:17:27Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I’m interested in the stories of you buying these people a beer? Especially Keb Mo, since I’m a fan. Well, a good friend of mine owns a blues bar in Pittsburgh, and he was instrumental (:)) in helping Kevin get started in the music business. They’ve been friends from the start, so when there is a Keb Mo show anywhere nearby we often hang out. Flea has had tattoo work done by Pittsburgh legend Moose (RIP). My first tattoo was done by Moose and we became friends. One day he called me to let me know that members of Red Hot Chili Peppers were coming to the shop, so I hurried over and hung out. I brought a cooler with beers. A 12 pack lasted 12 minutes. I met Jack Lambert through a friend who rides motorcycles with him. We had a bunch of non-football things in common and became friends. We’ve bought each other many beers. And now, John Spinello. Very cool guy. Everyone at the get together had a story about the game. A woman brought an original mint condition copy for him to sign! I stopped at Walmart and bought one. The cashier mentioned that for some reason they were selling like hot cakes. 😃 [Operation!](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/image_zpsppo2gjgk.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/12 "2016-04-02T14:55:15Z")
In an episode of **Sherlock** , Sherlock and Mycroft are playing a game which is only shown at the end of the scene. My husband and I assumed that it was chess. It was Operation. Wikipedia says that the “rubber band thing” was “Ankle bone connected to the knee bone.” It also says that among the variations on this game is a British **Doctor Who** version in which you can “operate” on a Dalek. (Okay, everybody, say “Operate” in your Dalek voice…) > **[Operation (game)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_%28game%29)** > > Operation is a battery-operated game of physical skill that tests players' eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. The game's prototype was invented in 1964 by University of Illinois industrial-design student John Spinello, who sold his rights to renowned toy designer Marvin Glass for $500 and the promise of a job upon graduation, which was not fulfilled. Initially produced by Milton Bradley in 1965, Operation is currently produced by Hasbro, with an estimated franchise worth $40 million. Th... ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/13 "2016-04-02T20:38:26Z")
Moving to Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operation-the-game/750518/14 "2016-04-05T16:20:31Z")
Your friends Dad might get a kick out of this then! 18 February 2011 - we attended a meeting of “The Edinburgh Secret Society” entitled “An Evening of Death”. Scroll down to the entry for that date here if you wish: [https://edinburghsecretsociety.wordpress.com/past-events/](https://edinburghsecretsociety.wordpress.com/past-events/) I quote "\*For this event we arranged special access to a stunning historic building that is rarely open to the public – Edinburgh University’s Anatomy Lecture Theatre. Built in the late 1880s, this amazing venue contains steeply raked seats rising above a central dissecting table, and has been home to many infamous cadavers. This is where we celebrated an evening of death, including the strangest of manifestations from beyond the grave, the true story of the man who cheated death, and a Victorian machine first created to talk to the dead. There was also a **live operation** , and some surprisingly haunting melodies to enliven everybody. At this event we were joined by the fabulous SpaceDog.\*" The \*\*\*live operation \*\*\*turned out to be two members of the audience being invited down only to find they were matched head to head in a game of Operation! For more info on the game operation see: [https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3737/operation](https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3737/operation). John Spinello is indeed credited together with a Marvin Glass. Here is a brief bio of John [https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/36291/john-spinello](https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/36291/john-spinello) . Apparently he was assigned the game as a project during this studies. The co-designer was his employer - Marvin Glass - who also invented Mouse Trap and Masterpiece! See [https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/3743/marvin-glass](https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/3743/marvin-glass)