This background case traces the origin and growth of this leisure conglomerate through the point when it was the victim of a hostile takeover by Irwin Jacobs. The case covers the mechanics and terminology of takeovers, and the exhibits contain enough financing information to allow students to evaluate AMF's operating performance and attractiveness as a takeover. The B case (OM-0638) covers the leveraged buyout of AMF Bowling. (Follow-up cases are OM-0639 and OM-0640.)