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Pinball pre-history starts with stones rolled at troughs in the sand, but 15th century billiards and bagatelle tables, where holes or cups were ascribed values and guarded by pins, are the true precursors. As early as 1878 a British patent was granted for a coin-operated version, but it was Ballyhoo (Bally Manufacturing Co., Chicago) in 1931 that ignited the craze which swept America at the start of the Great Depression. The game evolved rapidly, with automatic scoring, anti-cheat devices, lighting and sound effects, solenoid bumpers and flippers. Post 1930s British pintables usually emulated American designs, but lack of production scale prevented them from competing on price and, as the game became more complex, indigenous production ceased. |
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One ball for a penny, you shoot the ball into the playfield and watch it ricochet off the bumpers and springs. Each bump makes an electrical contact, advancing the traffic lights. If the lights are green when the ball exits the playfield, you win. The pictured example paid 2D for a win. Usually, as the name implies, prizes were sweets - a packet of Polos, which roll down the glass towards the player. |
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