PIN BALL LORE
I remember the first pinball machines.
We had a kindergarten grade visitor at our house several weeks ago and she sat down at this very computer and I witnessed her bat out a pinball game which I was not even aware we had since “games” is not our forte. She did well, as far as I could tell, and played as several “players” getting bumped, flipped, bounced and batted all over the place in an elaborately colorful and noisy routine.
The first pinball machines I remember must have been in the early l930's. It developed as Depression Times amusement because of the low cost.
The first I remember was called “Baffle Ball” I think and those early models strictly mechanical and all were “counter mounted”. One of the first I remember was placed on the end of the cash register counter in a news-stand set-up. The keyboard faced the customer area and I am certain the price was a nickel for a “game”,or for so-many tries. There was a short plug on front at the bottom which sent the balls up into the glass covered case. They rattled around and fell in holes which were cut into a slanted field in a moon design with stars around it.
That's about all the first ones did. Player sought for the highest scores and some places gave prizes for the best scores or sets of scores. There were other versions called Ballyhoo and Bingo ...with art work to distinguish them because they all did that much the same things. Before too long they got battery power which made them more interesting and largely because players learned to bump the machine, lift them to guide the ball too other areas, so “tilt” devices were invented to shut the practice down when someone played “unfairly”. The counter top boxes grew legs of their own, too, and by, because heavier and by 1934 they were usually equipped with transformers and could be plugged in for dependable power. At about that same time, lights were added and the things went wild with colored lights blinking and flashing light luring players of all ages, circumstances, age and social levels to enter the behold the wonderful make-believe world that seemed top offer plus rewards or varied kinds as a reward for very little skill and effort. There was a time when the pinball machine was deemed to be socially unacceptable by some. They machines were found mainly in pool halls, dives, joints and other limited access locations, but, in time, it turned up in corners at the drugs stores, grocery stores and service stations - seemingly without number - and they became a mainstay of the arcade, game rooms spots where they developed a more complex group of players. - some of whom grew to “expert” status at playing the now, more complicated games at advanced levels
.
That's when the antiques people started buying up the older, creaky ones and some of the flashy newcomers, which are still around in private collections and museums.
Do you have some pleasant memories of the Pin Ball era?
A.L.M. February 14, 2003 [c526wds]
