The story of a blind, deaf and mute boy becoming a Pinball master may seem an unlikely foundation for a smash hit movie but, in 1975, that’s exactly what happened when Tommy hit the silver screen. Starring Oliver Reed and Ann-Margret – and with a score by The Who and Elton John, Tommy became a cult favorite and, in this article, we’re going to take a closer look at pinball – including why it was once banned.
A board to combat boredom
It’s thought that pinball was originally adapted from the French game, Bagatelle, which was a favorite among aristocrats who came up with the idea as an alternative to croquet on rainy days. This very simple game was made up of no more than a board, some pins and a ball but it became so popular that it’s said that French soldiers brought the game with them to America during the American Revolution.
It seemed that the French were onto something as the Americans too developed a love of the game, which soon spread to other parts of the world.
From bars to barred
While Bagatelle was enjoyed by many people across the United States, one person thought it could be better. In 1871, an inventor named Montague Redgrave applied for – and was granted – a US patent with the title ‘Improvements in Bagatelle’, having thought of a few ways to improve the game.
By adding a slope to the board, a coiled spring and smaller balls, the game, which became hugely popular in bars, was renamed ‘Parlor Table Bagatelle’. Bar owners welcomed the new game and would offer free drinks to high scorers as an incentive to play – and drink – more.
As the game became ever more popular – and players more competitive, it was only a matter of time before people decided to ‘make the game more interesting’ by adding cold, hard cash into the mix. In 1931, the automatic pin ball machine was introduced – a machine which was activated by placing a coin into a slot to activate play. In 1947, the flippers which are now synonymous with pinball machines were introduced, adding a new element to the game, where, previously, players would need to bump and tilt the pinball machine in order to make the ball change direction.
By the 1940s, pinball machines had started to pay out prizes in cash – which delighted players but, unfortunately, brought the game to the attention of the US government. By the end of the 1940s, pinball had been banned in the USA as the government decreed that, not only was it a form of gambling but, it was considered dangerous for children and, even, had associations with the mafia.
Pinball and the mob
In 1948, the New York Supreme Court distict attorney claimed that the gang, Murders Inc. had an association with pinball whereby they would assign specific territories to people that they owed favours to and, would gift pin ball machines.
Author Russell Shorto, whose family had associations with the mafia in Pennsylvania, says, ‘The beauty of pin ball to the mob was that, since coins you put in didn’t correspond with a quantifiable product like cigarettes or candy, it was impossible to track the machine’s earnings. The high-tech fun of the game plus the possibility of beating it for cash made them addictive’. With the game banned, pinball went underground – and wouldn’t resurface until the 1970s.
Lifting the ban
In 1976, author and pinball player, Roger Sharpe, made history when he went to court to try to prove that pin ball was a game of skill rather than chance and, therefore, was not a form of gambling. Roger successfully proved his point by playing a game of pinball actually in the courtroom – during which, he stated out loud his prediction for the movement of the ball before shooting it. Having proved conclusively that pin ball was a game of skill, Roger Sharpe was very much instrumental in the ban on the game being overturned in the USA. Today, Roger is a successful author and is, of course, still a keen pinball player.
He sure plays a mean pinball
Today, pinball machines can be found in bars, hotels and arcades in almost every town and city in the world, and the arcade gaming industry is valued at a cool $3.5 billion. These days, there are a huge number of different machines and games available and, one of the bestsellers is ‘The Addams Family’ which is based on the hit movies and has a production rate of over 20,000 machines which can cost up to $10,000 each.
In 2022, pinball, like most other games, is largely played online but, lovers of retro will happily shell out thousands to buy an original machine for their homes. If you fancy getting your hands on your very own pinball game, they don’t come cheap but, in some cases, you can pick one up for a few grand. If, however, you’ve got your heart set on the Pinball machine, you’ll need deeper pockets.
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These machines, which have been displayed in museums around the world, are very much collectors items – and sell for around $125,000 if, in fact, you can actually find one up for sale, which is rare. In addition to a retro item for the home, pinball is no stranger to the movie industry – as well as the rock opera, Tommy, pinball has featured in a number of films including Big, starring Tom Hanks, Big Daddy and, the 1980 cult favorite, The Blues Brothers.
While most players see pinball as a way of passing a few minutes in an arcade or bar, but, in 2015, a British Columbia resident took the game to new levels. Guinness World Record holder, Eden Stamm, played pinball in his local pub, the Lamplighter, for 28 straight hours – blasting through the previous record. Stamm, who was able to take or bank five minute breaks during his flipathon, not only smashed the record but, also, went on playing for hours afterwards ‘for fun’.
Conclusion
While pinball machines may be slowly replaced by video games and online gaming, this relatively old school game still has enduring appeal for many people across the globe. In many places, fans can even visit a pinball club such as Pinball Republic in Croydon, which features in excess of 80 different machines; all of which have been lent to the venue by pinball enthusiasts from around the UK. Visitors pay a one off charge of £10, after which they can play on the machines to their heart’s content.
As players, old and young, continue to enjoy pinball, it’s unlikely that the game, which is a nod toward simpler times, will be going anywhere soon.
