# Episode 211 - 1937 Bally Line-Up

**Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2015-10-08  
**Duration:** 5m 41s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-211-1937-bally-line-up

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## Analysis

Nick Baldridge discusses Bally's 1937 Lineup, the company's first attempt at a bingo pinball machine. The game featured a 25-square (5x5) card layout and advancing odds—advanced mechanics for 1937. The playfield design with five rows of five large holes presented significant difficulty, as balls could easily roll out of play. The machine was sold in both novelty and payout forms at a premium price point.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Lineup was Bally's first attempt at a bingo pinball game — _Nick Baldridge, host of For Amusement Only podcast, speaking authoritatively about the game's historical significance_
- [HIGH] The 1937 Lineup featured a 25-square (5x5) card, matching later bingo game layouts — _Nick Baldridge, sourcing from the game's flyer documentation_
- [MEDIUM] The game had advancing odds, which was advanced technology for 1937 — _Nick Baldridge noting this as 'pretty advanced for 1937' while acknowledging uncertainty about exact mechanics_
- [HIGH] The 1937 Lineup cost significantly more than contemporary novelty games (Nick's Genco Jr. cost $39.50) — _Nick Baldridge providing direct price comparison from documented sources_
- [HIGH] Lineup was sold in both novelty and payout form in 1937 — _Nick Baldridge referencing game flyer documentation_
- [HIGH] The playfield featured five rows of five holes with large gaps between them, making ball control very difficult — _Nick Baldridge analyzing the flyer visuals and comparing to roll-down game designs_
- [MEDIUM] The playfield had no rubber bumpers, increasing difficulty and risk of ball loss — _Nick Baldridge observing 'no rubber on the playfield whatsoever' from flyer imagery, though he's never seen an actual machine_
- [HIGH] Nick Baldridge has never seen an actual Lineup machine in person — _Direct statement: 'I've never seen a real one. I'm only looking at the flyer.'_

### Notable Quotes

> "lineup was Bally's first attempt at a bingo. In 1937, this bingo had a 25 square card, so 5x5, just like the later bingos."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, 00:30-01:00 (approx)
> _Establishes the historical significance of Lineup as Bally's first bingo machine and notes the standardization of the 5x5 card format early on._

> "It looks very similar and very difficult because the space between those pockets is very large. It's possible to lose an entire ball by rolling all the way down to the bottom or the out area in a typical pin from this era."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, 02:30-03:00 (approx)
> _Highlights the significant gameplay difficulty and risk inherent in the Lineup's design philosophy._

> "Since there no rubber on the playfield whatsoever basically that just going to careen straight down into the out area So you have to very carefully it looks like nudge the ball where you want it to go It looks very challenging."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, 03:30-04:15 (approx)
> _Emphasizes the lack of modern playfield safety features and the precise skill required to play Lineup successfully._

> "I'm not sure what the novelty would do with the odds perhaps you could then turn that in for a payout I'm also really curious as to how the odds worked"
> — **Nick Baldridge**, 04:45-05:30 (approx)
> _Demonstrates gaps in historical documentation about how advancing odds functioned in early bingo games and the business model distinction between novelty and payout machines._

> "For comparison, my Genco Jr., which came out in the same year, cost $39.50. So, obviously what you can infer is that payout pinball cost more, but it probably earned a whole heck of a lot more than novelty or amusement-only games."
> — **Nick Baldridge**, 06:30-07:30 (approx)
> _Uses comparative pricing to illustrate market economics and the premium position of payout games versus novelty machines in 1937._

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Nick Baldridge | person | Host of 'For Amusement Only' EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast; enthusiast and expert on electromechanical and bingo pinball history; discusses 1937 Bally machines from research and collections |
| Bally | company | Major historical pinball manufacturer; manufactured the 1937 Lineup, their first attempt at a bingo pinball game |
| Lineup | game | 1937 Bally bingo pinball machine; featured 5x5 (25-square) card layout, advancing odds, and challenging playfield with five rows of five large holes; sold in novelty and payout forms |
| Genco Jr. | game | 1937 novelty pinball machine; cost $39.50; used as pricing comparison point for era |
| Don Hooker | person | Historical pinball designer credited with adding guaranteed advancing odds to one-ball horse race games at Bally; referenced in context of early odds mechanics development |
| For Amusement Only | organization | EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast hosted by Nick Baldridge; focuses on electromechanical and bingo pinball history, games, and collecting; has website, social media presence, and voicemail line |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Bingo pinball game history and origins, 1937 Bally product lineup and manufacturing, Playfield design and mechanical complexity in early pinball
- **Secondary:** Advancing odds mechanisms in early pinball games, Novelty vs. payout pinball economics, Vintage pinball collecting and preservation
- **Mentioned:** Early pinball game difficulty and player skill requirements

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0)

### Signals

- **[historical_signal]** Documentation of Bally's 1937 Lineup as the company's first bingo attempt, establishing early adoption of 5x5 card format and advancing odds before later standardization (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge's detailed analysis of game flyer showing 25-square card, advancing odds feature, and dual novelty/payout sales channels in 1937
- **[design_philosophy]** Early bingo pinball design prioritized mechanical challenge and precision ball control over modern safety features like rubber bumpers, reflecting 1937 gaming philosophy (confidence: high) — Analysis of Lineup's five-row trap hole layout with large gaps between pockets and complete absence of rubber, creating high risk of ball loss and requiring careful nudge control
- **[restoration_signal]** Historical documentation gaps exist regarding how advancing odds functioned in early bingo machines and how novelty vs. payout versions differed mechanistically (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge explicitly acknowledging uncertainty about odds mechanics despite having flyer and expressing desire for community knowledge sharing on this topic
- **[market_signal]** Payout pinball machines commanded significantly higher prices than novelty amusement-only games in 1937, reflecting expected higher revenue potential (confidence: high) — Lineup price comparison showing payout bingo cost substantially more than $39.50 novelty Genco Jr., with Nick inferring higher earning potential justified the premium
- **[collector_signal]** The 1937 Lineup remains extremely rare or potentially lost to history; primary documentation exists only in flyer form with no confirmed surviving playable machines (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge stating 'I've never seen a real one. I'm only looking at the flyer' and basing all analysis on flyer imagery and documentation
- **[community_signal]** Active EM/bingo pinball community engaged in collaborative historical research and documentation; podcast format enables knowledge sharing about obscure early machines (confidence: medium) — Nick explicitly inviting listeners to contact him with information: 'If anybody knows for sure I love to hear that' and providing multiple contact channels

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## Transcript

 What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Tonight I wanted to talk briefly about a game that Bally manufactured in 1937 called Lineup. lineup was Bally's first attempt at a bingo. In 1937, this bingo had a 25 square card, so 5x5, just like the later bingos. It also had advancing odds. which is pretty advanced for 1937. What's really interesting about this and looks really difficult is the playfield. The playfield has five rows of five holes in exactly the same orientation all the way down it looks like there are some roll games which have a similar type playfield where you roll a rather large ball down a playfield and it has to land in particular pockets. This looks very similar and very difficult because the space between those pockets is very large. It's possible to lose an entire ball by rolling all the way down to the bottom or the out area in a typical pin from this era. So the trap holes are also designed in such a way that if you happen to get, let's say you rolled and you got number 13, which is the center number on this particular game since they go in order. 1 through 5, 6 through 10, and so on. So let's say you get the number 13. Well, the next ball, you manage to nudge it in such a way that it smacks the ball that's in the 13 hole. Since there no rubber on the playfield whatsoever basically that just going to careen straight down into the out area So you have to very carefully it looks like nudge the ball where you want it to go It looks very challenging. Now, that said, I've never seen a real one. I'm only looking at the flyer. but what is interesting is they apparently sold this in novelty and payout form in 1937 I'm not sure what the novelty would do with the odds perhaps you could then turn that in for a payout I'm also really curious as to how the odds worked because Don Hooker added guaranteed advancing odds to the one-ball horse race games when he came to Bali. And I'm not sure how these odds worked. I assume they're advancing looking at the picture on the flyer, but your guess is actually as good as mine. If anybody knows for sure I love to hear that One thing I do know from the flyer is that it cost in 1937 That is pretty high. For comparison, my Genco Jr., which came out in the same year, cost $39.50. So, obviously what you can infer is that payout pinball cost more, but it probably earned a whole heck of a lot more than novelty or amusement-only games. But it was all for amusement-only, right? so that's all for tonight thank you very much for listening my name again is Nicholas Baldridge you can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com or you can call me on the bingos line that's 724-BINGOS1 724-246-4671 you can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Cast via RSS, on Facebook on Twitter at bingopodcast you can follow us on Instagram at nbaldridge or you can reach us on our website forumusementonly.libsyn.com Thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time.

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 201f019e-829a-41fc-8c1f-bdf51b1c01c7*