# Episode 105 - 1947 Chicago Coin Gold Ball **Source:** For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast **Type:** podcast_episode **Published:** 2015-06-24 **Duration:** 6m 20s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/episode-105-1947-chicago-coin-gold-ball --- ## Analysis Nick Baldridge explores the 1947 Chicago Coin Gold Ball, a flipperless wood rail game featuring a golden ball that automatically doubles scoring on all playfield targets. The episode highlights unusual mechanical features including individually controlled kick holes, a credit projection unit similar to Gottlieb designs, and striking Roy Parker artwork on a deep blue cabinet. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] The 1947 Chicago Coin Gold Ball uses a golden ball that scores double playfield points for all targets — _Nick Baldridge, episode main subject_ - [HIGH] The game features individually controlled kick holes that do not all pulse at the same time, unusual for competitors like Exhibit and United — _Nick Baldridge, describing mechanical features_ - [MEDIUM] Chicago Coin used a credit projection unit similar to Gottlieb's design, suggesting this was common practice in the 1940s rather than a Gottlieb patent — _Nick Baldridge speculation based on observed mechanism_ - [HIGH] The game features Roy Parker artwork from before he was contracted exclusively with Gottlieb — _Nick Baldridge, identifying artist and historical context_ - [HIGH] The golden ball's automatic double-scoring predates Twilight Zone's ceramic Powerball feature by decades — _Nick Baldridge, historical comparison_ ### Notable Quotes > "1947's Chicago Coin Gold Ball is another flipperless wood rail which has a unique gimmick or feature in that one of the balls is golden and that ball scores double playfield points for everything that it runs through." > — **Nick Baldridge**, Opening > _Core description of game's signature mechanic_ > "I don't see what mechanism it's using. I assume it's using some kind of magnet in order to sense this, but I don't see it from the small pictures on IPDB." > — **Nick Baldridge**, Early discussion > _Identifies technical mystery about golden ball detection_ > "This is unusual for the time, at least from competitors like Exhibit and United, which I am much more familiar with than Chicago Coin at this time period." > — **Nick Baldridge**, Mid-episode > _Contextualizes mechanical innovation relative to competitors_ > "It's possible that Bally also used this, so this might have just been a common practice in the 40s." > — **Nick Baldridge**, Credit projection discussion > _Speculation about industry-wide adoption of credit projection units_ > "long before Twilight Zone did a similar thing with its ceramic Powerball. So, that's all for tonight." > — **Nick Baldridge**, Closing > _Historical comparison to modern pinball innovation, 50+ year precedent_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Nick Baldridge | person | Host and primary speaker of For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast | | Chicago Coin | company | Manufacturer of the 1947 Gold Ball game being discussed | | Roy Parker | person | Artist who created the backglass artwork for Chicago Coin Gold Ball before becoming exclusive to Gottlieb | | Gottlieb | company | Competitor manufacturer mentioned for credit projection unit design and later exclusive contract with Roy Parker | | Exhibit | company | Competitor manufacturer mentioned for comparison of kick hole control mechanisms | | United | company | Competitor manufacturer mentioned for comparison of kick hole control mechanisms | | Bally | company | Manufacturer speculatively mentioned as possibly using credit projection units in the 1940s | | Twilight Zone | game | Modern pinball game referenced as later example of automatic scoring with special ball (ceramic Powerball) | | 1947 Chicago Coin Gold Ball | game | Main subject of episode: flipperless wood rail with golden ball that doubles scoring | | For Amusement Only | organization | Podcast hosted by Nick Baldridge focused on EM and Bingo pinball | ### Topics - **Primary:** Flipperless wood rail game design, Golden ball auto-doubling scoring mechanism, Individually controlled kick hole solenoid systems, Credit projection unit technology (1940s), Roy Parker artwork and artist history - **Secondary:** 1940s pinball manufacturer design practices, Historical precedent for modern pinball features ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.82) — Host expresses genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for the game's design, mechanics, artwork, and historical significance. Uses language like 'pretty neat looking game,' 'really appealing,' and 'beautiful game.' Maintains analytical tone while clearly enjoying the subject matter. ### Signals - **[historical_signal]** 1947 Chicago Coin Gold Ball features auto-doubling ball mechanism predating Twilight Zone's ceramic Powerball by 50+ years, establishing long design lineage (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge explicitly compares golden ball feature to Twilight Zone Powerball, noting the earlier implementation - **[design_innovation]** Chicago Coin's individually controlled kick holes represent mechanical advancement over competitors' synchronous systems, improving reliability and gameplay (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge notes unusual independent control versus Exhibit/United competitors, explains reliability benefits - **[design_innovation]** Golden ball automatic double-scoring represents innovation beyond manual marble tallying in bagatelles and early pin games (confidence: high) — Host notes auto-calculation of double scoring, contrasting with manual systems in earlier games - **[historical_signal]** Credit projection unit design used by multiple manufacturers (Chicago Coin, Gottlieb, possibly Bally) suggests industry-standard practice rather than proprietary patent (confidence: medium) — Nick Baldridge's realization that Chicago Coin used similar credit projection to Gottlieb, speculation that Bally may have also used it - **[design_philosophy]** Chicago Coin's use of multiple solenoids over single synchronized solenoid reflects design philosophy prioritizing reliability and independent control (confidence: high) — Host explains that individually controlled kickers would be more reliable, notes this design principle still used in modern games - **[historical_signal]** Roy Parker's availability to work for Chicago Coin in 1947 indicates pre-Gottlieb exclusive contract period in artist's career (confidence: high) — Nick Baldridge identifies Roy Parker artwork as from period before exclusive Gottlieb contract --- ## Transcript What's that sound? It's For Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to For Amusement Only. This is Nicholas Baldridge. Continuing our exploration of 1947. This isn't exactly a series, but I just happened to find this other oddity and thought I would bring it up. 1947's Chicago Coin Gold Ball is another flipperless wood rail which has a unique gimmick or feature in that one of the balls is golden and that ball scores double playfield points for everything that it runs through. So if something is 50,000 it scores 100 something is 5,000 it scores 10 etc. What's really interesting about this is that I don't see what mechanism it's using. I assume it's using some kind of magnet in order to sense this, but I don't see it from the small pictures on IPDB. I am curious as to how this works, so if anyone out there happens to know, let me know. It's a pretty neat looking game. one of the things that's unusual about it is that it has multiple kick holes and they do not all pulse at the same time based on score motor activity They are individually controlled kick This is unusual for the time, at least from competitors like Exhibit and United, which I am much more familiar with than Chicago Coin at this time period. the other really interesting thing is that they use a credit projection unit on this game anyone who has seen a 1940s era Gottlieb knows that they used a credit projection unit in order to display the remaining credits to play off on the back glass however I must have mistakenly assumed that this was a Gottlieb patent because here's a Chicago coin machine using essentially the same mechanism. It looks like the plastic that they used is much more rugged than the very thin plastic film that Gottlieb used in their credit projection units. But other than that, it's the same design. the credit reel spins and whatever number is punched out of the plastic has a light bulb behind it that shines through onto the back glass this is magnified with a small lens directly in front of the lamp and there you go You get kind of a cool wavery flickery image of a number on the back glass that tells you how many credits you have to play off. You know, now that I think about it, it's It's possible that Bally also used this, so this might have just been a common practice in the 40s. Regardless, one of the things that's really appealing about this game is the artwork. This was the time before Roy Parker was contracted only with Gottlieb, and the artwork is Roy Parker artwork. There's a scantily clad lady riding on a swing, as in every movie ever with some sort of burlesque scene. She is riding on a swing, which is fashioned out of a gold ball. The Backglass has a ton of mirroring in all the scores, and just is very presentable. It also has a deep blue base coat on the cab. Again unusual as I mentioned in last night episode on Treasure Chest Just a beautiful game and I not sure how good a player it is but the independently controlled kickers lead me to believe that it would be pretty fun and interesting to play. Also, probably more reliable. You know, there's a reason why many games use multiple solenoids now instead of just a single one. This gold ball with its double scoring ball that automatically counted the score for you is pretty cool. Of course, many of the bagatelles and early pin games that had a separately colored marble would score double or triple, but those were manually tallied. This one automatically calculates it. long before Twilight Zone did a similar thing with its ceramic Powerball. So, that's all for tonight. Thank you again for joining me. My name again is Nicholas Baldridge. You can reach me at 4amusementonlypodcast at gmail.com. You can listen to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter, at Bingo Podcast, on Instagram at nbaldridge, and on our website, which is for amusement only dot libsyn dot com, on which you can purchase T-shirts at least at the moment. Thanks very much. Talk to you next time. _(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: daf2cfda-21ee-4903-b029-56d8be6cac04*