Ted Zale is a person mentioned in 2 episode(s).
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Ted Zale invented the zipper flipper mechanism, a major pinball innovation
Ted Zale created 78 games for Bally over 10 years, with 23 being zipper flipper games
Zale joined Bally Manufacturing as Director of Design in mid-1962, citing frustration with his previous employer's 'hopelessly conservative outlook.'
On June 18, 1963, Zale called Steve Kordek at Williams Manufacturing to report that Bally engineers had been laid off three weeks prior and a company sale closing had stalled.
Pinball designer; designed Bally's 1963 Three in Line; his name referenced multiple times in host's prior podcast episodes on Bally flipper innovations
Designer of 1963 Bally Moon Shot; known for designing unique EM machine features for Bally
Designer of Bally's 1964 2-in-1 blackjack-themed pinball machine
Designer credited with creating Bizarre and the Flipper Zipper mechanism
Legend in pinball design; designed Fireball game with rotating plate mechanic
Early Bally game designer (1962–1963 onward) who mentored Jim Patla; known for non-symmetrical playfield designs, innovative mechanics (anti-gravity ball guides), and use of magnetic boards for layout planning; described as a groundbreaker and innovator.
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Zale standardized 50-volt solenoid power in pinball machines, though Williams had used this voltage intermittently earlier.
At peak productivity, Zale was turning out a new pinball game once every six weeks on average, with distinct layouts and mechanisms rather than recycled designs.
Zale retired from Bally around 1970, though he continued submitting game designs post-retirement including Joust, Vampire, and Double-Up.
A significant plurality of Zale's pinball designs were uncredited to any specific artist, with most uncredited games appearing between 1963–1966.
Zale's legacy in pinball deserves the same consideration and respect as designers Kordek, Lawlor, Ritchie, and Williams, though many in the hobby may not know his name.
Ted Zale was born Thaddeus Zalewski on May 14, 1901, in Chicago to Polish immigrant parents Boleslaw and Anna.
Zale worked at Genco Manufacturing Company starting after 1940, primarily on gun game designs, until the company closed in July 1958.
Ted Zale was brought in as a designer and Moon Shot was his first design effort
Three in Line was one of Ted Zale's first games
Starjet (1963) was the first game to feature three-ball multiball
Ted Zale designed both Bizarre and the Flipper Zipper mechanism
Prolific pinball game designer who created 78 games for Bally over 10 years, including 23 zipper flipper games; designed Bazaar (1966) and Valley Fireball
Pinball designer who collaborated extensively with Jerry Jim Kelly, worked with Kelly on game mechanics and playfield integration at Valley and Bally
Pinball designer credited with inventing zipper flipper mechanism; designed games with split plastics and mushroom bumpers
EM era pinball designer known for taking risks and revisiting multiball mechanics, designed Starjet and Mad World
Pinball designer known for asymmetrical playfield layouts with diagonal ball action; designer of Starjet game.
Pinball designer referenced as influence; Scott and Adrian modeled Cuphead's two-ball multiball mechanics after Zale-style design
1960s Bally Chief Designer; work history gap 1958–1962 examined in article preface; subject of initial research prompting investigation into manufacturer separation
Designer of Red Max pinball game for Bally
Bally designer who created zipper flipper variant in series of games; last game Nip It (1972)
Legendary pinball engineer and mentor to Jim Patla at Valley Manufacturing; credited as 'father of the zipper flipper'; mentored generation of engineers including Gary Gaten and Greg Kamek