Episode 331 - 1971 Bally Hole In One

For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·4m 49s·analyzed·Feb 5, 2016

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.013

TL;DR

Analysis of Bally's obscure 1971 Hole in One bingo game, known only from a backglass image.

Summary

Nick Baldridge examines Bally's 1971 Hole in One, a golf-themed bingo pinball machine known only from a single backglass image. The game appears to have used a six-card bingo layout identical to Stock Market, with skill ratings (good, excellent, superior) and golfer imagery, but no evidence exists of production, completion, or even a test machine. The machine was apparently scrapped, leaving only speculation about its mechanics and features.

Key Claims

Hole in One is a golf-themed bingo machine from Bally in 1971
high confidence · Nick Baldridge, podcast host, based on backglass artifact
Only a single backglass image is known to exist for Hole in One
high confidence · Nick Baldridge describing available documentation
No evidence exists that Hole in One went into production or was completed as a test machine
high confidence · Nick Baldridge stating 'nobody knows if it ever went into production or if it was ever even completed as a test machine'
Hole in One used the same backboard layout as Stock Market
medium confidence · Nick Baldridge and Phil Hooper theory based on card position matching
The game likely lacked double or nothing, corner scoring, or other advanced features
medium confidence · Nick Baldridge inference: 'There are no extra features which are denoted on the back glass, and so it's unlikely that this game had double or nothing'

Notable Quotes

“All that exists is a backglass, a single backglass.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~1:00 — Emphasizes the extreme rarity and limited documentation of this machine
“Nobody knows if it ever went into production or if it was ever even completed as a test machine or a sample.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~0:45 — Establishes that Hole in One's status in Bally's production pipeline is entirely unknown
“Phil Hooper on bingo.cdyn.com theorizes that you earn a skill rating based on how you play and somehow that translates into some kind of replay or award”
Nick Baldridge @ ~3:30 — Attributes game mechanics speculation to Phil Hooper's analysis on bingo documentation site
“whatever the case is, they apparently scrapped it. And that's all we know.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~8:00 — Concludes that Hole in One was abandoned in development, with no remaining knowledge of why

Entities

Nick BaldridgepersonPhil HooperpersonBallycompanyHole in OnegameStock MarketgameFor Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcastorganizationbingo.cdyn.comproduct

Signals

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historical_signal: Discussion of an extremely rare Bally prototype or design artifact from 1971 (Hole in One) known only from a single backglass image, with no production or testing confirmation
high · Entire episode focused on sole surviving artifact and mystery of machine's actual existence
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design_innovation: Hole in One apparently reused the backboard and six-card bingo layout from Stock Market, suggesting cost efficiency in game design or rapid prototyping methodology
medium · Nick Baldridge notes 'the card position is exactly the same as stock market' and theorizes same backboard usage
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design_philosophy: Hole in One featured a skill-based rating system (good/excellent/superior) that potentially influenced replay awards, reflecting golf sport mechanics in game design
medium · Phil Hooper theorizes skill ratings earned through play translate to replays; golfer imagery at three progression stages on backglass
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manufacturing_signal: Hole in One was apparently scrapped during development with no known reason for cancellation or production decision
medium · Nick Baldridge: 'whatever the case is, they apparently scrapped it. And that's all we know.'
?
archival_signal: Only one backglass image survives as documentation of Hole in One; represents extremely limited archival record for prototype/unreleased game
high · Repeated emphasis: 'the only thing known about it is the backglass' and 'All that exists is a backglass, a single backglass'

Transcript

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0:00

What's that sound? It's 4 Amusement Only, the EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast. Welcome back to 4 Amusement Only, this is Nick Baldrige. Tonight's episode is about Bally's 1971 Hole in One. Hole in One is actually a golf themed bingo. Now unfortunately, the only thing known about it is the backglass. Nobody knows if it ever went into production or if it was ever even completed as a test machine or a sample. All that exists is a backglass, a single backglass. This backglass has a word bally and then hole in one. The O in the hole is a golf ball with a putter sticking The first three of six bingo cards It a six card just like stock market And in fact the card position is exactly the same as stock market So the theory is that it uses the same backboard as stock market Now your first three bingo cards are blue, and up above them you have your number for the card, which is actually the hole with the flag in it. One, two, and three. Then below that you have a little wood paneled section which is about a little more than a third of the back glass. On this you have a skill rating, good, excellent, and superior. Now Phil Hooper on bingo.cdyn.com theorizes that you earn a skill rating based on how you play and somehow that translates into some kind of replay or award beside the skill rating you have a golfer in midswing a golfer that's about to putt and then a golfer that has completed a swing or perhaps a golfer in midswing a golfer right as they about to connect with the ball and then the golfer after they finished connecting In between the first two golfers you have a credit window Now this also happens to be the position of the replay counter in stock market. And so the theory is that yeah you're looking at the replay meter. Then below that you have cards four, five, and six. Those are in red, and above which are a red hole and flag with the number of the card. So, unfortunately that's all that's known. There are no extra features which are denoted on the back glass, and so it's unlikely that this game had double or nothing, it's unlikely that this game had corner scoring, or much of anything. All we've got is this one image to go on, It's not an image of the reverse of the glass.

3:23

We also don't know how many replays you won for being good, excellent, or superior. And I'm assuming that you get good if you get a three in a row excellent for a four and superior for a five My guess is that you earn because we talking single digits At centimet I'm sorry to say that I didn't make the six card, which was ultra compliant with many of the laws, but perhaps it was too compliant. Anyway, whatever the case is, they apparently scrapped it. And that's all we know. Well, thank you very much for joining me. My name again is Nick 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 Casts, via RSS, on Facebook, on Twitter at bingopodcast. You can follow me on Instagram, also at bingopodcast. Or you can listen to us on our website, which is foramusementonly.libsyn.com. Thank you very much for listening and I'll talk to you next time.