Grand Champion

The Grand Champion, manufactured by Williams in 1953, is a single-player electro-mechanical game designed by pinball pioneer Harry Williams, with artwork by George Molentin. Its livestock-competition theme is an example of how mid-century pinball drew on everyday Americana — county fairs, prize animals, and blue ribbons — for its subject matter.

At its core, Grand Champion is a hole-matching game. A ball landing in the top hole selects a number from 1 to 5, corresponding to five holes below it; making the right combination of numbered holes and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize holes earns from one to five replays. Replays can also be earned through playfield Specials and backglass Points. Players work the ball with two impulse flippers, two pop bumpers, and two slingshots across a field of ten trap holes. A distinctive touch is the points display in the upper right of the backglass, driven by a step-up unit that looks very much like the replay counter in the lower right.

The machine's art and design are characteristic of its era, with bold lines, vibrant colors, and a clear emphasis on theme. The Grand Champion is a good example of how pinball provided lighthearted entertainment in the mid-20th century, often built around themes drawn from ordinary life, like farming and livestock competitions.