Hi-Lo (Junior)

The Hi-Lo (Junior) stands as a testament to the early days of pinball's evolution. Produced by Northwest Coin Machine Company of Chicago in February 1932, it is one of the earliest purely mechanical pinball games, built as a tabletop counter game with a cards and poker theme. When new it sold for 18.50 dollars, with an optional steel stand available for 1.70 dollars extra.

The game's operation was straightforward: it could be set for 1-cent or 5-cent play, with either five balls or ten balls per game. It was housed in a solid walnut cabinet and was available with or without a playing-card decalcomania decorating the game. A larger pin table version, the 1932 Hi-Lo (Senior), added seven long ball guides in its upper playfield that this Junior version lacks.

The Hi-Lo (Junior)'s compact dimensions reflect its countertop role: 26 1/2 inches long, 16 1/2 inches wide, 7 inches high in front and 9 1/4 inches at the back, weighing about 25 pounds. Its designer is not documented, but as an early Depression-era counter game it offers a glimpse into the very beginning of the coin-op pinball industry.