Baffle Ball Sr.

Baffle Ball Sr. is a historically interesting pinball machine from D. Gottlieb & Company, one of the pioneering manufacturers in the industry. Produced beginning in January 1932, it is an enlarged follow-up to Gottlieb's enormously successful 1931 Baffle Ball. As a Pure Mechanical (PM) game, it has no electricity and no flippers - players launched balls onto the playfield and relied on aim and luck, in the classic style of the earliest coin-operated marble games.

The game offered 10 balls for 5 cents and was made only in a 5-cent model. Advertised at 34 inches long and 20 inches wide, it was notably larger than the original tabletop Baffle Ball, and its solid walnut cabinet with detachable legs demonstrates an early emphasis on both durability and portability for operators moving games between locations.

While there is limited information available about Baffle Ball Sr.'s designer or artwork, its age makes it a captivating piece for collectors and historians. As one of the very early games from the company that would go on to dominate pinball's golden age, it offers a valuable perspective on the evolution of the game from its mechanical roots.