Kilroy

Kilroy, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in January 1947, is a piece of electromechanical (EM) pinball history that taps into the popular postwar fascination with wartime folklore. Its name references "Kilroy was here," the graffiti phrase popularized by American soldiers during World War II, and its designer, Jerry Koci, built the game around that nostalgic cultural touchstone in the years just after the war ended.

Kilroy boasts a distinctive playstyle, featuring ten passive bumpers and four kick-out holes. Players can choose between three or five ball modes, adding an element of strategy to the game. The machine's flipperless, electro-mechanical design is characteristic of its time period, relying on electrical circuits and mechanical relays to control gameplay.

With approximately 8,800 units produced, Kilroy was a substantial commercial release for its era. The artwork, by Roy Parker, and theme showcase the whimsical side of 1940s pinball design, offering an intriguing find for those interested in early electromechanical pinball machines.