Leader
About This Machine
The Leader pinball machine, manufactured by Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) of Chicago in August 1940, is a single-player, flipperless electro-mechanical machine with an Aircraft/Naval/Ships theme.
Gameplay on Leader centers on its 12 passive bumpers, which award prizes depending on the operator's settings: hitting all twelve bumpers earns a replay of five free games, an extra ball return, or nothing, depending on how the operator configured the game. For five cents, players get five balls per play. The 21-by-21-inch backglass and the sway-tilt backbox are notable design details of the cabinet.
As a flipperless game, Leader relies on positioning and timing rather than flipper control, reflecting the era before flippers became standard in 1947. It remains a representative example of early wartime-era ESCO pinball design.
Images (18)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Aircraft - Naval - Ships
- Notable Features:
- 5 balls for 5 cents. Passive bumpers (12). Backglass measures 21 by 21 inches. Backbox has a sway tilt. Hitting all bumpers 1 through 12 gives award depending on operator setting: • Replay - awards 5 free plays. • Extra ball - returns outhole ball to player to shoot again. • Novelty - no award.