Little Manhattan

Little Manhattan is a rare early game from 1901, manufactured by the Caille-Schiemer Company of Detroit, Michigan. A cast iron tabletop/counter game rather than a coin-operated machine, it is one of the earliest ancestors of pinball, and its age alone makes it a significant find for collectors and historians of the hobby.

Gameplay is defined by its four gobble holes and its dual ball shooters: the instructions allowed for a two-player game, with each player operating their own shooter. This built-in competitive play was a notable idea for 1901, and the rugged cast iron construction was built to withstand heavy use.

According to the Encyclopedia of Pinball Vol. 2, this non-coin game was first made with only one score pocket at the front end, later changed to four score pockets. Little else is recorded about its theme or designer, but Little Manhattan stands as an early experiment in the game design lineage that would eventually evolve into the pinball machines we recognize today.