Mad Cap
About This Machine
The Mad Cap pinball machine, manufactured by Stoner Manufacturing Company of Aurora, Illinois in January 1936, is an early electromechanical (EM) payout-style game. It offered 6 balls for 5 cents; inserting a coin lit the payout odds in six lighted circles on the backglass and lit three numbers between them, with the object being to land balls in playfield pockets corresponding to those lit numbers.
The payout percentage could be adjusted by adding or subtracting balls from the standard 5-ball setup, giving operators flexibility depending on local regulations. Notably, Mad Cap itself had no built-in payout mechanism; instead, its gameplay was designed to allow for payouts from a cash register in territories where that was legal.
Measuring 22 inches wide, 44 inches long, and 15 inches high (or roughly 45 inches on its legs), the machine reflects the dancing, music, and nightlife theme common to games of the era. Little is documented about the machine's designer, but Mad Cap remains a notable example of Depression-era payout pinball design.
Images (12)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Dancing - Music - Nightlife - Singing
- Notable Features:
- 6 balls for 5 cents. Inserting a coin lit the payout odds in the six lighted circles on the backglass, and lit three numbers in the horizontal area between them. The object was to land balls in playfield pockets that corresponded to the three lit numbers. Payout percentage could be adjusted by adding or subtracting balls from the 5 balls per game. One game pictured here is set for 6 balls for 5 cents. Cabinet measures 22 inches wide, 44 inches long, and 15 inches high, or 45 inches high on its legs.