On Deck

On Deck, manufactured by Baker Novelty and Manufacturing Company in 1940, is a flipperless electro-mechanical pinball machine with a shuffleboard/travel leisure theme. Notably, On Deck features 17 scoring bumpers.

Gameplay on On Deck revolves around navigating the ball through the machine, with players aiming to achieve high scores by hitting the bumpers. The simplicity of its mechanics makes it an attractive piece for enthusiasts interested in early pinball technology. A contemporary Billboard article notes two versions of this game, a 'Shuffle' version and a 'Birdie' version, though it's unclear what functional differences (if any) separated them; surviving playfield images consistently show the word 'Birdie.'

Despite the scarcity of information on On Deck, its rarity as an early Baker Novelty EM game makes it a notable find for collectors and historians, inviting further research into the early days of pinball development.