Base Hit

Base Hit, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in May 1935, is an early example of electro-mechanical (EM) pinball design from the industry's formative years. Carrying model number 7, it was produced in a confirmed run of just 246 units, making it a genuinely scarce piece of 1930s pinball history.

The game gives players 10 balls per play, typical of the era's countertop and cabinet games. Its baseball theme is brought to life in a way that was striking for 1935: batters run the bases in flashing colored lights on the playfield, while a lighted backglass adds further visual appeal. These electrically animated effects, powered by batteries as was common for EM games of the period, show how manufacturers were beginning to use lights and circuitry to dramatize gameplay.

Designed by Joe Warner, Base Hit was advertised at a compact 44 inches long by 20 inches wide. While detailed rules for the game are scarce today, it remains an intriguing piece of pinball history, offering insight into the early days of the industry and its pioneers.