Special Entry

The Bally Special Entry, produced in February 1947, is a single-player, one-ball electro-mechanical (EM) horse-racing game. Electro-mechanical pinball technology had already existed for well over a decade by this point, tracing back to machines like Contact in the early 1930s, so Special Entry represents a mature refinement of EM design rather than an early example of the format.

The Special Entry's notable features include 31 trap holes and a skill lane option for five-ball jurisdictions, reflecting its focus on horse-racing wagering gameplay. Flippers had not yet been introduced to pinball at this point (they would arrive later in 1947), so play relied on plunger skill and hole placement rather than active ball control. A coin payout version of this game was released as Bally's companion title 'Bally Entry.'

The game's horse-racing theme fits within Bally's broader line of racing and wagering-themed machines from this era, and it was exhibited at the February 1947 Coin Machine Show in Chicago, per contemporary trade press. No designer or artist credit is documented for Special Entry, leaving some details about its creation unknown.