Speed Demon

Speed Demon, manufactured by J.H. Keeney and Company Incorporated in August 1940, is a single-player electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machine with a water sports theme. As a flipperless game, Speed Demon predates the 1947 introduction of flippers to pinball, relying instead on mechanical relays, bumpers, and skillful plunging to guide the ball and rack up score.

Without more specific documentation of Speed Demon's individual features, it's best understood as a representative example of pre-flipper EM design from a manufacturer that had already been producing coin-operated games since 1934. Pinball enthusiasts researching the format's evolution will find it a useful reference point for gameplay mechanics of the era.

While little is known about Speed Demon's designer or artwork, its water sports theme is a relatively distinctive choice for the period. For collectors and historians, Speed Demon offers a window into pinball's flipperless years, just before the format's most transformative innovation reshaped the game.