Spot Pool

Spot Pool, designed by Harry Mabs and manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Company in 1941, is an early example of electro-mechanical, flipperless pinball built around a billiards theme. As a single-player game from the pre-flipper era, it relies on skillful plunging and table positioning rather than flipper control.

The gameplay features 15 passive bumpers and a backglass light animation that illuminates billiard balls, creating an eye-catching visual effect for the era. The machine's design and art reflect early-1940s Gottlieb style, with straightforward graphics from artist Roy Parker and mechanics that catered to the tastes of early pinball players seeking a more relaxed, novelty-style experience.

Despite being over 80 years old, Spot Pool remains an intriguing piece for collectors and historians due to its age and rarity as a flipperless, pre-war EM machine. Its preservation as a working example offers a window into pinball's formative years, before flippers transformed the game.