Triple Threat

The Triple Threat, manufactured by Daval Manufacturing Co. of Chicago in September 1939, is a rare, flipperless electro-mechanical pinball machine with a football theme, offering five balls for five cents, a common pricing format for pinball of the era.

Gameplay centers on spring-coil bumpers: as the ball bounces off them, the lights flash brightly and the bells ring, creating an energetic, reactive playing experience typical of pre-flipper pinball design. Since the game is flipperless, all scoring comes from shot placement and the ball's natural movement across the playfield rather than player-controlled flippers.

The machine's backglass features light animation, offering a glimpse into the artistic approaches used by pinball designers of the late 1930s. While specific details about the game's designer are not available, the Triple Threat's football theme and reactive lighting/sound effects make it an interesting artifact from the pre-flipper era of pinball.