World Champ

The World Champ pinball machine, designed by Wayne Neyens with artwork by Roy Parker, was released in August 1957 by D. Gottlieb & Company. A single-player electromechanical (EM) machine built around a boxing theme, it is a fine example of Gottlieb's sports-themed lineup from the late 1950s, an era when the company was refining flipper-based gameplay.

Gameplay on World Champ is characterized by its challenging objectives, including hitting standup targets, navigating slingshots, and using two flippers to control ball movement. Four pop bumpers add an extra layer of excitement, requiring players to strategize to maximize points. The machine's compact, straightforward layout is typical of EM pinballs of its era, and it has no outlanes.

The sound package consists of two bells and a knocker, and the machine boasts a maximum displayed score of 6,990,000 points (the backglass hints at a possible 7,000,000, but Gottlieb never actually wired the socket for that lamp). Only 2,300 units were produced, making World Champ a genuinely scarce Gottlieb title that collectors seek out today.