1957 Baseball

The 1957 Baseball pinball machine, produced by Williams Manufacturing Company in January 1957 (Model 183), is a novelty-play, baseball-themed electro-mechanical (EM) machine. By this point Williams had been manufacturing pinball machines for over a decade, so rather than being an early effort, it represents a mature entry in the company's long-running line of baseball games.

The 1957 Baseball features three unpainted metal ramps, adding a distinctive visual and gameplay element for its time. The game's sports theme is classic, with mechanical backbox animation typical of Williams' baseball titles. A replay version of the same game was also produced as Williams' '1957 Baseball Deluxe.'

Interestingly, little is known about this specific machine's designer, and surviving examples occasionally turn up with after-market backglasses that omit the manufacturer name and date -- a practice some arcade operators used to keep their machines looking current. As a mid-1950s entry in Williams' well-established baseball series, the 1957 Baseball offers a look at how the company refined its EM sports titles over time.