Derby Champ

The Derby Champ, manufactured by J. H. Keeney and Company in March 1938, is a single-player, one-ball electro-mechanical payout machine with a console cabinet and a horse-racing theme, reflecting the popularity of thoroughbred racing during the 1930s.

The machine could be converted between a cash-payout model or a check-separator model, and was also available in a ticket model, giving operators flexibility depending on local regulations. Its electromechanical design blends mechanical elements with electrical components typical of one-ball payout games of the era.

The Derby Champ's design and art reflect the aesthetic of its time, with functional, straightforward graphics. Little is known about its designer or notable trivia associated with this particular model, but as a relic from pinball's early payout-machine era, the Derby Champ remains of interest to collectors and historians of the period.