Contact

The Exhibit Supply Company's 1939 Contact pinball machine is a notable example of early electromechanical (EM) pinball design, designed by Lyn Durant and built during a period when ESCO was an established Chicago manufacturer. Contact's wartime theme and lively backglass animation make it a standout piece from the pre-flipper era.

Key to Contact's gameplay is its use of five balls for 5 cents, and players navigate those balls through a challenging layout featuring 14 trap holes, adding an element of strategy and skill to the flipperless game. The machine's backglass light animation depicts a biplane flying around, creating a visually dynamic experience for its time. Contact is sometimes described as one of the first games with backglass animation, but IPDB notes at least two earlier examples -- Exhibit's own 1938 'Basketball' and Chicago Coin's 1937 'Dux' (which used mechanical rather than light-based animation) -- so it should be regarded as an early example rather than the first.

Contact's wartime theme reflects the cultural currents of the late 1930s as global conflict loomed. While the specifics of Durant's design intentions are unknown, this machine remains an intriguing example of early pinball's engagement with contemporary events.