Sportsman De Luxe

The Sportsman De Luxe, produced by O. D. Jennings and Company in April 1937, is a fascinating piece of early pinball history. It is a flipperless, single-player, one-ball payout machine with a sports and hunting theme, offering a snapshot of the electro-mechanical design conventions of the mid-1930s.

Gameplay on the Sportsman De Luxe centers on a single ball for 5 cents, standard for payout machines of the era, and this payout version notably adds spring bumpers not found on the earlier non-payout 'Sportsman' from the same manufacturer. This payout edition is also distinguished by its square legs. The electro-mechanical design, relying on electromagnets, relays, and mechanical switches, required real technical skill to manufacture and service.

The sports-hunting theme, while simple by later standards, adds historical charm to the machine. Unfortunately, there's limited information available about the machine's designer or any notable sales history, leaving much to the imagination of pinball enthusiasts and historians alike.