Close Finish

Close Finish, manufactured by Stoner Manufacturing Company in 1936, represents one of the earlier examples of electro-mechanical pinball machines. This era marked a significant departure from earlier pure mechanical pinball games, introducing electromechanical components such as relays that enabled more complex payout and scoring mechanics. Notably, Close Finish is actually Stoner's 1936 'Turf Champs' with the name changed -- likely by an operator to keep it off a local police list -- and it was built as a 7-player payout machine, common for games run in taverns and clubs of the era rather than home or arcade play.

As an early EM machine, Close Finish's gameplay relied on skillful ball control, timing, and the machine's mechanical scoring and payout mechanisms rather than flippers, which would not be invented until 1947, over a decade later. The electromechanical relays and solenoids of the era allowed for a wider range of possible play and payout combinations compared to purely mechanical predecessors.

Unfortunately, limited information is available about Close Finish's design, art, or theme beyond its renaming history. Stoner Manufacturing Company operated from 1933 to 1941, producing a relatively small number of games during its existence. Consequently, few machines from this period have survived, making each one, including this multi-player payout variant, valuable and sought after by pinball enthusiasts and collectors.