Bull's Eye

The Bally Bull, manufactured in December 1937, is an appealing example of pre-flipper pinball from the golden age of the electro-mechanical novelty game. This flipperless, single-player machine (Bally model number 201) carries a sports target-practice theme, and the example measured for IPDB's records is a compact 25 1/2 inches wide, standing 30 inches at the front and 50 inches at the rear.

The Bull's gameplay features are what make it distinctive among late-1930s machines. Offering five balls per play, the game presents twelve scoring bumpers that offer opportunities to rack up points quickly. However, the true challenge lies in hitting the four targets at the top of the playfield, which can only be reached by bouncing a ball off the "skill spring" - an innovative design element that demands precise aim from players at the plunger.

The Bull's design reflects the straightforward aesthetic of its era, enlivened by a backglass light animation in which a target flashes when 1,000 points are scored. Little information survives about the designer or production of this machine, but its skill-spring gimmick and animated backglass make the Bally Bull an interesting piece for pinball enthusiasts drawn to the pre-flipper era.