Volley Ball

Volley Ball, manufactured by Etablissement Marchant, S.A. (EMA) of Levallois-Perret, France in 1950, is an early European electro-mechanical pinball machine from a company that played a role in the growth of the pinball industry in postwar France.

The single-player machine features two flippers, two spring compression bumpers, two passive bumpers, and a single kick-out hole. Notably, it has no outlanes, which creates a more contained playing area and places extra importance on skillful, precise flipper play to keep the ball active.

While little is documented about the machine's specific designer or the objectives behind its volleyball theme, Volley Ball offers a window into early 1950s European pinball design, arriving just a few years after the flipper itself was introduced to the game in the United States. Its EMA pedigree and sports theme make it a notable piece for collectors interested in the early history of French pinball manufacturing.