Steeple Chase

The Steeple Chase is a unique piece of pinball history from Lindstrom Tool and Toy Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, manufactured in April 1933. It is a pure mechanical (PM) bagatelle-style game, and notably, it was Lindstrom's first 'Round Top' game -- the chrome-plated version, distinct from the non-chrome 1934 'Steeple Chase' that followed.

As its name suggests, Steeple Chase features a horse-racing theme and a distinctive round metal top. Being a single-player mechanical bagatelle, it predates the electro-mechanical and solid-state eras of pinball, relying on purely mechanical operation rather than any electrical components.

Little is known about the specific designer behind this creation, but as one of the earliest 'Round Top' games from Lindstrom, Steeple Chase offers a glimpse into the roots of pinball's bagatelle ancestry and the horse-racing themes popular in games of the early 1930s.