Baffle Ball

Baffle Ball, dating to 1931, is an early coin-operated arcade game manufactured by Baffle Ball Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota — notably, it is classified as 'Not A Pinball' rather than a true pinball machine. It holds a unique place in pinball history nonetheless: according to Marketplace magazine and The Encyclopedia of Pinball, this arcade game preceded and lent its name to Gottlieb's own 1931 pinball machine, also called 'Baffle Ball.'

The game's basketball sports theme sets it apart from many amusement-park and shooting-gallery themes common at the time. Gameplay offered 10 shots for one cent, reflecting the low-cost, high-volume arcade model typical of the early 1930s.

While details of its specific mechanics remain limited, Baffle Ball's real significance lies in its historical role as the naming inspiration for Gottlieb's far more famous pinball machine of the same name — making it an important, if often overlooked, piece of pinball prehistory.