Spry-Ball

The Spry-Ball, manufactured by Midland Components, Ltd. of Coventry, England in February 1933, is a rare and significant artifact in the history of pinball. As one of the earliest known pinball machines, it predates the electromechanical (EM) games that would follow in later decades, reflecting the pure mechanical design common to pinball's earliest years.

Gameplay on the Spry-Ball is straightforward: players insert a single English penny to play with 10 balls. The cabinet measures 32 inches long (not including the ball plunger assembly), 20 inches wide, and 14 inches high at the front — a compact footprint typical of early machines of its type.

While little is known about the game's designer or theme, its design and construction are noteworthy for their simplicity. The surviving example is missing its original legs; a stick of wood was later attached to the cabinet bottom to restore the playfield's slant. As a surviving example of a pure mechanical pinball machine from 1933, the Spry-Ball offers a glimpse into the earliest days of coin-operated pinball.