Whiz Ball

Whiz Ball, manufactured by the Whiz Ball Manufacturing Company of Kansas City, Missouri, is a rare and significant piece of pinball history from around 1932, one of the many machines that emerged in the earliest days of pinball's mechanical era. Its exact year of production is not documented — there are no copyright dates or markings on the coin slide — but its design and features place it firmly in that formative 1932 period.

Whiz Ball is a Pure Mechanical (PM) machine, featuring a simple yet engaging gameplay experience. For just 5 cents, players can enjoy 10 balls rolling through a compact cabinet measuring 37 1/4 inches long and 17 5/8 inches wide, standing 36 inches high in front and 37 3/4 inches high in back. This is the non-payout version of the game; aside from lacking a payout unit on the cabinet front, it is otherwise identical to the company's 1932 payout game, Whiz Ball Jack Pot.

The machine uses a 'Whiffle' playfield, a style also found on the Unknown Manufacturer game Nerts. Notably, the name 'Whiz Ball' does not appear in Dick Bueschel's exhaustive Encyclopedia of Pinball Vol. 1 listing of 1930-1933 machines, adding a layer of mystery to its history. Little is known about its original designer or intended theme, leaving enthusiasts to speculate and appreciate its raw historical significance.