Contest

Contest, manufactured by J. H. Keeney and Company of Chicago in May 1941, is a flipperless one-ball game from the years just before America's entry into World War II. Produced during the industry's pre-flipper era, Contest reflects the style of play that dominated the time: players sent a single ball into a field of trap holes, with skill and luck determining the outcome.

Contest features 1 to 4 coin multiple play, allowing players to increase their stake and potential reward. Four passive bumpers and a remarkable twenty-five trap holes fill the playfield, while a convertible option for 5-ball play demonstrates Keeney's willingness to let operators adapt the game to their locations. These characteristics highlight the creative problem-solving that defined pinball design in this era.

Limited information is available on Contest's specific theme or artwork. Nonetheless, this machine remains a fascinating specimen for collectors and historians, offering a glimpse into the one-ball games that were a major part of the coin-op business in the early 1940s.