Whiz-Bowler

The Whiz-Bowler, manufactured by Binks Industries, Inc. of Chicago in May 1954, is a compact tabletop/counter game with a bowling theme. As a Pure Mechanical (PM) game, it operates without any electrical or electronic components, relying entirely on mechanical action — though by 1954, electro-mechanical pinball had already been established for decades, so this reflects Binks' choice of a simple, low-cost countertop format rather than an early stage of pinball technology generally.

The Whiz-Bowler features a vertical playfield and a tilt mechanism, with the cabinet advertised at 17 inches high, 12 inches wide, and 9 inches deep. It accepts ten balls for one cent, and period Billboard advertisements describe it as a ball-gum vendor as well as a game.

It shares its size and general style with Binks' sibling release, 'Zipper,' though the two use different playfield layouts. No designer credits or detailed production figures are documented, but as one of Binks Industries' earliest known releases (the company reportedly having been founded that same year), Whiz-Bowler offers a glimpse into the small-format counter-game side of the coin-op business in the 1950s.