Mini-Baseball
About This Machine
Mini-Baseball, manufactured by Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company in 1972, is a flipperless, single-player, wall-mountable electro-mechanical (EM) baseball game from late in the EM era, shortly before solid-state technology took over the industry.
Gameplay on Mini-Baseball is both challenging and engaging. Players navigate a plexiglas playfield featuring light animation that simulates runners advancing around the bases. A "Skill Gage" indicator -- actually a shooter-tension gauge measuring how far the player pivots the shooter knob before release -- lights a number from 1 to 5 above the shooter knob, adding a layer of strategy. The machine's solid-state sound card provides crowd noises on any hit and/or specifically on home runs, at the operator's option. Three outs or a score of 100 runs ends the game.
Notably, Mini-Baseball's design reflects a blend of style and functionality. The walnut formica cabinet and aluminum trim evoke a classic look, while fluorescent tube and incandescent lighting brighten the display. It could be wall-mounted or placed on an optional console base with its own lighted Plexiglas window, and the manufacturer recommended adding 50 pounds of weight to that base to prevent tipping. Collectors have noted that the "Skill Gage" circuit board needed to make the feature functional is often missing from surviving units, suggesting the mechanism may have failed under regular use and been removed by operators.
Images (23)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Sports - Baseball
- Model Number:
- 409
- Notable Features:
- 3 outs or score of 100 runs ends game. Plexiglas playfield with light animation (players run bases). Depending on how far the player pivots the shooter knob before releasing it, a number 1 through 5 will illuminate above the shooter knob as a gauge, misspelled on the game as a "Skill Gage". A solid-state sound card provides crowd noises when any hit is made and/or only when a home run occurs (operator option). Cabinet has walnut formica with aluminum trim. The optional base contains a notice from the manufacturer recommending that the operator add 50 lbs weight to the inside to prevent tipping. Two bolts and washers attach the game to the base. Maximum displayed score is 100 runs. Sound: 1 bell, sound card with speaker. Ball composition: 11/16 inch in diameter red marblette ball. Illumination: Game has fluorescent tube and incandescent lamps. Base unit has incandescent bulb with its own switch.