Football (Improved)

The O. D. Jennings and Company's Football (Improved) pinball machine from 1935 is a notable example of early electro-mechanical pinball design. It features a shooter lane that allows the ball to loop 360 degrees around the playfield before entering into play, an unusual and inventive touch for the era. This improved version followed Jennings' original 1934 'Football,' which reportedly had problems that led to this revised release, advertised at the time as having been "improved 100%."

The machine's design is characterized by its sports-themed artwork, featuring illustrations of football players in action, with the bold lines and minimal color typical of the era. It features a 5-cent play price, making it accessible to a wide range of players during its time.

While little is known about the machine's designer, its rarity and historical significance make it an intriguing find for pinball enthusiasts. Interestingly, comparisons of pre- and post-"improved" advertisements show no clear playfield differences between versions, aside from a possible change in the cabinet's side-panel color sequence, an unresolved detail in the machine's history.