Diamond Ball

The Diamond Ball, manufactured by Keeney and Sons of Chicago in March 1932, holds a notable place in the annals of pinball history as a very early electrically equipped machine. Produced when pinball was still in its infancy, it featured an electrically illuminated playfield - the manufacturer advertised that operators could 'simply slip an extension cord into the cabinet socket' to bathe the three-tone-green diamond-design playfield in 'an eye-resting glow of reflected light.'

The game offered ten balls for five cents, and its most charming feature is the ball supply itself: ten semi-transparent balls, two each of Royal Blue, Ruby Red, Old Ivory, Canary Yellow, and Emerald Green. The ball lift mechanism raises all ten balls to the playfield simultaneously, where they sit visible to the player in a trough serving the plunger - allowing the player to see the colors and strategize play for maximum scoring.

The playfield, advertised at 36 inches long and 17 inches wide, features 12 trap holes and 2 free play holes, and hinges at its top edge to lift into service position inside its walnut cabinet, advertised at 43 by 21 inches. As an electrically illuminated game from 1932, the Diamond Ball offers collectors and historians a fascinating glimpse into the earliest days of powered pin games.