Drop Kick

The Drop Kick pinball machine, manufactured by the Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) of Chicago in October 1934, is an early piece of pinball history. Designed by Bruno Radtke and patented on July 10, 1934, this single-player electro-mechanical game carries a football theme, and it is notable for incorporating a ball-lock feature at a remarkably early date.

Drop Kick is a compact game by later standards, measuring 20 inches wide, 39 inches long, and 41 inches high. According to the Marketplace Pictorial History, this football-themed version was made for the American market, while an identical soccer-themed version, Exhibit's 1934 'Pass Kick', was built exclusively for Scott, Adickes, & Co. of London for the European market, an interesting early example of a manufacturer re-theming a game for regional audiences.

Beyond its patent, dimensions, and transatlantic twin, documentation on Drop Kick is limited, making it an intriguing subject for collectors and historians of pre-war pinball. Its early production date and unusual ball-lock feature give it a genuine place in the story of the game's mechanical evolution.