El Toro

The 1938 El Toro pinball machine is a historic gem from the Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) of Chicago, one of the earliest and most influential manufacturers in the coin-op industry. As a flipperless electro-mechanical game from the late 1930s, it captures pinball in its formative years, after electricity had entered the game but nearly a decade before the flipper would transform it.

Gameplay-wise, El Toro features eleven spring bumpers — the bumper being a then-recent innovation in pinball design — which players attempted to strike as the ball made its way down the playfield. A bell timer adds an extra layer of excitement, and the reclined backbox design is a distinctive touch that sets it apart from other machines of its era.

El Toro's bullfighting theme evokes the thrill and pageantry of the corrida. No designer or artist credits survive for this machine, but as a 1938 flipperless game from ESCO, El Toro offers a unique glimpse into the development of the game we know today, making it an appealing discovery for any serious pinball enthusiast.