50/50

The 50/50 pinball machine, designed by Ted Zale and manufactured by Bally in July 1965, is a two-player electro-mechanical game with a cheerful Fun Park theme. With a confirmed production run of just 580 units, it is a genuinely scarce machine, making surviving examples a nice find for collectors of 1960s Bally games.

The playfield carries Ted Zale's fingerprints: alongside two flippers, three pop bumpers, and two slingshots sit nine mushroom bumpers, a feature Zale used to distinctive effect in his Bally designs of this era. A ball return gate on the right outlane gives players a welcome reprieve, returning balls to play that would otherwise drain.

With its amusement-park theme, low production numbers, and characteristic Zale layout, the 50/50 is an appealing snapshot of mid-1960s Bally design and a charming, nostalgic addition to any collection.