Fireball

The 1972 Fireball is one of the most celebrated machines in Bally's extensive catalog of electro-mechanical pinball. Designed by Ted Zale with striking artwork by Dave Christensen, this fantasy-themed 4-player game represents a pivotal moment in pinball design and remains a favorite among collectors.

Fireball boasts an array of innovative features that made it stand out from its contemporaries. The machine's signature zipper flippers can close together to eliminate the center drain, while three pop bumpers and three mushroom bumpers keep the action lively. Captive ball kick-out holes, a messenger ball, a standup target, slingshots, a left outlane kickback, a right-side ball return gate, and a ramp skill shot add to the game's complexity and replay value. Its multiball play, with two or three balls on the playfield at once, was especially noteworthy for an electro-mechanical game of this era. The spinning disc set into the playfield, promoted in the flyer as a "whirlwind spinner," adds an element of unpredictability, though it was not the first such feature in pinball; an earlier example appeared on Electro-Ball's 1932 Jig-alo Electro-Ball.

Bally confirmed production of 3,815 units, which sold new for $895, and a German version was also produced; serial number evidence suggests the actual quantity may have been somewhat higher. In a fun footnote, Chip Carter, son of President Jimmy Carter, bought a Fireball in 1977 and had it delivered to the family home in Plains, Georgia.