Arlington

Arlington, produced by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in July 1937, is an early electro-mechanical machine from the era when pinball and coin-operated gambling equipment overlapped. It is a one-ball payout game: players received a single ball for 5 cents, making each shot count. Machines like this offer collectors and historians a glimpse into the formative years of the industry, before flippers and before pinball fully separated from wagering devices.

The gameplay is straightforward but tense. When a coin is deposited, anywhere from one to seven selections light up on the scoreboard. The player then shoots the ball, trying to land it in one of the 28 trap holes corresponding to a lit selection. Because only certain selections are live on any given play, each game carries an element of chance and anticipation typical of payout machines of the period.

While Arlington's design may seem minimalist by today's standards, its significance lies in what it represents: an era when pinball was still finding its footing and one-ball payout games were a major part of Bally's business. Its age and relative obscurity make it a fascinating artifact of pinball's earliest decade.