Friendship "7"

The "Friendship 7" pinball machine, designed by Steve Kordek and produced by Williams in July 1962, is a significant addition to any serious collector's cabinet. An Add-A-Ball game riding the era's fascination with the cosmos, it was produced in a confirmed run of just 800 units, making it a genuinely scarce title. This electro-mechanical (EM) game boasts an array of features that give it real character among its contemporaries.

Each game offers a minimum of five balls per play, with the Add-A-Ball format letting skilled players earn additional balls. The layout includes two flippers, four pop bumpers, four passive bumpers, two slingshots, three rollover buttons, one rollunder, and a standup target. A score drum mounted right in the playfield and a distinctive reverse wedge head give the machine an unusual look, and scoring tops out at a displayed maximum of 9,999 points, accompanied by bell, chime, and knocker sounds.

The machine's Space Age theme is a direct nod to real-world history: it is named after Friendship 7, the capsule that carried astronaut John Glenn into orbit around the Earth in February 1962, just months before the game's release. As a small curiosity, the backglass incorrectly adds an apostrophe to the manufacturer's name. This combination of topical theme, low production, and Add-A-Ball gameplay makes Friendship "7" a true gem for pinball enthusiasts and collectors.