Blue Ribbon Preview Image
Machine Description
Released by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in 1933, Blue Ribbon is an automobile race thamed mechanical pinball machine produced as model number 3.
While specific playfield features and designer credits are not extensively documented, Blue Ribbon represents Ballys craftsmanship during the pre-war era of pinball manufacturing. The machine employed the mechanical technology characteristic of early 1930s pinball, utilizing "Totalizer" scoring and mechanical components that spurred the transition from pure mechanical games to more sophisticated electrical designs the next year.
Blue Ribbon holds historical significance as part of Bally's pre-World War II production, a period when the company was establishing the engineering and design principles that would influence pinball throughout the 1940s and beyond. The machine exemplifies the growing love of auto racing popular in 1930s entertainment, reflecting the cultural aesthetic of the era when pinball was becoming a fixture in American amusement venues.