Williams Deluxe Pinch Hitter

Here it’s a short diversion from what we usually document, a fun little piece touching on something we’re rather passionate about. Even if the subject is not the favourite with some of our readers (oh yeah, we hear about it), for Team BIGDoer it’s something big. We’re speaking of pinball and old school arcade games, things that have captivated us since like forever and continue to bring out the kids in us. We’re under a spell and I don’t think the hold will be broken anytime soon. So come with take a look at a vintage “Pitch & Bat” getting a little attention from veteran Pinball Tech Gary Makota. This is Deluxe Pinch Hitter that’s sixty years old.

The game comes from the firm Williams Manufacturing (later Williams Electronics) who was one of the big three pinball makers in the old days (Bally and Gottlieb the others). Founded in the 1940s, they continued to manufacture pins up until twenty years ago. Has it been that long? They still make slot machines though. Pitch and Bat games were a simple variation on the pinball theme and Williams made their fair share into the 1990s. They were the most prolific maker with the 1950s-1960s period being the golden age. Deluxe Pinch hitter is from 1959.

In game play it’s pretty straightforward…it’s baseball in a simple form. The ball is pitched with the player, using a bat, then attempting to hit various playfield targets to advance and score. Depending on which, it could move you any number of bases, earn you a home run or result in an out. Failing to hit anything causes the ball to drain and that’s a strike. Three strikes and you’re out and three outs ends a game. The coin box is still there with one play for a dime or three to be had for a quarter. Incidentally, a pinch hitter is a substitute called in to replace another player.

One person can play or two head to head. One pitches, one bats and then they alternate sides. The pitcher can deliver a fast ball, or with help of an a hidden magnet, a curve ball. The shooting mechanism sits below the playfield, the ball exiting (fast) through a channel protected by a flap which otherwise sits flush. Three ramps direct the ball to the “bleachers” and score a homer. Those are the shots you want most. The ball is then returned to the pitching unit via a network of troughs inside the machine.

Seen on some pitch and bats (sometimes called “baseball pinballs” or simply a “bat game”), including this one, is a “running man” unit. It’s a back box animation with little players running bases as you score. A novel feature, it really adds to the fun. In addition, this machine keeps tally of the highest score achieved. It also has the ability to award free games via a match feature at the end of play. It picks a random number and if it’s the same as yours (last digit only), you get a credit. William’s made a second version of this game called simply Pinch Hitter than lacked the match feature but otherwise was the same.

We could not find a record of how many Pinch Hitters were made, but a modest number should be expected. In that era a good production run for a popular pinball tittle could be in the 2000s. It’s be safe to assume it’d be no more than than this here but probably fewer, given pitch and bats weren’t as popular. So under a thousand would be a safe assumption. By the way, once a production run was completed, they’d move on to another title. One run, a limited number and that’s it. Today pinball firms sometimes do follow up runs, if a game is popular, or to create demand by issuing special limited editions that differ slightly.

Deluxe Pinch Hitter is a “woodrail”, referring to the locking bars that keep the playfield glass in place. Woodrails are considered highly desirable to collectors. By the early 1960s, they changed over to metal (same today) and this afforded better protection should someone try to break into a machine. Unlike pinballs the backbox on this one in integral and does not fold down. This would make much more difficult to move.

That cigarette holder was commonplace in the day. Everyone smoked back then (shades of Madmen), especially so in the places where a machine like this could be found, like some dark bar or a seedy pool hall. Like its brother the pinball, this pitch and bat has a tilt feature should a player get a little rough. To much English and it’s game over.

In some old promotional flyer, the game is called De Luxe (so two words) Pinch Hitter. Back in the day, that word was often split.

A pitch & bat is simpler than a pinball in some ways given there are less scoring targets. But the addition of the running man unit and the complex under playfield ball troughs means they’re still maintenance intensive. This particular unit had a number of small nagging issues, quickly attended to by Gary Makota, who as you know we’ve shadowed before on other maintenance calls. He’s the only one in the area with the qualifications to fix the old “EM” (electro-mechanical) machines. This one was a easy fix, with Gary being in and out and on his way in no time.

A look inside the workings shows a lot of stock mechanical bits off a pinball. In fact the only major difference is the animated backbox and the ball shooter. The bat is very much like a flipper. This typically means anyone who can work on a pinball of the era can do so with a pitch and bat. It’s good to have a tech like Gary on speed dial if you own an old machine. They can be scary mechanical nightmares should they fail (and they will) and are not a place for the timid. Gary’s been doing it since the 1970s and we’ve yet to see him stumped.

This machine, for it’s age in particular, is in fine shape inside and out. There’s some nicks and peeling paint here and there, but otherwise it’s nice. Typically machines this old, especially given the abuse they received, are well beaten up, doubly so when it comes to paint wear. Flaking and fading or even wearing through are common problems. None here to any degree.

Take a look inside. All those switches, wires, stepper units, chimes, reels and so on. It’s a big complex mechanical computer. No thank you…I’m not touching a thing in there!

An old juke box is also looked by Gary, but has a problem that may prove to be terminal. This is an “AMI” CD box form the 1990s era sitting next to an all-in-one reproduction video game with all the classic titles (Pac-Man, Space Invaders, etc).

We’ve been hounded Gary for eons to find us a pitch and bat to photograph. They’re not terribly common, so imagine our surprise when he calls, telling us of one in Drumheller he’ll be visiting, on a day we just happened to be in the area. That’s some divine timing.

These pinball posts make this site no money, directly, indirectly or in any way. But we so love the subject and will continue to post the occasional one as space and time permits. Some reader have been vocal in their disdain of them (what the?!!) but hey it’s our playground and we’ll continue. And now we return you to your regular programming…

They’re saying…

”You simultaneously laud and lampoon all the things around you as well as your own forcibly limited photography skills brought on by budgetary concerns. Not everything is about pretty pictures and by adding a story, you let your personality shine through and elevate the piece.” Monica Stratter.

Need Gary’s help? Go here: Gary Makota on Facebook or here Gary Makota Pinball Repair.

Pinball’s the theme…
Just Pins @ YEGPIN 2018 – Just the machines ma’am.
Golden Arrow – Getting a little TLC from Gary.
Pinball Art – in all its glory!

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: April, 2019.
Location: Drumheller, AB.
Article references and thanks: Gary Makota Pinball Repair, Internet Pinball Database.

Double, triple, over the fence!

This is a 1959 Williams Deluxe Pinch Hitter.

The owner and tech Gary Makota.

The “animated” backbox.

Naked and bare.

A “running man” at the ready.

A wondrous mechanical computer.

Williams made a lot of “pitch & bat” games.

My kingdom for a quarter.

Paint’s pretty good for its age.

The dreaded tilt.

A place to set your smoke.

The inner workings, here it’s the score reels.

Best left to a tech.

The rules sheet.

And who to call for service.

Williams was also a big maker of pinballs.

Coin mechanism details.

The ball view.

Class photo!

An “AMI” gets some attention.

An all-in-one.