Fireball

The spinning disk was promoted in the flyer as a whirlwind spinner. To our knowledge, this is the only flyer to use that term. Fireball was not the first pinball machine to have this feature. An earlier example is Electro-Ball Company, Inc.'s 1932 'Jig-alo Electro-Ball'. 'Fireball' sold new for $895. A German version was also produced. Our example of the German version pictured here has a backbox with a Later Production serial number 5099 and a lower cabinet with serial number 5094. Because the production run for 'Fireball' began at number 1001, we would expect the final number to be 4815. These "Later Production" serial numbers point to a larger quantity made than what Bally documentation shows. Per a Play Meter article dated November 1977 (shown here), Chip Carter, son of President Jimmy Carter, bought a 'Fireball' pinball and had it delivered to his home in Plains, Georgia which was also the home of his father. An article in The Cash Box, Oct-15-1977, page 49 (not shown here) corroborates this.