Blue Ribbon

Released by Bally Manufacturing Corporation in 1939, Blue Ribbon is a pageantry-themed electro-mechanical pinball machine produced as model number 308. This single-player game emerged during the late 1930s when Bally was refining electro-mechanical pinball design and establishing the foundations that would define the industry for decades.

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 electro-mechanical technology characteristic of late 1930s pinball, utilizing relay-based scoring and mechanical components that marked the transition from earlier pure mechanical games to more sophisticated electrical designs.

Blue Ribbon holds historical significance as part of Ballys 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 pageantry theme popular in late 1930s entertainment, reflecting the cultural aesthetic of the era when pinball was becoming a fixture in American amusement venues.