Volley

Gottlieb's 'Volley' pinball machine, released in 1976, capitalized on the growing popularity of tennis and other racquet sports during the 1970s. This electro-mechanical pinball machine represented one of the last waves of EM games before the industry's transition to solid-state electronics.

The machine featured a playfield design focused on tennis and volleyball themes, with targets and bumpers arranged to simulate the back-and-forth action of racquet sports. The artwork likely included tennis court imagery and athletic figures, following the contemporary styling of mid-1970s pinball artwork. The gameplay emphasized shooting for specific targets to 'serve' and 'volley' the ball, with typical EM-era scoring mechanisms and chimes.

While not one of Gottlieb's most famous titles, 'Volley' represents an interesting snapshot of both pinball and popular culture history, released during a time when tennis was enjoying unprecedented mainstream popularity following the success of players like Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert. The machine would have found homes in arcades, bowling alleys, and other entertainment venues of the mid-1970s.

As with many electro-mechanical machines of this era, surviving examples of 'Volley' are now considered collectible, particularly as they represent the twilight years of EM pinball technology before the solid-state revolution that would begin just a few years later with games like Gottlieb's 'Charlie's Angels.'