Bally’s The Champion Pub, released in 1998, is one of the most mechanically ambitious machines of the late DMD era — a boxing comedy set in a rowdy 1920s tavern, built around an unforgettable animatronic pugilist. A punching-bag toy rotates 180 degrees to reveal the top half of a boxer who bobs and weaves, and a pair of ramps guide the ball to clock him on either side of the face, while a shot up the middle lands a “body blow.” Add a working jump rope and a speed bag, and you have a table that’s as much interactive toy as pinball machine. Only around 1,369 were made, making it a genuinely rare prize.
The gameplay is all about training and fighting. You build your boxer’s stamina and skills through the heavy bag, speed bag, and jump rope, then take on opponents — stunning them with jab combos off the left and right loops before shooting the head to win a fight. The scoring rewards safe, repeatable loops: the right inlane lights a Jackpot at the left ramp, and looping it climbs the value toward a Super at the center shot. Locking the ball three times starts Multi Brawl, where working the left ramp, both loops, and the heavy bag pumps up the jackpot.
There’s a fun skill-shot wrinkle too — hold and release the launch button on your chosen award, with the 2X purse the most valuable target — and a hidden “Smart Punch” lurking when you hear an insect buzz at the heavy bag. Deep, hilarious, and bursting with mechanical personality, The Champion Pub is a cult favorite for collectors who love a machine that does things no other table dares. Step into the ring and prove you’re a contender.