Swing for the fences — Chicago Coin’s Big Hit is an electromechanical single-player that brings America’s pastime to the flippers, and it comes from a genuine pioneer of the trade, a manufacturer whose history stretches back to the earliest days of the coin-op business. Designed by the team of Jerry Koci, John Gore, and Al Schlappa with light-based scoring, it’s a characterful woodrail-era piece built around the drama of baseball.
The layout has a distinctive, baseball-flavored character: two flippers, a single pop bumper, a generous seven scoring bumpers, two captive balls, and a kick-out hole. That’s an unusual, bumper-heavy design, with all those scoring bumpers promising a lively, high-scoring game where the ball ricochets and racks up points across the playfield. The two captive balls add a satisfying bit of mechanical interest, offering targets to hammer, while the whole layout is built to translate the excitement of the ballgame into pinball action. It’s a clean, energetic design that rewards a player who keeps the ball moving through all those bumpers.
Big Hit is a fine example of Chicago Coin’s electromechanical craft, pairing the evergreen appeal of baseball with an engaging, bumper-rich playfield. Chicago Coin was one of the industry’s foundational manufacturers, and its machines carry a real slice of pinball’s deep history. For the collector who loves the golden age of EM pinball, the pioneering companies that built it, and the timeless draw of the national pastime, it’s a worthy find. Work those seven scoring bumpers, hammer the captive balls, and swing for the fences. Some machines connect you to the deep roots of the hobby, and this baseball classic knocks one out of the park. Play ball and drop a coin.