Moloney seemed genuinely intent on bringing the joys of modern gaming out of the shadows and into the mainstream, setting the tone for how we still think about testing our luck and distracting our minds in the 21st century. Even back then, there was no shortage of controversy when it came to the building, distribution, and management of gambling devices, and without question, Chicago’s ever-lurking criminal underworld was always an arm’s reach away from any so-called “one armed bandit.” Still, Bally’s founder Ray T. The artifact in our museum collection likely dates back to the 1930s, as well, and would have been used in one of Bally’s early slot machines (aka “bell consoles,” “three-reelers,” or “fruit machines”), such as the lovely Bally Bell pictured above. Instead, the BALLY entertainment brand we’ve known for nearly a century comes from a shortening of the word Ballyhoo-the name of the popular pinball game that launched the business in 1932. Bally-unlike all of its competitors just mentioned-wasn’t named for its founder, nor does it have any connection to the Swiss fashion company of the same name (which actually was established by a guy called Carl Franz Bally). all operated here, along with future jukebox leaders Rockola and Seeburg. Most of the biggest producers of pinball machines-including Gottlieb, Williams, and Stern-were Chicago-based, and before World War II, the same could be said of the slot machine industry, as the Watling MFG Co., Mills Novelty Co., and Jennings & Co. Though not necessarily thought of as a “gaming destination” a la Vegas or Atlantic City, Chicago was the undisputed hub of coin-op (and gambling related) manufacturing for much of the 20th century. The consistent thread, I suppose, is “amusements,” and that can certainly be traced all the way to Bally’s oft-forgotten Chicago roots as a maker of coin-operated games in the midst of the Great Depression.

It’s been associated-depending on your age and demographic-with arcade video games, casinos, rollercoaster theme parks, fitness club chains, and, starting in 2021, a stable of regional TV sports networks. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL īally is one of the most recognizable and yet seemingly untethered brand names in America. Museum Artifact: Bally Mechanical Slot Machine Reel, c.

Bally 5 coin slot machine