Play Ball (Gremlin Industries, Inc.)

Design and Concept: Jerry Hansen    Graphics: Lonnie Pogue

Play Ball was the first wall game produced by Gremlin Industries, and certainly one of the most popular.

Play Ball featured a toggle switch on the left side of the game panel, allowing the operator to toggle between "Major League" and "Minor League" play.  Under the Minor League setting, game play was slower.  The switch setting was visually displayed at the top of the game panel.

Games were always two player games, with the players sharing a single RF remote control transmitter.  Depressing the transmitter button would begin the pitch sequence.  Releasing the button would cause the batter to swing.  Timing was important both on the depressing and release of the button, since the pitch speed and bat swing were thus controlled.

A Single scored one point, a Double two points, a Triple three points and a Home Run four points.  If the batter missed the pitch, i.e. a strike, the opponent would be awarded one point.  A foul ball scored no points for either player.

Play Ball was the first "White Game" produced by Gremlin.  The first ten or twenty games were hand-wired.  The bulb sockets were riveted to the baseboard that also served to hold the printed circuit boards.  Later games incorporated the large circuit board which is so familiar to Gremlin fans.