Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball

A richly illustrated graphic history of pinball—its origins, evolution, and enduring cultural legacy. John Chad traces the surprising, electrifying story of one of the world’s most iconic arcade games.

In 1976, champion player Roger Sharpe stepped up to a pinball machine in a Manhattan courtroom. The New York City Council had convened to consider lifting the city’s ban on pinball—a game that had been outlawed since 1942 for its supposed connections to gambling and organized crime.

Sharpe was ...