Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about the Whiffle Machine, scores, and where to learn more.
Was the Whiffle really the first pinball machine?
The 1931 Whiffle is often called the first modern coin-operated pinball machine. Earlier coin-operated games exist (e.g. 1892 Coin Game Board), but Whiffle from Automatic Industries was among the first to combine a plunger, coin mechanism, glass-covered playfield, and legs in the form we recognize as pinball. It reached the market in March 1931, just before Chicago's "Whoopee," so the "first" title is debated among historians.
Where can I play a real Whiffle machine?
Original Whiffle machines are very rare. You can see and play one at Past Times Arcade. The International Arcade Museum lists only a small number of known surviving units.
How do I submit a score to the leaderboard?
Scores are submitted through the Whiffle Tracker app, which you can download from the Downloads page. Install Whiffle Tracker, play in Classic, Timed, Survival, or Retro mode, and your high scores can be sent to the leaderboard when you're connected.
Who invented the Whiffle?
Arthur L. Paulin, a carpenter from Youngstown, Ohio, developed the game from an old board found in his barn (around Christmas 1930). He partnered with Earl W. Froome and others to form Automatic Industries, which produced the first Whiffle machines in 1931.