Uploaded May 2017 | Updated September 2026, 7 minutes ago
Here we have a 1952 Williams Majorettes pinball machine in action. This game is pretty standard for late 40's/early 50's Williams woodrails in that it has impulse flippers and they're positioned in an unusual configuration when compared to more modern pinball machines.
Impulse flippers are controlled simultaneously by either flipper button and cannot be held in the up position. This means that the game can be played one-handed while holding a drink, but it also makes for really boring gameplay. I've heard of people with far more motivation than me retrofitting these machines with separate non-impulse flipper mechanisms so that they operate independently and can be held in the engaged position. This makes gameplay far more interesting.
Majorettes is a great looking game and has some neat features. Hitting the kick-out saucers lights the corresponding pop bumper and girl on the backglass. Once all five are lit, the centre rollover awards one replay and the centre saucer awards five replays. The special remained lit for the remainder of the game, so many replays could be scored. interestingly, if the player wanted to have the replays "paid out" by the location, they could ask for money instead. The location operator could then pay out the cash (or some other reward, I suppose) and then "knock-off" the replays using a small button on the bottom of the cabinet. For more information on this type of "knock-off" Williams machine, see the excellent write-up here: pinrepair.com/wmswood
Majorettes was designed by Harry Williams with artwork by Roy Parker. See here for photos and other info: ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1529
Here we have a 1952 Williams Majorettes pinball machine in action. This game is pretty standard for late 40's/early 50's Williams woodrails in that it has impulse flippers and they're positioned in an unusual configuration when compared to more modern pinball machines.
Impulse flippers are controlled simultaneously by either flipper button and cannot be held in the up position. This means that the game can be played one-handed while holding a drink, but it also makes for really boring gameplay. I've heard of people with far more motivation than me retrofitting these machines with separate non-impulse flipper mechanisms so that they operate independently and can be held in the engaged position. This makes gameplay far more interesting.
Majorettes is a great looking game and has some neat features. Hitting the kick-out saucers lights the corresponding pop bumper and girl on the backglass. Once all five are lit, the centre rollover awards one replay and the centre saucer awards five replays. The special remained lit for the remainder of the game, so many replays could be scored. interestingly, if the player wanted to have the replays "paid out" by the location, they could ask for money instead. The location operator could then pay out the cash (or some other reward, I suppose) and then "knock-off" the replays using a small button on the bottom of the cabinet. For more information on this type of "knock-off" Williams machine, see the excellent write-up here: pinrepair.com/wmswood
Majorettes was designed by Harry Williams with artwork by Roy Parker. See here for photos and other info: ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1529
