8
On Location
Grand Slam and World Series are baseball-themed electro-mechanical pinball machines designed by Ed Krynski and released by Gottlieb in August 1972. Both games share similar features, including two flippers, two pop bumpers, three kick-out holes, three roto-targets, and two slingshots, simulating the experience of a baseball game. Grand Slam is the replay version, rewarding players with replays for achieving certain scores, and had a production run of 3,600 units. World Series is the "add-a-ball" version, designed for locations where replay games were restricted, and instead allows players to earn extra balls for extended play.
The same machine, made under a different name by a different manufacturer: licensed copies, conversion kits, and re-releases.
| Name | Manufacturer | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam | Petaco | 1972 |
Doubles and triples on the upper sides all day unless you have the bases loaded, then go for the home run shot at the stand-up targets above the double and triple.
Balanced
Very High
Not much to this game, unfortunately. Skill Shot is a home run lane at the top, of course. Your best points are if you load the bases and then get a home run, worth 5000, via either of the two standup targets to the outside of the two bumpers. But it’s not likely you’ll deliberately load the bases. The first, second and third base saucers all score 1000 and put a player on that base, but they tend to deflect the ball a lot - - shooting at them is more likely to not go in but have the ball arc out of control after rimming out of the saucer. Besides the saucers, you could load the bases with three singles if you do so without scoring other hits that drive in runs baseball-style. Again, this is not that likely, even if you’re a good shot, since rebounds can go down the double or triple side lanes, or into the bumpers and then up top or into a random roto target. I just try to shoot the double and triple on the sides and if the ball settles into the saucer, fine. If I make the double or triple, the ball will continue up to bounce around the bumpers and maybe then go up top for a hit and some lane points or else hit one of those two standups. If I do get the bases loaded, yes, I’ll try not to get a hit other than a single until I can take a shot at the home run. The single targets above the double and triple lanes change to home run targets when the bases are loaded. The outlanes are both home runs, so if you have the bases loaded and drain through one of them, at least you’ll cash in for 5000 points. The roto-target at the top can give either points or a single, double, etc. I avoid it due to rebound center drain risk.
via Bob's Guide
Shoot the “single” gate on the left from the right flipper, HOMER letters in order from the left flipper. Use the upper flipper to go up top whenever possible.
Balanced
Very High
Get one of the Grand, Slam or Homer lanes at the upper right.
This is the add-a-ball version of Grand Slam. The object of Bally’s version of Grand Slam is to score runs, which give you both points and advance your bonus. Score a single with the middle left gate shot. The upper left shot, hit by the backwards-swinging upper left flipper, scores a double. Completing the top six standup targets scores a triple. There are four ways to score a home run. First is the top right entry lane. Second is by collecting the top H-O-M-E-R saucer shot five times. Third is by getting both top Grand and Slam lanes to scores a grand slam homer for four runs. Finally, completing the swinging HOMER targets in any order scores a home run. If you spell out H-O-M-E-R in order from left to right, you also score 25K value and advance the value to 50K. The top saucer ejects the ball towards the upper reversed flipper; you’ll get a shot, but since the flipper is backwards, you’ll need to pay close attention to hit it since your natural reflexes tend to miss. Shots from this upper flipper are the only way to get the ball back to the top lanes, so it’s important to learn to make this shot! Completing the standup targets and lanes for STEAL advances your bonus multiplier to 2X, then 3X; after that, STEAL scores 50K. If you have runners on base, they advance when you complete STEAL. The spinner advances runners so long as you spin it enough times to get to the next base, i.e. 4 spins for one base, 8 for 2 bases, 12 for three bases. End of ball bonus is 10K per run scored times your multiplier, if any. Bonus goes up to 99 runs. The game has a reversed inlane / outlane on the right. Strategy is to go up top in two steps. First, shoot the left single lane and HOMER targets to make progress and get the ball further up the playfield, then try to get the ball to roll in front of the upper left flipper for a shot to the top. While I would always use the single lane from the right flipper, the left flipper has the option to use the spinner instead of the HOMER targets if spinner shots tend to continue towards the needed upper flipper.
via Bob's Guide
On the floor at 8 locations
Mentioned in passing in 1 podcast
