Episode 112 - Electromechanical Designer Crash Course

Crash course on legendary EM pinball designers, emphasizing Steve Kordek and Norm Clark innovations.

Synopsis

A deep-dive podcast episode on six legendary electromechanical (EM) pinball designers from the 1960s-70s, focusing on Williams designers Steve Kordek and Norm Clark. The hosts discuss design innovations (flipper positioning, drop targets, multiball, center pop layouts, relay logic), game characteristics, and the importance of recognizing individual designer contributions rather than just manufacturer brands. The episode emphasizes how EM designers were multi-disciplinary innovators who invented core pinball mechanics.

Highlights

• Steve Kordek worked at Williams for 63 years, longer than Harry Williams himself
• Steve Kordek placed flippers at the bottom of the playfield in 1947
• Norm Clark invented relay logic that allowed carryover game progress in multiplayer EM games
• Norm Clark revitalized and perfected the center pop bumper layout between flippers
• Norm Clark moved from Williams to Bally in the late 70s and headed their design division
• Freedom was Bally's only center pop production game, made as prototype run of ~12 units before being abandoned
• Grand Prix (1976) was one of Steve Kordek last games designed
• Steve Kordek designed the first game with drop targets (Vagabond, 1962) and first with multiball (Beat the Clock, 1963)
• EM designers were heavily involved in inventing mechanics and rules: not just designing playfields
• Norm Clark and George Christian collaborated on Freedom, which was their only co-design credit

Entities

• Bally Manufacturing· company
• Gottlieb· company
• Williams Electronics· company
• 8 Ball· game
• Doodle Bug· game
• Freedom· game
• Grand Prix· game
• Spanish Eyes· game
• Roanoke Pinball Museum· organization
• Seattle Pinball Museum· organization
• Wedgehead Pinball Podcast· organization
• George Christian· person
• Harry Williams· person
• Keith Elwin· person
• Nick Schell· person
• Norm Clark· person
• Pat Lawlor· person
• Roger Sharpe· person
• Steve Kordek· person
• Steve Ritchie· person