Episode 21 - Harry Williams: Pinball Prophet w/ Roger Sharpe

Roger Sharpe recounts Harry Williams' groundbreaking pinball innovations and lasting influence on game design.

Synopsis

Roger Sharpe discusses his relationship with legendary pinball designer Harry Williams, recounting interviews and personal connections. The episode traces Harry Williams' revolutionary contributions to pinball design from 1932 onward, including the first solenoid, the tilt mechanism, flippers, electromechanical innovations, and score reels. Sharp provides historical context on how Williams' 1930s-1950s innovations were later rediscovered and reapplied by modern designers like Pat Lawlor and Steve Ritchie.

Highlights

• Harry Williams invented the first solenoid in a pinball machine in 1933 (Contact), bringing electricity to pin games
• Harry Williams invented the Tilt mechanism in 1934 as an anti-shake device (originally called 'stool pigeon')
• Harry Mabbs invented the flipper in 1947 on Humpty Dumpty, then was hired by Harry Williams to work at Williams
• Harry Williams designed a head-to-head pinball machine called Horsefeathers in 1952 with mechanical racing horses
• Army Navy (1953) was the first game to use score reels as a display, building on Lyn Durant earlier reel totalizer patent from 1933
• Roger Sharpe was contracted to design games for Stern Electronics (1978-1981), with Harry Williams designing 10 solid-state games for the company
• Roger Sharpe designed a game called Sharpshooter and Harry Williams reviewed it and provided feedback
• Roger Sharpe and Harry Williams came close to collaborating on multiple games for Brunswick's home machine line, but the effort 'faltered' and never materialized
• Gary Stern was instrumental in introducing Roger Sharpe to the pinball industry and connecting him with other designers and manufacturers
• Modern designers like Pat Lawlor, Steve Ritchie, and George Gomez have rediscovered and reapplied Harry Williams' innovations from the 1930s-1950s

Entities

• Brunswick· company
• Consolidated Drug Co.· company
• Gottlieb· company
• Raw Thrills· company
• Stern Electronics· company
• Stern Pinball· company
• Williams Manufacturing· company
• Pinball Expo· event
• PAPA· organization
• Wedgehead Pinball Podcast· organization
• Gary Stern· person
• George Gomez· person
• Harry Mabbs· person
• Harry Williams· person
• Josh Sharp· person
• Lyn Durant· person
• Pat Lawlor· person
• Roger Sharpe· person
• Sam Stern· person
• Steve Kordek· person
• Steve Ritchie· person
• Wayne Neyens· person
• Zach Sharpe· person
• The Man Who Saved Pinball· product