The backside of a pinball playfield Credit: Jamie Ramsay
For our latest issue, Ryan Smith delved into the seedy history of pinball and the champion player Roger Sharpe, who helped lift the ban on the game while his sons are leading today’s renaissance. We photographed Roger and his sons Josh and Zach, the next generation of champion pinball competitors, at the Stern Pinball factory in Elk Grove Village, IL. It’s the oldest and largest manufacturer and designer of pinball machines in the world. It ships machines all over the globe. Every station of assembly is touched by human hands to create the games themed with everything from Guardians of the Galaxy, to Star Wars, to Stern’s latest machine dedicated to Iron Maiden. We’ve got a few extra looks, from inside the factory, that couldn’t fit in print.
A worker finishes the a pinball playfield before it’s placed in a cabinetCredit: Jamie RamsayWorkers install electronics on the backside of a pinball playfieldCredit: Jamie RamsayPinball play fields being built on the assembly lineCredit: Jamie RamsayA close look at the flippers of the Iron Maiden game before the playfield glass is installedCredit: Jamie RamsayIron Maiden pinball cabinets prior to assemblyCredit: Jamie RamsayElectronic wiring awaiting installation into pinball machinesCredit: Jamie RamsayInside the customizations area of Stern Pinball factoryCredit: Jamie RamsayA wall of customizations available for pinball machinesCredit: Jamie RamsayFlags representing all of the countries to which Stern ships pinball machinesCredit: Jamie RamsayZach, Josh and Roger Sharpe wait for lighting to get set up for the photo shoot.Credit: Jamie RamsayFormer pinball champ Roger Sharpe’s signature footwork during pinball playCredit: Jamie Ramsay
