This article was originally published October 5, 2019. Since then through more research we have found some new information and wanted to update this post for our readers. Based on an article in The Daily Astorian (Astoria, Oregon), Sunday, July 16, 1916, Skee-Ball was the latest amusement to be introduced in Astoria, not 1930 as originally published.
Did you ever wonder what year Skee-Ball first showed up in your state? Based on the inventor’s notes, sales figures and advertisements, here’s what we know.
On December 8, 1908, Joseph Fourestier Simpson, a resident of Vineland, New Jersey (making Skee-Ball a New Jersey invention), the inventor of Skee-Ball, received a patent for the game. In April, 1909, the first advertisement for the game appeared in The Billboard.
The first alley was sold to James T. Noell, of Roanoake, Virginia, on May 25, 1909, and he bought a second alley on September 7, becoming the first repeat customer as well as the very first customer for Skee-Ball alleys.
On September 8, the third alley was sold to John Clifford Warren, a cigar store owner in Ukiah, California.
Two months later, on November 20, Andrew F. Gustav, of Gloversville, New York, bought an alley. Four days later, Mark Inman of Pana, Illinois, bought one.
On December 14, F. J. Williamson, of Burlington, North Carolina, bought an alley, including the automatic scoring device, for $275.
Even more exciting, by December of 1909, there were two alleys running at the Steeplechase Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a major tourist destination. That was the most promising venue yet for the new game. The momentum was steadily building.
As the alleys sold, John W. Harper and Simpson built at least one at their own expense, and installed it at Wildwood Crest Pier, which would be a great advertising opportunity at the very least, and perhaps begin to defray some costs. It was clear that Skee-Ball was going to be a big success.
Over the years, Skee-Ball sold into almost all of the United States, even Alaska and Hawaii. Below is a table showing each state and the best evidence for the year it got Skee-Ball. Above you can see a map with the same information.
What year did Skee-Ball come to your state?
| State | Year | State | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1909 | Oregon | 1916 |
| Delaware | 1909 | South Carolina | 1916 |
| Illinois | 1909 | Wisconsin | 1916 |
| New Jersey | 1909 | Connecticut | 1917 |
| New York | 1909 | Georgia | 1917 |
| North Carolina | 1909 | Kentucky | 1918 |
| Virginia | 1909 | Arizona | 1920 |
| Colorado | 1910 | Washington | 1921 |
| Utah | 1910 | Arkansas | 1922 |
| Pennsylvania | 1911 | Hawaii | 1922 |
| Florida | 1914 | New Mexico | 1922 |
| Maryland | 1914 | Minnesota | 1925 |
| Massachusetts | 1915 | Nebraska | 1930 |
| Missouri | 1915 | Oklahoma | 1931 |
| New Hampshire | 1915 | Tennessee | 1932 |
| Ohio | 1915 | West Virginia | 1932 |
| Rhode Island | 1915 | Indiana | 1936 |
| Texas | 1915 | South Dakota | 1938 |
| Vermont | 1915 | Kansas | 1949 |
| Washington, DC | 1915 | Maine | 1949 |
| Alabama | 1916 | Wyoming | 1949 |
| Iowa | 1916 | North Dakota | 1951 |
| Michigan | 1916 | Alaska | 1955 |
About The Author
Thaddeus Cooper is the co-author of Seeking Redemption: The Real Story of the Beautiful Game of Skee-Ball, a deep dive into the history of the game. You can find more information about Thaddeus, and his co-author, and their book, at: http://www.nomoreboxes.com/.