1955 · Gottlieb
Marathon
Deep royal blue field with radiating sunburst rays, tall fluted pinstriped pillars in blue, yellow, orange and black, yellow shield-like panels flanking each score window and crosshatched lattice pattern behind the central ribbon.
- Year
- 1955
- Maker
- Gottlieb
- Type
- Electro-mechanical
- Display
- Score reels
- Players
- 2
Made by
- Design
- Wayne Neyens
- Art
- Roy Parker
Vision analysis
On the backglass
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- blue
- yellow
- orange
- red
Fingerprint: 2 PLAYER MARATHON in enormous orange arched banner with yellow TWO PLAYER scroll beneath, four identical female sprinters in white tank tops and colored shorts racing, two small runners standing atop corresponding score window arches, royal-blue field with radiating sunburst rays and tall vertical pinstripes, red-white striped shield with winged torch and thirteen-star motif at center
An enormous orange arch across the top reading 2 PLAYER MARATHON, with a yellow scroll beneath repeating TWO PLAYER - a double-act athletics motif that is the machine's whole identity. Four identical female sprinter figures in white tank tops appear at two different scales, the small pair literally standing on top of the two score windows as if racing. A blue circle with thirteen white stars above a red-and-white striped shield, topped by a winged torch, sits dead centre. Each player's window is colour-keyed: red for player one, green for player two, with matching numbered shields.
Setting
- Deep royal blue field with radiating sunburst rays
- Tall fluted pinstriped pillars in blue, yellow, orange and black
- Yellow shield-like panels flanking each score window
- Crosshatched lattice pattern behind the central ribbon
Symbols
- Winged torch
- Thirteen white stars on a blue disc
- Red and white vertical striped shield
- Orange and green pennant flags
- Pennant on a pole
- Number 1 shield in red
- Number 2 shield in green
- Sunburst rays
- Vertical pinstripes
- Yellow scroll ribbon
Lettering
- Cream condensed sans-serif capitals with black outline on the orange arch; red capitals with cream fill on the yellow ribbon; red cursive script and black condensed sans-serif in the left panel; orange numerals with black condensed capitals in the right panel
Themes
- Athletics
- Track and field sprinters
- Two player versus play
- Tournament
- Skill game
Title on it
- 2 player marathon
Text on it
- Gottlieb's
- 2 PLAYER MARATHON
- It's more Fun to Compete!
- A GAME OF SKILL
- 1 or 2 CAN PLAY
- at the same time
- TWO PLAYER
- DELUXE
- 1st PLAYER
- 2nd PLAYER
- BALL IN PLAY
- PLAYERS
- D. Gottlieb & Co.
- MFG. CHICAGO ILL.
- Amusement Pinball
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Left edge, large, brunette with short waved hair, running in profile to the right, white sleeveless tank top, red shorts with white side stripe, white socks, clenched fist raised |
| Woman | Right edge, large, blonde with curly hair, running in profile to the left, white sleeveless tank top, green shorts, arms bent pumping |
| Woman | Small, standing in a sprinter's crouch on top of the left red score window arch, white top and red shorts, one arm forward |
| Woman | Small, standing in a sprinter's crouch on top of the right green score window arch, white top and green shorts |
A bright, symmetrical painted backglass dominated by a huge orange arched banner reading 2 PLAYER MARATHON in cream block capitals, with PLAYER curved along the left and MARATHON straight across the top. Behind it a deep royal-blue field of radiating sunburst rays and tall vertical pinstriped pillars in blue, yellow and black. An orange flag top left carries white cursive 'Gottlieb's'; two small pennants at the sides read DELUXE in dark capitals on white, orange and green. Two rounded text panels sit under the arch: left, red cursive 'It's more Fun to Compete!' over black 'A GAME OF SKILL'; right, orange '1 or 2 CAN PLAY at the same time'. A yellow scroll ribbon reading TWO PLAYER in red-outlined capitals sweeps across the middle. Four female runners: two large flanking figures in white tank tops with red (left) and green (right) shorts, and two miniature women standing atop the score windows. Below are two chunky arched score windows, left with a red '1' shield and '1st PLAYER' plate, right with a green '2' shield and '2nd PLAYER' plate, flanking a BALL IN PLAY / 1 PLAYERS 2 indicator. A striped red-white shield, a winged torch and a 13-star motif fill the centre.