When Williams released a new 1-player in 1969, the ‘Paddock’, a variant was built especially for the Italian market: “Post Time”. However, the containers full of these flippers were refused by Italian customs. Send back to the US was too expensive. Loontjens, a coin machine operator in The Netherlands saw his chance, and bought the entire lot for next to nothing. And everywhere in the south west of The Netherlands you could find this game.

Because “Post Time” was especially designed for the Italian market there was no credit wheel visible. Instead, a white window had been placed with the text “previous high score”. So, you could not win a new game but you could win 5 extra balls per ball (Add-a-ball).

An anecdote is circulating about the design. In 1969 Harry Williams was director of the eponymous pinball factory Williams. And Harry was a passionate horse lover. When one of his racehorses lost a race in a very clumsy way, it caused quite a bit of hilarity for Harry’s colleagues. (Reportedly, the beast put his four hooves in the sand in the middle of the trail for no reason, and did not want to move forward or backward). Designer Norm Clark and draftsman Christian Marche (RIP) saw the humour in it and retreated behind their drawing boards. The result was Post Time. Harry’s horse ended out of time. Reason for disqualification!

Press 1 to start game without bells, press s to start game with bells.