The Triangle Belles & Chimes, a local pinball league, fosters camaraderie and competition through this nostalgic arcade game.
by Ilina Ewen | photography by Bryan Regan  

Before you could play video games in the palm of your hand, arcades were the place to be. Pinball machines lined the walls, quarters neatly stacked for the next player, the clatter, hum and buzz of the machines a soundtrack for coming-of-age woes. Pinball is where pop culture stretched beyond the big screen and comic books, and boys and girls postured for dominance as they hit the flippers with ferocity. And while the mall arcade is from a bygone era, pinball has enjoyed a resurgence over the last few years.

Joan McCool started playing pinball in 1975, in her early 20s. “I liked the lights, sounds and physicality of the game,” McCool says. “It was fun to keep the ball in play, hit the shots and earn points!” Her love of the sport never wavered (her kids recently gave her a pinball machine as a retirement gift), and today she’s part of the Triangle Belles & Chimes, the local chapter of an international women’s pinball league founded in 2013 in Oakland, California. There are currently about 12 regular players in the group, with a roster of over 80 women.

The league’s mission is to create a fun, social environment for women of all skill levels to learn and enjoy pinball, and to create a welcoming space free from the gatekeeping that can sometimes occur in mixed-gender environments. “Men don’t have a biological advantage over women in pinball, but it can be intimidating at times,” says Heidi Reule, another Belles & Chimes fixture.

The Belles meet for monthly tournaments and social gatherings at locations like Roshambo in Raleigh and Bond Brothers in Cary, and they invite all ages and experience levels to learn, watch and participate in group match play. “People think you have to be good to play, but there’s a host of women to help you learn the skills, techniques and trick shots,” says Kateryn Lake, who started playing pinball in 2022. “You’ll often see more experienced players teaching new players about what to aim for and how to play any given machine.”

Pinball is captivating a new generation of enthusiasts in large part due to its sense of nostalgia. But it’s also just plain fun, requiring a combination of skill, timing and strategy. The physical nature of the game, with feedback striking all the senses, offers a thrill that digital games just can’t replicate. For many players, it’s also a satisfying and stress-elieving form of entertainment. “It’s the perfect outlet,” says Elia Lake, Kateryn’s wife and another Belles player.

Each pinball machine is a marvel of art and engineering, featuring intricate designs combining electronics, physics and mechanics. The overall goal is simple; score points and don’t drain the ball.
But how you achieve that goal is where the fun begins. To start play, the player plunges a spring-loaded rod to launch a ball into the machine, then uses flippers on the side of the machine to move the ball within the playfield, scoring points by hitting bumpers, ramps and other targets. Each pinball machine offers different layouts, rules and features.

Novices tend to haphazardly bang on the flippers, but advanced players know how to control and trap the ball on a flipper to take more accurate shots — which helps unlock high scoring modes and bonuses. “It wasn’t until I played with someone who knew what they were doing that I understood the skill involved,” says Reule, an occupational therapist from Raleigh who started playing in 2022. “I was instantly hooked!” Part of the appeal is that the machine is the competition. “You can’t really ‘beat’ a table — you get better, but there’s always room to improve,” says Kateryn. Belles & Chimes members share tips and camaraderie, encouraging more women to pick up the game. “Our events tend to prioritize community and teaching over being competitive,” she notes.

But a competitive spirit is still fierce among the women. “Skill shots are the one thing you have control over. You’re in competition with the machine,” says Sammie Bacon,  a local professional pinball player who is currently 30th in the women’s national pro ranking.

Bacon is a member of the Women’s Advisory Board of the International Flipper Pinball Association Advisory Board, the organization that guides the global policies for competitive pinball and organizes the Women’s North American and World Championships. The board also helps ensure the IFPA represents the interests of women in competitive pinball. “Pinball has a universal language. Our goal is to bring more women to the game. It’s about creating a welcoming space,” says Bacon.

One way the Belles & Chimes are fostering a new generation of players is by hosting youth outreach programs and events at family-friendly venues like Bowstring. “It can be difficult for younger folks to have regular access to a wide variety of machines,” says Lake, noting that most of the spots to play pinball in our area tend to be bars.

And while pinball may seem like just a game to non-fans, the members of the Belles & Chimes say it’s about friendship, confidence and gaining some wisdom, too. “Pinball is kind of a metaphor for life. I plunge the ball and make choices all while trying not to drain,” says Reule. “It’s simultaneously chaotic, intense and calm. It requires me to focus but also take risks.”

“Sometimes a bad game is out of your control,” says Kateryn. Agrees Bacon: “You can have a plan going, but roll with what the game gives you.”  

This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of WALTER magazine.