This is completely dependent on the specific period of pinball history from 1930s to modern times along with actions of society of the period. It is different answer every 10-15 years as the cycles perpetuate with generations of new people in the hobby and industry.
"Saved" is not the accurate word. Pinball has never completely disappeared, it just keeps getting revived over and over again. Only the people change, not the game. That term is just used because it sounded catchy when coined by mass media many years ago.
It is more akin to the phrase, "Allowed pinball to survive or return to public interest".
Roger Sharpe as great and humble giant as he is a person, pinball enthusiast, designer, manager, license expert, and supporter did not save pinball. That is a misnomer of representation. Even he can tell you that directly, if a person wishes to ask.
The correct answers were not listed.
As a pinball historian, I can state the actual answers in no specific particular order are:
Players
Operators
Manufacturers
Marketers
Collectors
For example, during the 1970s, it was players, even though in some parts of the United States remained "outlawed" (AKA Roger Sharpe "He called the Shot" for the New York City Council meeting in 1976)
