It is (or was) called a “gobble hole”. https://www.ipdb.org/glossary.php#Gobble_Hole

Nearly 200 games were made with this feature, from 1934 to 1964: https://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ft=Gobble+hole&sortby=date&searchtype=advanced

Says Michael Shalhoub in

The Pinball Companion 1930s-1960s

pinball_keefer

FWIW.

I (as a player) have an issue with a machine on location at Shorty’s in Seattle (LE #37, BTW). It’s cheating me out of my extra balls, and I have no idea why. It didn’t used to do that.

I can light the EB at the saucer in any normal way (stand-ups, computer award, other?). But when I make the shot, it doesn’t get awarded. Everything else (computer award, factory tour, playfield X, etc.) gets awarded, but there is no extra ball animation, and the number of remaining balls doesn’t get incremented. The EB light goes out as if it had been awarded.

Curious about what might be causing this. Is this a bug? Or is “light, but don’t award EBs” an actual setting, possibly for tournament play? I didn’t power cycle to check the software version, and obviously can’t access the settings.

On an unrelated note, I just completed payment for CE #42.

What? You mean 42? Yeah, I got it. After all, it is the answer to the ultimate question about life, the universe, and everything.

Regarding me getting cheated out of extra balls

That fits. They must have changed the EB award for a tournament night, and forgot to change it back. Nex time I’m in I’ll leave a Post It note for the operator.

I admit, when I was looking for those EBs, any point award would have flown under my radar.

No. When I got my JJPOTC CE, about a year ago, Joe Newhart (@pinballstar) gave me my pick of the three machines he had available. 42 was an easy choice. And by putting down my deposit for WWCF in April, Joe let me reserve CE #42.

I hit the jackpot if JJ ever makes a Hitchhiker’s Guide.