Young or old, few can resist the pull of a game of Skee-Ball. The sound of the nine balls clicking into place, ready to be rolled up the lane in pursuit of achieving a high score — and maybe winning some tickets — can set loose waves of nostalgia.
While the game has origins in New Jersey, where Joseph Simpson created it in 1908 with the goal of capturing the excitement of ski jumping, Bay Tek Entertainment of Pulaski has owned the rights to Skee-Ball since 2016. The acquisition marked the first time manufacturing of the alley rollers left the East Coast.
“There’s a lot of Midwestern pride going into each alley roller that goes out the door,” says Callie Sherman, customer experience manager at The Village Companies, the parent company of Bay Tek.
The game, which is more than 110 years old, has evolved over the years. The first iteration was 32 feet long and featured a jump in the middle. The design proved too challenging for players, so Simpson modified it to a version that looks more like the alleys of today. Bay Tek prides itself on maintaining tradition and manufacturing Skee-Ball alley rollers to Simpson’s specifications, Sherman says.
While Skee-Ball may be Bay Tek’s most popular and well-known game, it’s far from its only offering. The manufacturer also makes a home version of Skee-Ball, which became popular as more people stayed at home through the pandemic, as well as fan favorite arcade games including Big Bass Wheel, Connect 4 Hoops and its newest game, Axe Master, which is inspired by the increasing popularity of axe throwing.
No matter the game, it all comes back to delivering a good time, Sherman says. “When it comes to making the games, there’s a lot of passion that goes into it and a lot of fun that comes out of it.”
— Jessica Thiel
