O. D. Jennings & Company was a leading manufacturer of slot machines and other coin-operated machines, including pinball machines, from 1912 to the 1980s. It was founded by Ode D. Jennings, who previously worked for the Mills Novelty Co. refurbishing slot machines. On November 24, 1925, Ode Jennings was granted, as inventor, a patent for an improved mechanical coin-control apparatus. The improved apparatus was said to be more efficient and to prevent subsequent coins jamming the apparatus while the first coin was being accepted. In the early 1930's O. D. Jennings & Co. manufactured many gaming machines and popular pinball games including a payout pinball machine called the Sportsman. The Sportsman was a gambling device integrated in a pinball machine. My favorite O. D Jennings machine ever produced would be the 1934 Football pinball. The 1934 Jennings Football is extremely rare with only two known examples. Incredible college football themed game with teams Notre Dame, Stanford, Army, Navy, Yale, Tulane, Georgia Tech and Columbia on the playfield. In 1953, Ode Jennings passed away and in 1957 Jennings & Company was merged into the Hershey Manufacturing Co. of Illinois. Over 80% of the business of Hershey Manufacturing then comprised the manufacture and sale of slot machines through its Jennings division, although it also engaged in governmental subcontract work and the manufacture of vending machines and photoflash equipment. By the early 1960s, the business had been acquired by American Machine and Science Company, owned by Wallace Carroll. The merged company failed to compete successfully with the electromechanical models produced by Bally and also suffered because Bell-O-Matic had not protected its intellectual property rights in Japan. The company ceased business operations in the 1980.
O. D. Jennings & Company released 286 machines. (1912 - 1980) - Below are some examples from The Torrence Collection.
1934 O. D. JENNINGS FOOTBALL
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Only two known examples. Incredible college football themed game with teams Notre Dame, Stanford, Army, Navy, Yale, Tulane, Georgia Tech and Columbia proudly displayed on the playfield. Plays on a nickel. Player uses the lower knob to shoot a ball around a 360-degree loop before entering the playfield. By scoring five to nine touchdowns, the player is awarded up to ten free games. Incredible collectible!
1934 O. D. JENNINGS SPORTSMAN
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Original condition. Manufactured by O. D. Jennings in 1934. Beautiful hunting themed pinball and slot machine all in one. Players shot balls across the playfield. If the ball lands in the correct slot, the machine will pay out. Some cabinet scratching, nice playfield.
1937 O. D. JENNINGS CIGA-ROLA
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Unique and a rare example of the 1937 Jennings Ciga-Rola. Unique not only because of its beauty but because of the combination of cigarette vendor and slot machine. The patron could simply buy a pack for twenty cents or for a nickel give it a gamble. Gorgeous piece and in perfect working order.
