Joe Cicak's Story
JC: "To return the ball from the lower level, a kicker in the rear of the machine hit the ball into a plastic tube. That tube brought the ball up to the top field along the right side (into that second channel). There was a solenoid to selectively divert the ball back to the top main play area (on the right side just below the drops). If it wasn't diverted, it drained. It was similar to the production model, except on the prototype the ball went into the open field instead of to the flippers. You could also use your bottom playfield flippers to hit the ball directly from the lower field to the upper field and escape the Black Hole. After clearing all targets and a blocking drop target bank, a ramp was opened. The ramp was on the left side under the shield just above the left bottom flipper. You can see it in the photo. A player could then hit the ball into the Black Hole, immediately hit the ball up the ramp, pass off to the right flipper and repeat. That was fun. Too bad the production model didn't have it. I remember the first time I fired the ball up the ramp through the tube on the right side. The ball flew over my shoulder and smashed a window. I used a weaker solenoid after that. And, yes, Gottlieb did give Gerald and I each a Black Hole, which I still have, of course."
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