[6] In 1910, Jonathan Dickinson Este became enamored of the game,[7] and in 1913 he helped Simpson and John W. Harper to revitalize the company.[9] After a few weeks, interest in the game fizzled, but in 1914 Este installed Skee-Ball in rented space on Atlantic City's boardwalk.[18] In 1935, Bergoffen died unexpectedly in Atlantic City, leaving Hugo and Maurice Piesen to run the National Skee-Ball Company.[22] Beginning in 1942, Wurlitzer shifted its focus from amusement devices to the war effort by building equipment for the United States government.[22] As the war drew to a close, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) contacted Wurlitzer to ask about either licensing the rights to Skee-Ball or selling it outright.In recent years, it has inspired the development of professional Woodball, a sport version of the game known for its unique blend of skill and strategy.[29] Gameplay varies depending on the particular machine but, normally, a player, after inserting appropriate payment, receives a queue of (usually nine) balls made of either polished Masonite or heavy plastic and each approximately three inches in diameter.
Young child playing skee-ball at Fantasy Island on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, 2023