Date: 18th May 2010

In our first News In Brief we reported how the former Bally building in Bensenville had been demolished to make way for a new runway at Chicago's O'Hare airport. 

Well, it seems we were a little premature in that report because, although the building may have been turned to rubble by the time you read this, the demolition crew hadn't actually reached the former Bally Pinball home at that time.

Pinball News reader Bruce Bis told us that the structure was still standing when he visited the site on May 10th.  The demolition company, Brandenberg, allowed Bruce onto the grounds to take some pictures of 90 O'Leary Drive which at housed much of Bally's pinball production in the early 1980s.

The front of the former Bally factory in May 2010

The side of the former Bally factory in May 2010

Also facing the wrecking ball is the former Bensenville fire station which was just a short distance south of the factory, standing on land donated by Bally in 1979.

The former Bensenville fire station

When Bally Pinball moved out in mid-'80s, the slots division took over the building until they left for Reno and the space was split in two, creating a second factory unit at #84.

The unit at 84 O'Leary Drive

The two units at #84 and #90

Now though, these two units are about to be leveled as part of O'Hare's expansion and a little piece of pinball history will disappear with them.

Thanks to Bruce for sending us the pictures and for sharing his memories of Bally's time at Bensenville.

A younger Bruce outside the Bally factory in 1979

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