“The world’s fastest friction-powered cars!”
Released in 1961 by Transogram, The Flintstones Pitch ‘n’ Bowl Game was a two-in-one action game inspired by the popular Hanna-Barbera animated series, The Flintstones.
The game’s “pins” were six moulded figures of the show’s main characters (Fred Flintstone, Betty Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Wilma Rubble, Dino (spelled “Deeno” on early packaging), and Baby Puss. Each figure stood approximately 8-inches tall and was made of durable polyethylene plastic.
Once the game was set up, kids could knock down the character pins using two plastic bowling balls or by hurling two “caveman rocks” at them. Transogram’s quirky advertising campaign at the time framed the game’s play pattern as a re-creation of the “first carnival games played by the caveman using rocks and tree stumps to ‘bowl’ and ‘pitch.'”
The game’s internal packaging offered suggested pin formations and cleverly doubled as a storage case.
Much to the chagrin of unsuspecting parents, The Flintstones Pitch ‘n’ Bowl Game was designed for both indoor and outdoor play.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
For fans of the cartoon, the Flintstones Pitch ‘n’ Bowl Game is a sought-after collectible, especially when found in a complete set with the original box intact. Repeated play often left the character pins with scuffs and discoloration, making it much more challenging to find a version of the game in pristine condition.
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