Private company

H. C. Evans

Logo: The logo may be obtained from H. C. Evans., Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

Defunct American manufacturer

H. C. Evans & Company of Chicago was once a leading manufacturer of casino equipment and supplies - both honest and crooked - in the United States. It was established in 1892 and collapsed in 1955. It was succeeded by Evans Park & Carnival Device Corporation, which was still in business in June 1961 but no longer trades, and by Evans Supply Company, which was trading in 1962 but no longer trades.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1892Founded1
  • HeadquartersChicago1

H. C. Evans & Company of Chicago was once a leading manufacturer of casino equipment and supplies - both honest and crooked - in the United States. It was established in 1892 and collapsed in 1955. It was succeeded by Evans Park & Carnival Device Corporation, which was still in business in June 1961 but no longer trades, and by Evans Supply Company, which was trading in 1962 but no longer trades.2

The story

Established in 1892, the firm was incorporated in 1907. By 1909 it was located at 125 Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois. By the 1920s, the firm had moved to 1528 W. Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois. In 1929 it claimed to be the oldest firm of its kind in existence and, with 52,000 square feet (4,800 m2) of office and factory space, the largest factory in the world engaged in the exclusive manufacture of the types of products for which it was known.

On April 26, 1944, a representative of the firm, Dick Hood, was appointed to a planning committee of the coin machine manufacturing industry. The committee was concerned with the transition of the coin machine factories from war production back to their former use. Mr Hood's contribution to the firm was acknowledged in its 1909 product range, which included "The Dick Hood Cage the only perfect cage ever manufactured.".

In December 1948, the firm purchased the phonography inventory of Mills Novelty Company, a manufacturer of jukeboxes and then launched its first jukebox.

In about October 1953, the firm's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dick Hood, died.

In March 1954 the firm introduced its last coin-operated console slot machine, named Saddle and Turf. The firm collapsed less than a year later.

In 1961 Evans Park & Carnival Device Corporation was located at 1509 N. Halsted Street, Chicago 22, Illinois. Its catalogue included the Evans 'Herby' Kart supplied by Evans Supply Company of 794 Central Avenue, Highland Park, Illinois.

From Wikipedia’s article on H. C. Evans, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Pinball and other coin-op games sold under the Evans brand included the following:

Kings of the Turf (1935) - Pinball

Big Ten (1935) - Pinball

Olympic Games (1935) - Pinball

Read the full text

Tango (1935) - Pinball

Clipper (1936) - Pinball

Lite A Basket (1936) - Pinball

Poker-eno (1936) - Pinball

Roll-ette (1936) - Pinball

Ski-Ball (1940) - Other

Play Ball (1941) - Pinball

Bat-A-Score (1948) - Pinball

Ski-Ball was protected by United States patent No. 2,181,984, granted on 5 December 1939 to Joe H. Warner of Chicago, Illinois and assigned to Duane W. Price, also of Chicago.

However all 5 claims in that patent specify that they are for a bowling machine. This would be very easy to get around with a competing manikin based Skee Ball or golf machine.

From Wikipedia’s article on H. C. Evans, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1955Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1892Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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