Super Ball
A fan favorite game on The Price is Right with elaborate presentation, based on Skee Ball.
Three large prizes were revealed, one in each of the three doors. Three small prizes were also shown, each with two choices for a price; choosing the correct price won a painted ball. The contestant then bowled the balls they had won down the Super Ball ramp. Rolling a ball into the center circle labeled “WIN!” awarded one of the three large prizes, with a cash consolation for a miss.
Finally, one more bonus small prize would be played, which, if won, would award the Super Ball. If the contestant could get the Super Ball into the “WIN!” circle, they automatically won all three prizes!
Super Ball was incredibly unique and memorable, and endured for many years. However, it took quite a lot of airtime to play. In the late 90’s, The Price is Right began to face runtime cuts to allow for more commercials. Super Ball, while decently popular with fans, couldn’t justify pulling such a large chunk of airtime from the rest of the show, and was retired in 1998.
S9, February 3 1981 – S26, January 12 1998
Likely created by Marc Breslow
In Door Number 1, an oriental screen!
In Door Number 2, an exciting trip to Scotland!
In Door Number 3, an… electric… car?
A Super Ball prize package worth $9,930!
Bob explains that Kathleen can win any, or all, of those three prizes hitting the “WIN” circle on the Super Ball ramp. She can win up to three balls to throw, one for each prize.
Ball #1, and some beautiful Sarah Coventry jewelry, can be won with one question…
…is it $85 or $58?
Kathleen says $58…
She’s right! She wins Ball #1, and a chance at the screen!
She misses with the prize for Ball #2, so no chance at Scotland, but she wins Ball #3 as well for a chance at the electric car.
Bob throws an “inspiration toss” to give Kathleen a sense of how to roll the ball towards the target.
Kathleen rolls Ball #1…
…and is a little high, and a little too far to the right. She does win $50 for her troubles, but no screen.
Ball #3 hits the rim of the “WIN” circle… and bounces out into the $100.
All hope is not lost. There’s one more ball available to be won… the Super Ball, which can award all three prizes in one swoop!
The Super Ball is worth triple cash. And if she can get the Super Ball into the win circle, she’ll win all three prizes!
Unfortunately, she misprices the vacuum… so no Super Ball. She’ll have to be satisfied with $150 in cash.
Holly went to deliver Ball #3… and tripped over Bob’s microphone cord!
By now a camera has been locked on the rings in a tight locked-off closeup. Darryl locked in to win a sofa and lounge chair with this toss!
And she nailed the toss, winning it all!
A Super Ball win demands all three doors reopen to reveal all three prizes won!
S14, Sep 18 1986 (Primetime)
Super Ball had a special aural intro, too. The theme to the short-lived Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour was repurposed as a TPIR audio cue to signify something special was being offered!
S12, Nov 11 1983
Before throwing for prizes, each contestant got a practice ball to get a feel for how hard to throw it.
The third prize in Super Ball was not usually a car… but it could be a prize kind of like a car. Here’s a Zoe Zipper three wheeled vehicle that was won.
“James, there is a very formal air about you. You probably work in city government?”
“No, you’re absolutely wrong. I make toilet paper for a living, and I usually work seven days a week to keep America wiping!”
Try as he might, James couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after winning the car!
S13, Mar 12 1985
Bob’s practice ball got stuck at the top of the ramp, so Janice had to grab his Plinko stick to dislodge it.
“We’ll be back, after these words!”
But that meager time savings proved to be no defense against Yvonne. She won all four balls…
…and THREW them at the board, getting one stuck!
Bob allowed her a do-over… which she then bounced off the board!
“Can you believe what’s happening to me on this? She’s thrown every ball all over the place and she’s only won 50 bucks!”
“The way you play, someone could be hurt badly!” Like Yvonne, Mohini threw the balls at the board!
After two demonstration throws from Bob, three practice throws, countless explanations from the staff and audience, a scoreboard malfunction, and one of the saltiest hosting jobs Bob ever put to tape…
…Mohini only won $200. And yes, Bob’s prediction came true; he injured his shin trying to retrieve a practice ball.
“We’ll try another game after this,” sobs Bob. The segment lasted 12 and a half minutes, easily the longest pricing game playing ever to make air.
S21, Sep 23 1992
On the flip side, Marureen became the undisputed greatest Super Ball player of all time!
She sunk all three balls into the “WIN” circle, winning all three prizes without needing the Super Ball. In this scenario, the Super Ball gets played for a $3,000 cash bonus…
…which Maureen also won!
S23, Jun 1 1995
Francois also got all three balls in the “WIN” circle, but mispriced the prize for the Super Ball. No matter, he still won a $13,405 prize package the hard way, including a car!
S26, Jan 12 1998
Although Super Ball could be exciting, it ate up runtime. As CBS began to add more commercials in the late 90’s, it became increasingly impractical to play; eventually Bob decided the time that Super Ball required could be better spent elsewhere, and the game was quietly retired in 1998.
- In Door #1… other physical challenges like On the Nose and Hole in One!
- In Door #2… other moments from the year 1981!
- And in Door #3… the Super Ball FAQ page!
- Return to “Golden Game Gallery“
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