We’re sad to report that Steve Kordek, the inventor of the two-flipper pinball machine, died last Saturday at the age of 100. He will be missed. Time reports:

In an interview with the New York Times, Pinball author Roger Sharpe says the two-flipper design was only part of Kordek’s revolutionary contribution: “[Even] more importantly he provided direct-current power to those flippers, meaning that a ball skillfully flipped from the bottom of the playfield could actually get to the top, and anywhere in between, with some semblance of accuracy.”

And that was just for starters: Kordek went on to design over 100 different board layouts for manufacturers like Genco, Bally and Williams, selling more then 200,000 games in all. Other Kordek inventions of note: the first drop targets (a standup target that drops into the playfield when struck) and multi-ball play (multiple balls in play at once).

Our condolences go out to Kordek’s family and friends.

[via Time]

-Drew Millard