Electronic table soccer game

In a table game, such as soccer, hockey or the like, including a playing field with goals at either end, across which are arranged a plurality of rows of controllable figurines for maneuvering a ball or disk across said playing field and into an opponent's goal, said game further including means for slidably mounting said rows of figurines on a mounting support bridging side walls of the playing field such that the transverse location of said figurines is mechanically adjustable through control handles operable by players of the game at opposite ends of the playing field, said rows of figurines each further adapted such that, through rotation of the mounting support in response to the operation of a solenoid, the figurines are rotated about a horizontal axis with the lower portion of one of said figurines contacting said ball or disk and propelling said ball or disk in longitudinal directions along said playing field, said solenoid being operable in response to a player closing a switch on the control handle and biased such that after said rotation, the solenoid and figurines return to a vertical orientation, said improvement in said game comprising:

• means for transforming circular movements of each of said control handles into rectilinear movements and for applying said rectilinear movements to a row of figurines;
• restrictor means for limiting rotational movement of said control handles;
• photoelectric control means for counting the number of times said ball or disk is propelled into an opponent's goal;
• and
• means for automatically returning said ball or disk to said playing field after a goal is scored.