Chicago Cubs Triple Play (Gottlieb, 1985): faults and System 80B replacement boards

June 28, 2026

Is your Gottlieb Chicago Cubs Triple Play no longer starting, showing dead displays, resetting or with erratic drop targets? These symptoms are typical of Gottlieb System 80B pinball machines, whose original boards (MPU, Driver, power supply, sound) are now over 40 years old. Good news: modern replacement boards, Plug & Play and battery-free, give your machine a second life.

Chicago Cubs Triple Play (Gottlieb, 1985): overview

Released in May 1985, Chicago Cubs Triple Play is one of the very first Gottlieb System 80B machines. On a baseball theme (the Chicago Cubs team), it offers 4 players, 4 flippers, 3 pop bumpers, saucers and a wide bank of 6 drop targets to take down in order (the “triple play”). About 1,365 units.

Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co.
Year: 1985
Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80B
Type: electronic pinball (solid state), alphanumeric displays
Theme: baseball (Chicago Cubs)

Gottlieb System 80B boards — Chicago Cubs Triple Play — The CPU and Driver boards of the Gottlieb System 80B.

Common faults (System 80B)

System 80B machines use alphanumeric displays and an MPU with battery-backed 5101 RAM. The recurring faults: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion and loss of the 5101 memory), unstable power supply (the original trim pot struggles to hold 5 V and 12 V), cracked solder joints (notably on the CPU daughter card), inter-board connectors that need repinning, poor grounds (ground mods essential), blank displays if a single bit fails to pass from the MPU to the display, and start-up disrupted by the starter of the backbox fluorescent tube.

Battery corrosion on a Gottlieb System 80B board — Chicago Cubs Triple Play — Typical corrosion from a leaking battery on System 80B: neutralise it first.

Issues specific to Chicago Cubs Triple Play (forum feedback)

Bank of 6 drop targets: the heart of the game; targets that no longer drop or reset, reset coil and target switches to check.
Saucers (kickout) and bumpers: worn coils and switches to overhaul.
Poor grounds (80B ground mod): can lock a coil on and overheat it; to be redone at the transformer.
Leaking battery on the MPU: corrosion and loss of the 5101 memory.
Connectors not repinned: bad connections between boards, the no. 1 source of intermittent faults.
Blank displays: if the MPU→display interface is not perfect, a single missing bit is enough to blank everything.

Replacement boards compatible with Chicago Cubs Triple Play

GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + Driver + power supply board, no sound.
GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same with integrated sound board (Chicago Cubs Triple Play audio supported).
Gosof — replacement sound board (Chicago Cubs Triple Play is one of the supported 80B titles).
Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
GoPOP80 — bumper driver board (MA-922).

GottFA80_Plus board for Gottlieb System 80B — Chicago Cubs Triple Play — The GottFA80_Plus: all-in-one board (CPU + Driver + power supply), battery-free.

📚 Further reading: Guide: which board for a Gottlieb System 80/80A/80B? · System 80B special

Good news for Chicago Cubs Triple Play: it is one of the few System 80B machines whose audio is already supported (along with Bounty Hunter and Tag Team). The GottFA80_Plus Full (or the Gosof) therefore reproduces the original sound. Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support. Contact us.

FAQ — Chicago Cubs Triple Play Gottlieb

My Chicago Cubs Triple Play no longer starts.
Check the battery/corrosion on the MPU and the grounds. A GottFA80_Plus Light or Lisy80 board replaces the MPU and makes start-up reliable.

My drop targets no longer reset.
Check the reset coil and the target switches. On the power side, the Godri80 or the GottFA80_Plus makes coil control reliable.

The game is unstable / resets.
Redo the grounds (ground mod) and repin the connectors. A GottFA80_Plus all-in-one board includes a modern power supply.

Is Chicago Cubs Triple Play's sound supported?
Yes: it is one of the 80B titles whose audio is supported. The GottFA80_Plus Full or the Gosof reproduce the sound.

How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with tutorials and free support.

Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and the settings are kept when powered off.

Step-by-step diagnosis

Power off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion traces on the MPU of your Chicago Cubs Triple Play; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
Power supply: measure the 5 V and check it reaches the MPU (resolder the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
Grounds: apply the “ground mods” between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
Connectors: repin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; if needed, contact free support.