The Kings of the Rings

The game of marbles has been around since the beginning of play. Archeological sites around the world have yielded small round objects of stone, clay, and wood. Many of the sites were graves of children, indicating they were of value to their owners. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, marbles grew in popularity. Marbles was a game that transcended economic, ethnic, and gender lines. While generally regarded as a "boys' game," girls and boys played together on playgrounds and empty lots. It didn't require much equipment--only a few marbles, an open place, and a child's imagination. It could be played outdoors or indoors. Rules and the games played were determined locally by the children playing the game. Any disagreements about either were settled by the players. No formal rules existed until the twentieth century. In the United States, marbles were impacted by the Industrial Revolution. As families moved from farms to cities, the children took their marbles with them. Children of factory workers and factory owners could be found in the same game. Organized marble tournaments began popping up in cities across the United States in the 1920s, sponsored by local newspapers, civic organizations, or recreation departments. In 1922, the first National Marble Tournament was organized in Wildwood, New Jersey. By 1925, the national tournament hosted representatives from more than forty cities across the country. The popularity of marbles continued to grow through the 1930s. World War II led to a suspension of national marble tournaments.