The Game of Marbles

[night ride]

I learned last weekend from a 6 year old that nobody plays marbles in the schoolyard anymore.

What a shame. They taught the principles of greed, gambling, as well as physics, hand eye coordination, and even how to work with earth.

I was later talking to someone in her early twenties about this and she said she never had marbles in school either - just pogs whatever that is.

You see them around in mesh bags looking shinier and brighter than ever so marbles "allies" haven't gone away, but what has happened to this most noble of games?

 

[Petzel]

I have a big bag of all kinds of marbles that i used to play with as a kid. Shame to hear no one plays with them anymore. We each used to set up outside against the school's brick wall and challenge other kids to play for winning the marbles! It was loads of fun.

 

[bobistheowl]

I don't think they play any of the sports cards games anymore, either, (topsies, knock downs, etc). It's hard to do that when all of the cards are in plastic protectors to keep them in mint condition. They probably don't play the game with the chestnut on a string, where you try to smash the other kid's chestnut. Wax lips sales are probably down, too.

 

[MattRoxx]

Hand-eye coordination is being replaced by texting speed.
Maybe there's a Marbles app to monetize the game and so kids can avoid having to come into physical contact with real objects.

 

[nondescriptive]

Do kids play ANY games any more?, is it all texting and video games now?

I remember as a kid the girls used to play "Jumpsies" (jumping game using lots of elastic bands tied end to end), is that even still around?

 

[bobistheowl]

Hand-eye coordination is being replaced by texting speed.
Maybe there's a Marbles app to monetize the game and so kids can avoid having to come into physical contact with real objects.

In a few hundred years, the pinky finger will evolve into a second thumb, for faster texting.

 

[night ride]

I have a big bag of all kinds of marbles that i used to play with as a kid. Shame to hear no one plays with them anymore. We each used to set up outside against the school's brick wall and challenge other kids to play for winning the marbles! It was loads of fun.

Croakers, steelies, a pound of regulars in a crown royal bag and one was rich.

 

[userz]

I don't think they play any of the sports cards games anymore, either, (topsies, knock downs, etc). It's hard to do that when all of the cards are in plastic protectors to keep them in mint condition. .

I don't think anyone buys sports cards anymore, let alone play with them.

 

[Terminator2000]

I don't think anyone buys sports cards anymore, let alone play with them.

now its xbox and playstation 3.

people played with sports card before atari and commodore 64s and nintendo 8 bit consoles came out.

 

[frankcastle]

I was looking at bags of different types of marbles the other day can't remember if it was staples or the dollar store. Point is they are out there. Just not very popular.

 

[John Galt 2012]

Croakers, steelies, a pound of regulars in a crown royal bag and one was rich.

The strategic back up supply was in old coffee cans at home. Good times. Did anyone else ever make alley boards?? Sort of a one way pinball like game with nails and lots of elastics fastened to plywood ? You gambled with them when not breaking your arms playing British Bulldog.

.

 

[CUTTERBUCK]

They probably don't play the game with the chestnut on a string, where you try to smash the other kid's chestnut.

Conkers :thumb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_j4BtYGufY

 

[OddSox]

Pretty soon we won't be able to pay Penny Football any more either!

 

[OddSox]

pogs whatever that is.

You had a special 'slammer' pog that you used to know down your opponents stack and take all their pogs...sort of like marbles but dumbed down for the 90's generation...

 

[frankcastle]

Conkers :thumb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_j4BtYGufY

Wow! I forgot about that game.

Another game you never see kids play are Jacks

 

[escortphotoshoots]

Conkers :thumb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_j4BtYGufY

I had never even heard of this game before... you learn new things every day

I'm definitely from the hand held digital generation (though it was those first gen spinach green screen gameboys), we never really played things like marbles and such growing up.

 

[spraggamuffin]

My thumbnails would be all worn and scratched and my knees all dusty and bruised.

Good times.

 

[fuji]

If someone creates a "marbles" app for facebook, I bet they will play.

 

[Bopper2]

Anyone up for a game of crokinole?

 

[Buick Mackane]

I couldn't afford marbles so I'd borrow a few but end up deep in debt. When I was six I got my legs broken and learned a lesson the hard way.

We called conkers "doney wackers", I was expert at demolishing all chestnut opponents on my block until I was crippled.