British and World Marbles Championship

This ancient event takes place each year on Good Friday and has been played annually in its current format, since 1932 at the Greyhound public house in Tinsley Green, West Sussex,^[1] is a team event, where teams of six players participate in a marbles knock-out tournament to win the title and a silver trophy. The event is open to anyone of any age or nationality and over the years players from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Wales and United States have participated alongside the English teams.^[2]^[3]^[4]

History

The Greyhound Inn Tinsley Green, West Sussex, venue for the British and World Marbles Championships - This scene from the 2016 tournament

The tournament dates back over four century's to 1588 ^[5] during the reign of Elizabeth I, when marbles was chosen to be the deciding game of a legendary sporting encounter between two young suitors, Giles and Hodge, over the hand of a Tinsley Green milk maiden named Joan.^[6] Every popular sport of the day were contested, in an Olympic style contest lasting one week. Hodge had been victorious at singlestick, backsword, quarter staff, cudgel play, wrestling and cock throwing, while Giles was successful in winning the archery, cricket-a-wicket, tilting at quintain (jousting targets), Turk’s head, stoolball and tipcat. With the score level at 6 - 6, Good Friday was the date chosen for the final event, and marbles was chosen by the girl to be the deciding game, and Giles defeated Hodge.^[7]

Rules and marble "jargon"

The championships are organised by the British Marbles Board of Control (BMBC)^[8] and the version of marbles played is "Ring Taw", known in USA as "Ringer" and in Germany as "Englisches Ringspiel". Forty-nine target marbles are grouped closely together on 6 foot diameter (1.8 metre)^[9] raised concrete ring covered with sand. Each of the target marbles is a glass or ceramic sphere having a diameter of approximately 12mm (half an inch). Two teams of six players of any age, gender or skill level,^[10] take turns to drive marbles off the ring by aiming a larger "shooter", also known as a "taw" or "tolley".^[11] which is a glass or ceramic sphere of 18mm diameter (three-quarters of an inch). A player's knuckle must be touching the ground when shooting, known as "knuckling down". Moving the tolley closer to the target marbles "cabbaging" is forbidden, as is any forward or other advantageous movement of a players shooting hand during shooting, which constitutes a foul known as "fudging". Any intentional or persistent contact between a player's clothing and a marble or tolley while it is motion, commits a foul called "blocking". No score results from a foul shot, which automatically ends the turn of the offending player, though the score achieved in that turn stands. Any player who makes three foul shots during a game is eliminated from that game.^[12] The first team to knock out 25 marbles from the ring is the winner.^[13]

A Brief Historical Time-Line

1588 - Giles defeated Hodge at marbles to claim his prize of the hand of a local young maiden of Tinsley Green.
1888 - Sam Spooner wins the title on the 300th year of the event (according to British Pathé video 1938)^[14]
1932 – The Black Horse from Hookwood, were the first winners of the modern event.^[15]
1935 – 6 foot concrete ring used for the first time ^[16]
1942 to 1945 – No tournaments took place due to the war.
March 1951 – The coldest recorded conditions for tournament when the Tinsley Green Tigers beat the Arundel Mullets in the final.
April 1962 - Glass marbles were used for the first time in place of older clay marbles.
March 1970 – Controversially the BMBC banned women from the main tournament because of the wearing of mini-skirts.^[17]
April 1973 - Len Smith of the Toucon Terribles wins a record (and still unbeaten) 12th individual title ^[3]
March 1975 - Snow had to swept from the ring in temperatures of -2deg C.^[18] The "Terribles" win a record 19th title.^[3]
April 1977 - The tournament was moved to the Crawley Leisure Centre for one single time.
April 1987 – A Trophy was introduced for "the women's best individual player" and won by Jackie Hodge.^[19]
1989 and 1991 – Highest number of teams ever entered, 28 teams of six totalling 168 players competing.
March 1992 – The TennKy Sharpshooters from Tennessee and Kentucky, USA are the first overseas team to win the trophy.^[20]
April 2000 – Team USA won the title with a team made up almost entirely of shooters under the age of 18.
April 2002 – Saxonia Globe Snippers become the first German team to win the tournament.
September 2008 the Greyhound Pub, in Tinsley Green closed, only re-opening shortly before the next tournament.
April 2010 – Jen McGowan (formerly Jen LeBon) sets the standard for the ladies with a twelfth individual title.^[19]
March 2013 – Crawley-based Black Dog Boozers win the tournament for a 13th time,^[21] just 6 off the record of 19 set in 1975.^[3]
April 2016 – The Johnson Jets set the record for being runners up in 10 finals, having won the tournament on just once.^[9]

Championship results (1932 onwards)

Year	Date	Teams	Team Winner	Runners Up	Individual Winner	Best Lady	Weather
1932	24 March	5	Black Horse	-	-	-	-
1933	14 April	-	-	-	-	-	-
1934	29 March	7	-	-	Jack Arnold	-	-
1935	19 April	4	Tinsley Green	-	Big Bert Botting	-	-
1936	10 April	4	Crawley Busmen	Southern Railways	F.S.'Champ'Harding	-	-
1937	26 April	6	Tinsley Green	Rustington Rambles	George Burberry	-	-
1938	15 April	5	Copthorne	Crawley Busmen	Tom Weekes	-	-
1939	21 April	8	Old Comrades	Crawley Busmen	Fred Rowe (C-ShShtrs) ^[7]	-	Sunny
1940 (A)	25 March	10	Copthorne Sharpshooters	Old Comrades	Fred Rowe (C-ShShtrs)	-	-
1940 (B)	22 March	2	Crawley Busmen	The Army	F.S.'Champ'Harding	-	-
1941	11 April	7	Copthorne Spitfires	Crawley Busmen	Jack Carman	-	-
1942 - 1945	no games
1946	19 April	7	Copthorne Sharpshooters	Copthorne Spitfires	Harry Langridge	-	-
1947	4 April	4	Copthorne Sharpshooters	Crawley Tools	Harry Langridge	-	Rain
1948	26 March	5	Copthorne Spitfires	Copthorne Sharpshooters	Harry Langridge	-	Fine
1949	15 April	6	Tinsley Green Tigers	Arundel Mullets	Harry Langridge	-	Sunny
1950	7 April	8	Arundel Mullets	Tinsley Green Tigers	Wee Willie Wright (TG Tigers)	-	Sunny
1951	23 March	4	Tinsley Green Tigers	Arundel Mullets	Big Bernard Wilcock	-	Very Cold
1952	11 April	6	Tinsley Green Tigers	Handcross Bulldogs	Cyril Wilcock	-	Best weather for years
1953	3 April	6	Tinsley Green Tigers	Copthorne Spitfires	Cyril Wilcock	-	-
1954	16 April	5	Tinsley Green Tigers	Arundel Mullets	Aurthur Chamberlain	-	Sunny and Cold
1955	8 April	8	Tinsley Green Tigers	Rebels	Wee Willie Wright	-	Fine
1956	30 March	6	The Casuals	Tinsley Green Tigers	Wee Willie Wright	-	Cold and Dry
1957	19 April	7	Telcon Terribles	Rebels	Wee Willie Wright	-	Dry
1958	4 April	6	Telcon Terribles	Tinsley Tigers	Len Smith (T-Terribles) ^[3]	-	Sunny and cold
1959	27 March	5	Telcon Terribles	Tinsley Tigers	Wee Willie Wright	-	Drizzley
1960	15 April	9	Telcon Terribles	Tinsley Tigers	Len Smith	-	-
1961	31 March	5	Telcon Terribles	Tinsley Tigers	Len Smith	-	-
1962	20 April	6	Telcon Terribles	Rulslip Rat Pack	Len Smith	-	Cold and windy
1963	12 April	7	Telcon Terribles	Tolley Flickers	Alan Smith( T-Terribles)^[3]	-	Dull and Cold
1964	27 March	6	Toucon Terribles	Tolley Flickers	Len Smith	-	-
1965	16 April	4	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1966	8 April	8	Toucon Terribles	Us	Alan Smith	-	-
1967	24 March	8	Toucon Terribles	Boys of County Armagh	Alan Smith	-	-
1968	12 April	6	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1969	4 April	8	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1970	27 March	10	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1971	9 April	7	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1972	31 March	9	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Len Smith	-	-
1973	20 April	12	Toucon Terribles	Pernod Rams	Len Smith	-	-
1974	12 April	12	Toucon Terribles	Pernod Rams	Alan Smith	-	Rained Off
1975	28 March	16+	Toucon Terribles	Johnson Jets	Alan Smith	-	Cold/Snow ^[18]
1976	16 April	-	Pernod Rams	Toucon Terribles	-	-	-
1977	8 April	9	Handcross Rebels	Wessex Wottsits	Jim Lay (W-Wottsits)^[3]	-	Fine
1978	24 March	12	Brewery Shades	Ifield Musketeers	Bob Watts	-	Fine
1979	13 April	9	Handcross Rebels	Talbots Tolleys	Barry Ray (H-Rebels)^[22]	-	Fine
1980	4 April	12	Black Dog Boozers	Bow Street Fudgers	Barry Ray	-	Sunny
1981	17 April	16	Black Dog Boozers	Bow Street Fudgers	Paddy Graham	-	Fine
1982	9 April	13	Bow Street Fudgers	Addington Alcos	Barry Ray	-	Sunny
1983	9 April	13	Bow Street Fudgers	Handcross Rebels	Barry Ray	-	Cold/Wet
1984	17 April	19	Bow Street Fudgers	Black Dog Boozers	Paddy Graham	-	Fine
1985	5 April	17	Black Dog Boozers	Bow Street Fudgers	Terry Gant	-	Wet
1986	28 March	22	Black Dog Boozers	Bow Street Fudgers	Ian Gardner	-	Fine
1987	17 April	25	Black Dog Boozers	Punters	Paddy Graham	Jackie Hodge	Sunny
1988	1 April	26	Black Dog Boozers	Bow Street Fudgers	Colin Gardner(BD-Boozers)^[4]	Jen LeBon	Fine
1989	24 March	28	Black Dog Boozers	Handcross Rebels	Paddy Graham	Eve Vine	Fine
1990	13 April	22	Black Dog Boozers	Moonshiners	Tony Jones	Jackie Staples	Wet
1991	29 March	28	Moonshiners	Black Dog Boozers	Darren Ray	Jen LeBon	Fine
1992	17 April	22	TennKy Sharpshooters	Lions De Lyon	Darren Ray	Eve Vine	Wet
1993	9 April	17	Moonshiners	Handcross Rebels	Darren Ray	Jen LeBon	Wet
1994	1 April	20	Black Dog Boozers	Handcross Rebels	Paddy Graham	Alison Ray	Wet
1995	14 April	15	Barrel Scrapers	Black Dog Boozers	Paul Smith	Jen LeBon	Sunny
1996	5 April	20	Black Dog Boozers	Moonshiners	Darren Ray	Alison Ray	Dry
1997	28 March	21	Handcross 49ers	Black Dog Boozers	Colin Gardner(BD-Boozers)^[4]	Jen LeBon	Sunny but windy
1998	10 April	17	Black Dog Boozers	Barrel Scrapers	Simon Monahan	Jen LeBon	Wet
1999	2 April	21	Black Dog Boozers	Handcross Rebels	Simon Monahan	Jen LeBon	Fine/Sunny
2000	21 April	20	Team USA	Barrel Scrapers	Simon Monahan	Jen LeBon	Fine/Sunny
2001	13 April	19	Johnson Jets	Handcross 49ers	Mark Parsons (J Jets)^[23]	Alison Reimer (H-49ers)^[23]	Fine/Sunny
2002	29 March	22	Saxonia Globe Snippers	Black Dog Boozers	Benny Mehnert	Jen McGowan	Fine/Sunny
2003	18 April	20	Saxonia Globe Snippers	1st MC Erzgebirge	Chris Pampel	Jen McGowan	Fine/Sunny
2004	9 April	27	Saxonia Globe Snippers	1st MC Erzgebirge	Chris Pampel	Jen McGowan	Fine/Sunny
2005	25 March	23	Barrel Scrapers	Handcross 49ers	Simon Monahan	Susi Joswich	Fine/Sunny
2006	14 April	23	1st MC Erzgebirge	Handcross 49ers	Darren Ray	Gabi Mühlisch	Rain then fine/sunny
2007	6 April	23	1st MC Erzgebirge	1st MC Erzgebirge II	Darren Ray	Alison Reimer	Warm and sunny
2008	21 March	21	Yorkshire Meds	1st MC Erzgebirge	Halim Tata (Y-Meds) ^[24]	Leila Kara	Sunny but cold, rain later
2009	10 April	16	Yorkshire Meds	Handcross 49ers	Halim Tata (Y-Meds)^[24]	Alison Reimer	Wet
2010	2 April	19	1st MC Erzgebirge	Handcross 49ers	Ian Gardner	Jen McGowan	Wet
2011	22 April	19	Yorkshire Meds	Handcross 49ers	Chris Pampel	Leila Kara	Sunny
2012	6 April	16	1st MC Erzgebirge	Handcross 49ers	Chris Pampel	Alison Reimer	Cold
2013	29 March	13	Black Dog Boozers	Johnson Jets	Chris Pampel	Alison Reimer	Very cold
2014	18 April	14	1st MC Erzgebirge	Handcross 49ers	Paul Smith ^[25]	Leila Kara	Sunny
2015	3 April	19	1st MC Erzgebirge	Johnson Jets	Colin Gardner(BD-Boozers)^[4]	Alison Reimer	Cold/Rainy
2016	25 March	18	Yorkshire Meds ^[9]	Johnson Jets	Paul Smith	Leila Kara	Warm and sunny
2017	14 April

Celebrity involvement

Laurel and Hardy 1947 Comedy double act ^[7]
Jack Warner (actor) 1948 English film and television actor (Dixon of Dock Green) ^[19]
Jackie Rae 1964 Television presenter (The Golden Shot host) ^[26]
Tricia Ingrams 1974 TV news presenter (Capital Radio/ITN/Thames News) ^[3]
Dave Allen 1976 Irish comedian ^[3]
Chris Tarrant 1980-2000s ?? TV & Radio presenter (Tiswas, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Capital Radio Host)^[11]
Tom Watt 1980-2000s ?? Actor (Lofty from Eastenders) and Radio sports journalist ^[11]
Rory McGrath 2009 comedian and writer and captain on They Think It's All Over (TV series) ^[27]^[28]
Paddy McGuinness 2009 comedian and TV presenter of Take Me Out (UK game show) ^[27]^[28]

Video History from 1938 to 2016

External links

Greyhound Marbles Website by Sam McCarthy-Fox of the BMBC

References

↑ "World Marbles Championship". International Business.
↑ "Have we lost our marbles? Australian champions 'Beavers On Fire And Marbles Are Burning' take part". The Guardian. 2008.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "1970s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
1 2 3 4 "World Marbles Championships held in Crawley". Crawley News. 2015.
↑ "Traditional Pub Games". Telegraph.co.uk.
↑ "Medieval Marble Tournament". Zen Marbles.
1 2 3 "1940s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
↑ "British Marbles Board of Control (BMBC)". Land of Marbles.com.
1 2 3 "British team defeats Germans to win World Marble Championship". Reuters. 2016.
↑ "Germans Crowned World Champs as Brits Lose Their Marbles". DW. 2006.
1 2 3 "Greyhound Marbles". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
↑ "Marble Rules as Played at Tinsley Green Championship". Museum of American Glass in West Virginia.
↑ "Player takes a shot at the 2012 Championship". tv.yahoo.com.
↑ "Marbles As Usual 1941". British Pathé. 1941.
↑ "Marble Massacre". tonsleyevents.co.uk.
↑ "1930s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
↑ "Mini Skirts banned from Marble Championships 30th March 1970". news.google.com.
1 2 "Easter Holiday Weather Summaries: 1958 - 1989". Martin Rowley for booty.org.uk. 2014.
1 2 3 "All the winners". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
↑ "The Marble Super-dome of Monroe county, Kentucky". GoNOMAD.
↑ "Black Dog Boozers win a record 13th Title". This is Sussex. April 2013.
↑ "Meet the beer-swilling competitors at the world marbles championship". Vice.com. 8 April 2015.
1 2 "Tinsley Green Championships 2001". Museum of American Glass. 2008.
1 2 "VIDEO: Leeds family on a roll...world marbles champs again". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2009.
↑ "Germans victorious as a marble-ous time was had by all". Crawley Observer. 23 April 2014.
↑ "1960s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016.
1 2 "Crawley boozer named one of the 100 most famous pubs in UK". Crawley news. 2009.
1 2 "Top comedians stop for a pint at the Greyhound". Crawley Observer. 2009.

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