Jacks and Marbles...

[raiderrescuer]

When I was quite young I barely remember playing Jacks and Marbles...Can someone jog my memory ?

I remember with Jacks you bounced a ball and picked up as specific number of Jacks.

With Marbles, I use to play against my cousin and I guess there are several different games to Marbles.

Boy, do I miss my Wham-O Super Ball !

 

[jdjs]

Never really played jacks (believe it or not, they were banned at our school for some reason), but marbles was another story. There were/are a whole bunch of variations to a variety of games.

Check out http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/spring/marbles/index.htm. There are a few good sections of information. The only thing that will depress you is when you wander into most stores (usually dollar stores) only to discover that exotics are rare. Steer clear of safety marbles (usually plastic or acrylic) - they really don't have the weight to play well.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

My generation had pogs. Trust me, I lose.

 

[Etienne]

Wow! I played Jacks as a kid for HOURS on end!! I played with friends on the front porch after school, and often with my sisters, too. We got really fancy and used one of my Dad's golf balls for playing--it made for high bounces and high scoring! Fun memories!

 

[Irena]

Ah, marbles... my mother made an indoor ring for my brother and I out of some sort of black tubing. We could use it anywhere (by the way, carpet doesn't work well for marbles), and Mom taught us all about playing the game. Jacks, too. Of course, we only had each other to play against, as the kids who came over just weren't interested. I still have my marbles around here somewhere, including my favorite, a tiny green one that I found in the yard. I used it for a shooter... I had deadly aim. Hmm, I think I'll make myself a ring tomorrow... challenge my brother to a game or two. I think he's lost his marbles by now. (I'm not sorry for that.)

 

[jdjs]

Ah, marbles... my mother made an indoor ring for my brother and I out of some sort of black tubing.

Funny that you mention a ring. We used to use a hula hoop (for some reason, I remember a bright neon pink one) as our portable ring. The advantage, of course, is that the marbles stayed confined. The disadvantages were that you could have rebounds, jumpers and of course that the marbles stayed confined (there always was something satisfying about a clean knockout or a good house clear.

Of course, now I would have to explain a hula hoop first.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I used to love playing jacks when I was a kid. I think now they are probably considered a hazardous choking toy or they found some other way to ruin a fun and innocent game.
We used to play all the time during free time at summer camp. Such happy memories of kicking the butts of everyone in my bunk. Yay Jacks!

 

[Barry]

thank you...

Thanks for bringing this up. When I was younger my dad would tell me stories about how he and his friends would go to a marble factory in their town to sort through piles of "seconds" and "toss outs" to find good marbles. He said the manufacturer would toss out lots of nice ones.

I just found a web page that has pictures and some history about a marble factory that was in his town. This has got to be the one... He'll probably be happy to see those pictures.

Akro Agate Marbles

Thanks again,

Barry