# National Marbles Tournament

The National Marbles Tournament is a United States nationwide marbles tournament for boys and girls aged between 8 and 14 years of age, held annually at the Ringer stadium, Wildwood-beach, Wildwood, New Jersey, in a 4-day marble tournament for boys, and a separate one for girls, after which, the national champions are decided.

## History and qualification

To qualify, invitations are sent to the champions/winners of local marble tournaments from participating towns, cities, and counties from all over the United States, such as the National Rolley Hole Marbles Championship at Standing Stone State Park, and the Allegheny County Marbles Program, and the now defunct Marbles Tournament of Beloit, Wisconsin.
In 1923, 40 cities sent their regional champion to Atlantic City, New Jersey for the national finals, including 8 from pacific coast states, the eventual winner, Harland McCoy of Columbus, Ohio, watched by a crowd of roughly 5000. By 1924, the number of cities participating had risen to 54, with over half a million children playing in regional marbles tournament play-offs, this grew to 64 by 1925, and by 1926, over 3 million children were playing in the early qualifying games.
Atlantic City, New Jersey hosted the event until 1928, which then moved to Ocean City, New Jersey, hosting the event from 1929 to 1936, and from 1937 to 1948 the event was held in Wildwood, New Jersey. A separate girls tournament was added in 1948. The tournament moved again in 1949, to Asbury Park, New Jersey, for 11 years, returning to Wildwood in 1960.

## Other facts

Marble shooters (players), are known as ‘mibsters’, not only compete for national honors, but often for college scholarships (worth $2000 in 2014), watches, and many other prizes and awards.
Over 1,200 games of marbles are played in the event.
Three-time Houston Rockets NBA All-Star Steve Francis, played in the event in 1986.
The 100th Annual National Marbles Tournament took place in 2023.
The events history and former champions can be viewed at the National Marbles Hall of Fame in Wildwood, which was established in the early 1990s, at the George F. Boyer Historical Museum, then moved to its current location (2022) in the Greater Wildwood Chamber of commerce.

## Rules

Each player must use a shooter, in size, not more than ¾" in diameter and not less than ½" in diameter, and should be made from glass or stone. The shooter size will be confirmed before play commences. Thirteen standard glass 5/8" marbles (all identical), are used as target marbles, and placed in the centre of the ring in an 'X' shape, with one target marble in the centre, and three on each leg spaced three inches apart. Players should maintain foot contact with the wood border for each shot. Players can shoot, lob underhand, or roll their shooter, and try to shoot out the most marbles before the last inning is over to win. Or any player who shoots out seven marbles is the winner.

## Wildwood Marble Champions (1922 onwards)

Reference for Boys Champions: Reference for Girls Champions:
| Year | Boys Champion | Girls Champion |
| 1922 | Bud McQuade (Baltimore, MD) | - |
| 1923 | Harland McCoy (Columbus, OH) | - |
| 1924 | George Lenox (Baltimore, MD) | - |
| 1925 | Howard Robbins (Springfield, MA) | - |
| 1926 | William Harper (Bevier, KY) | - |
| 1927 | Joe Medvicovich (Pittsburgh, PA) | - |
| 1928 | Alfred Huey (Akron, OH) | - |
| 1929 | Charles Albany (Philadelphia, PA) | - |
| 1930 | James Lee (Columbus, OH) | - |
| 1931 | John Jeffries (Greenville, KY) | - |
| 1932 | Harley Corum (Louisville, KY) | - |
| 1933 | Aaron Butash (Throop, PA) | - |
| 1934 | Clifton Seaver (Springfield, MA) | - |
| 1935 | Henry Altyn (Throop, PA) | - |
| 1936 | Leonard Tyner (Chicago, IL) | - |
| 1937 | Bill Kloss (Canton, OH) | - |
| 1938 | Frank Santo (Throop, PA) | - |
| 1939 | Harry DeBoard (Landenburg, PA) | - |
| 1940 | James Music (Huntington, WV) | - |
| 1941 | Gerald Robinson (Scranton, PA) | - |
| 1942 | Charles Mott (Huntington, WV) | - |
| 1943 | Dick Ryabik (Pittsburgh, PA) | - |
| 1946 | Benjamin Ryabik (Pittsburgh, PA) | - |
| 1947 | Don Sklar (Pittsburgh, PA) | - |
| 1948 | Herbert Turman (Beloit, WI) | Jean Smedley (Philadelphia, PA) |
| 1949 | George Wentz (Huntington, WV) | Emma Miller (Canton, OH) |
| 1950 | Bob Retzlaff (Montgomery, AL) | Kay Allen (Greensboro, NC) |
| 1951 | Shirley Allen (Beckley, WV) | Ida Jean Hopkins (Cleveland, OH) |
| 1952 | Russell Gwaltney (Salem, VA) | Dorothy Hobbs (Augusta, GA) |
| 1953 | Jerry Roy (Huntington, WV) | Arlene Riddette (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1954 | Bob Hickman (Huntington, WV) | Wanita Kucher (Philadelphia, PA) |
| 1955 | Raymond Jones (Pittsburgh, PA) | Karen Olson (Niles, OH) |
| 1956 | Fred Brown (Beckley, WV) | Lynette Watkins (Philadelphia, PA) |
| 1957 | Stanley Herold (Summersville, WV) | Lois Fusco (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1958 | Dennis Kyle (Richwood, WV) | Jeannette Merlino (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1959 | Matthew Wysocki (Wilkes-Barre, PA) | Sandra Stefanchik (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1960 | Tommy Meade (Yonkers, NY) | Christine Zamojsky (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1961 | Ace Millen (Yonkers, NY) | Anita Danyluk (Niles, OH) |
| 1962 | Mark O'Mahoney (Pittsburgh, PA) | Peggy Mullen (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1963 | James Donohue (Springfield, MA) | Patsy Coon (Philadelphia, PA) |
| 1964 | Clarence Bower (Mullen, WV) | Claudia Davis (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1965 | Gary Malcolm (Elkhart, IN) | Jacqueline Izaj (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1966 | Melvin Garland (Pittsburgh, PA) | Marcella Elliott (Wilmington, DE) |
| 1967 | Barry Blum (York, PA) | Patricia Yurkovich (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1968 | Rudy Raymond (Reading, PA) | Debbie Webb (Yonkers, NY) |
| 1969 | Glenn Sigmon (Wharton, WV) | Maureen Regan (Lawrenceville, PA) |
| 1970 | Ray Morgano (Pittsburgh, PA) | Karen Yurkovich (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1971 | Rick Mawhinney (Cumberland, MD) | Cheryl Elliott (Wilmington, DE) |
| 1972 | Ray Jarrell (Whitesville, WV) | Kathy Pazkowski (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1973 | Doug Hager (Whitesville, WV) | Debra Stanley (Reading, PA) |
| 1974 | Larry Kokos (Pittsburgh, PA) | Susan Regan (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1975 | Richard Unser (Pittsburgh, PA) | Sharon Woolworth (Reading, PA) |
| 1976 | Jeff Rice (Cumberland, MD) | Judy Bosiljevak (Allegheny County PA) |
| 1977 | Walt Morgano (Lawrenceville, PA) | Dianne Kopicki (Reading, PA) |
| 1978 | Dean Feinauer (Reading, PA) | Diane Bertosh (Lawrenceville, PA) |
| 1979 | Danny Stamm (Reading, PA) | Kris Alfiero (Reading, PA) |
| 1980 | Sandy Nesmith (Arnett, WV) | Brenda Schwartz (Pottstown, PA) |
| 1981 | Jeff Kimmell (Cumberland, MD) | Joelle Guiles (Reading, PA) |
| 1982 | Mike Moore (Cumberland, MD) | Lisa Stamm (Reading, PA) |
| 1983 | Kerry Acord (Arnett, WV) | Patricia Kimmel (Cumberland, MD |
| 1984 | Gregg Yakich (Pittsburgh, PA) | Nicole Stamm (Reading, PA) |
| 1985 | Jon Jamison (Reading, PA) | Amy Thompson (Cumberland, MD) |
| 1986 | Giang Duong (Upper Darby, PA) | Darlene Schwartz (Berks County, PA) |
| 1987 | Chad Reber (Berks County, PA) | Lori Dickel (Ridgeley, WV) |
| 1988 | Dan Strohecker (Reading, PA) | Shannon Capasso (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1989 | Nicky Piatek (Pittsburgh, PA) | Donna Rothenberger (Reading, PA) |
| 1990 | Carl Whitacre (Ridgeley, WV) | Alison Reber (Oley, PA) |
| 1991 | Brian Shollenberger (Reading, PA) | Dawn Lancaster (Cumberland, MD) |
| 1992 | Wesley Thompson (Standing Stone, TN) | Trish Tressler (Frederick County, MD) |
| 1993 | David McGee (Pittsburgh, PA) | Amanda Burns (Clay County, TN) |
| 1994 | Bong Duong (Upper Darby, PA) | Kim Shuttleworth (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 1995 | Jason Williams (Clarksburg, WV) | Stephanie Zlokas (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 1996 | Nathan Thompson (Monroe County, KY) | Molly Reecer (Celina, TN) |
| 1997 | Michael Thomas (Upper Darby, PA) | Megan Winkelman (Frederick County, MD) |
| 1998 | Ben Nelson (Middletown, MD) | Emily Martin (Frederick County, MD) |
| 1999 | Doug Watson (Greencastle, PA) | Kathy Stehlik (Perry Hall, MD) |
| 2000 | Andrew Martinez (Grand Junction, CO) | Larin Miller (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 2001 | Tim Ratliff (Washington Co., MD) | Kristie Vanderzee |
| 2002 | Jonathan Hulse (Washington Co., MD) | Morgan Kellman (Middletown, MD) |
| 2003 | Jeremy Hulse (Hagerstown, MD) | Jennifer Pinciotti (Frederick County, MD) |
| 2004 | Aaron Nees (Mesa County, CO) | Carly Miller (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 2005 | Jamie Miller (Allegheny County, PA) | Amy Nees (Mesa County, CO) |
| 2006 | Keith Moss (Allegheny County, PA) | Melissa Ashwood (Gunnison, CO) |
| 2007 | Nick Anderson (Mesa County, CO) | Alexandra Bauer (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 2008 | John Laffakis (Pittsburgh, PA) | Amber Ricci (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 2009 | Ricky Brode (Cumberland, MD) | Whitney Lapic (Shillington, PA) |
| 2010 | Corey Goolsby (Standing Stone, TN) | Penelope Bauer (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 2011 | Brandon Matchett (Allegheny County, PA) | Bailey Narr (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 2012 | Caleb Isaacson (Gunnison, CO) | Logan Mayberry (Clay County, TN) |
| 2013 | Cooper Fischer (Middletown, MD) | Emily Cavacini (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 2014 | Dominic Rudakevych (Middletown, MD) | Marilyn Fischer (Middletown Valley, MD) |
| 2015 | Devon Loewendick (Cumberland, MD) | Emily Simkovich (Lansdowne, PA) |
| 2016 | Louie Lee (Mesa County, CO) | Haley Grenesko (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| 2017 | Eli Murphy (Allegheny County, PA) | Sierra Ricci (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 2018 | Joshua Johnston (Ambler, PA) | Madison Johnson (Allegheny County, PA) |
| 2019 | Spencer Hays (Gunnison, CO) | Lauren Young (Frederick County, MD) |
| 2022 | Todd Kmiecik (Middletown, MD) | Jessica Johnson (Cape May County, NJ) |
| 2023 | Isaiah Garcia (Philadelphia, PA) | Jessica Thompson (Middletown Valley, MD) |
| 2024 | Myles Lacy (Clay County, TN | Katelynn Gaumer (Cumberland, MD) |

## Other marble tournaments

* British and World Marbles Championship