Remember the Beltloops are for the scout doing their best to learn about the sport or academic activity, and by putting the new techniques to practice with fellow scouts, in their community, or working with an adult.

1. Explain the rules of Ringer or another marble game to your leader or adult partner.

2. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing skills to play the game of Ringer or another marble game.

3. Participate in a game of marbles.

Ringer
Two to six boys can play. A circle 5 to 10 feet in diameter is marked on the ground. Thirteen marbles are placed on a cross that is marked at the center of the ring. Two lines, each about 9 inches long, form the cross. One marble is placed at the center, and three each are on the four parts of the cross. Each marble lies about 3 inches from the next one. Each player uses a larger marble, the shooter, to "shoot" the small marbles out of the ring. The player who shoots the most marbles out of the ring wins the game. (Many variations can be played.) Click here to download the requirements for Ringer.

Lagging
Players start the first game by lagging for turns. They toss or shoot their shooters from a pitch line drawn outside the circle, with the middle of it touching the circle. On the opposite side of the circle, another similar line, The lag line, is drawn. The player whose shooter comes closest to the lag line plays first.

Basic Terms for Marbles

• Bowling:
  Occurs when a player rolls a shot on the ground.

• Edgers:
  Are marbles near the edge of the ring.

• For Fair:
  Means playing for the fun of the game. At the end of each game, the marbles are returned to their owners.

• For Keeps:
  Means each player keeps the marbles that he shoots out of the ring.

• Histing:
  Occurs when a player raises his hand from the ground while shooting.

• A Hit:
  Occurs when a player shoots a marble out of the ring.

• Hunching:
  Occurs when a player moves his hand forward across the ring line when shooting from the ring line, or when he moves his hand forward from the spot where the shooter came to rest inside the ring.

• Knuckling Down:
  Is a position in which at least one knuckle must touch the ground until the shooter has left the hand.

• Lofting (or Plunking):
  A difficult shot occurs when a player shoots in an arc through the air to hit a marble.

• Marbles:
  Are the target marbles only. They can also be called mibs, miggs, ducks, kimmies, or hoodles.

• A Miss:
  Occurs when a player fails to knock a marble from the ring on a shot.

• Roundsters (or Circling):
  Is the act of selecting the best location outside the ring for knuckling down.

• A Shooter:
  Is the attacking marble. It can also be called a taw, glassy, or monny.

• A Shot:
  Is the act of snapping the shooter at a marble by a quick extension of the thumb.

Shooter Rules

• Your shooter cannot be smaller than ½ inch or bigger than ¾ inch in diameter.

• A shooter may not be made of metal.

Resources

Marble King Inc.
P.O. Box 195
Paden City, WV 26159
Phone:    800.672.5564
Fax:    304.337.8242

Web Site:    http://www.marbleking.com

• Library - Ask the librarian for help locating books and other resources on baseball.

• On the Internet - Use a search engine to search for "games" and "marbles."

• Local toy stores - Ask about marble leagues in the area.

• Trophy shops - Ask whether they have any marble league clients.