British and World Marbles Championship

British and World Marbles Championship

Marbles being played at the 2016 British and World Marbles Championship
Highest governing body	British Marbles Board of Control (BMBC)
First played	1588
Characteristics
Contact	No
Type	Pub games, Precision sports
Equipment	49 marbles 12mm dia, tolley 18mm dia, concrete ring 6ft dia covered with sand

The British and World Marbles Championship is a marbles knock-out tournament that takes place annually on Good Friday and dates back to 1588. It is held at the Greyhound public house in Tinsley Green, West Sussex. ^[1] Teams of six players participate to win the title and a silver trophy. The event is open to anyone of any age or nationality. Over the years, players from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Wales and the United States have participated alongside English teams. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Both the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^{[5] [6]} However, the championship successfully returned on 15 April 2022, after a three year lay-off. ^{[7] [8]}

The last British and World Marbles Championship was held on Bank Holiday Good Friday March 29th, 2024. ^[9]

History

Knuckle Down - The game of marbles being played in 1857

The tournament dates back to 1588 ^{[10] [11]} during the reign of Elizabeth I, when marbles was chosen as 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. ^[11] Every popular sport of the day was played 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 had won at 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. Marbles was chosen by the girl to be the deciding game, and Giles defeated Hodge. ^[12]

Marble tournaments have purportedly been played at Tinsley Green since the late 1500s, until the launching of the current event in 1932. ^[10] Local historians have concluded that around that time, many individual county marble championships were amalgamated to create the British Marble Championships, which was only renamed as the British and World Marbles Championship for the first time in 1938. ^[13]

Rules, marble "jargon" and tactics

A competitor taking part in the 2016 tournament

The championships are organized by the British Marbles Board of Control (BMBC) ^[14] and the version of marbles played is Ring Taw, known in the United States as "Ringer" ^[15] and in Germany as "Englisches Ringspiel". Forty-nine target marbles are grouped closely together in 6-foot diameter (1.8-metre) ^[16] raised concrete ring covered with sand, each of the target marbles being a coloured glass or ceramic sphere having a diameter of approximately 12mm (half an inch). ^[15]

Two teams of six players of any age, gender or skill level, ^[17] take turns using the tip of the finger to aim and project the "tolley", a larger marble (commonly referred to as the "shooter" or "taw"), which is a glass or ceramic sphere of 18mm diameter (three-quarters of an inch), deploying top spin, back spin and side spin, to drive other marbles out of the ring. ^[16]

A player's knuckle must be touching the ground when shooting, known as "knuckling down". Moving the tolley closer to the target marbles, known as "cabbaging", is forbidden - as is any other advantageous movement of a players shooting hand during shooting. These would constitute a foul known as "fudging". Any intentional or persistent contact between a player's clothing and a marble or tolley while it is motion would be a foul called "blocking". No score results from a foul shot. A foul shot 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. ^[15] The first team to knock out 25 marbles from the ring is the winner. ^[15]

Historical timeline

• 1588 – Giles defeated Hodge at marbles to claim the hand of a local young maiden of Tinsley Green. ^[11]
• 1888 – Sam Spooner wins the title on the 300th year of the event (as British Pathé video 1938). ^{[18] [19]}
• 1932 – The Black Horse from Hookwood, were the first winners of the modern event. ^{[20] [10]}
• 1935 – 6-foot concrete ring used for the first time ^[10]
• 1938 - British Marbles Championship renamed as the "British and World Marbles Championship". ^[13]
• 1942–1945 – No tournaments took place due to World War II.
• March 1951 – The coldest recorded conditions for tournament, the Tinsley Green Tigers beat the Arundel Mullets in the final. ^[21]
• April 1953 - First ever international match at Tinsley Green, 'Governor Gobs' played a team of players from Sussex teams. ^[22]
• April 1962 – Glass marbles were used for the first time in place of older clay marbles. ^[22]
• March 1970 – Controversially the BMBC banned women from the main tournament because of the wearing of mini-skirts. ^[23]
• March 1972 – Teams of women played in the main event for the first time, the Prima Donnas from Crawley, and the Kernockers from London. ^[3]
• April 1973 – Len Smith of the Toucon Terribles wins a record (and still unbeaten) 12th individual title. ^[3]
• April 1973 - Len Smith Interview for BBC Nationwide Sport - Originally broadcast 12 April, 1973
• March 1975 – Snow had to be swept from the ring ^[3] in temperatures of −2 °C. ^[24] The "Terribles" win a record 19th title. ^[3]
• April 1977 – The tournament was moved to the Crawley Leisure Centre for one single time. ^[3]
• April 1984 - Shortest final ever 2 minutes. Tony Jones 6, Paddy Graham 18, Taffy Holmes with the winning marble. ^[25]
• April 1987 – A Trophy was introduced for "the women's best individual player" and won by Jackie Hodge. ^[26]
• 14 Sept 1987 - Black Dog boozers enter Guinness World Records for ring clearance (2 mins 56 seconds) for BBC's Record Breakers . ^[27]
• 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 are the first overseas team to win the trophy. ^[28]
• March 1994 – Blue target marbles were used for the first and only time. ^[29]
• April 2000 – Team USA won the international Fen Cup 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. ^[30]
• 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. ^[26]
• March 2013 – Crawley-based Black Dog Boozers win the tournament for a 13th time, ^[31] just 6 off the record of 19 set in 1975. ^[3]
• March 2018 – The Johnson Jets set the record for being runners up 11 times, having won the tournament just twice. ^[32]
• April 2019 – 1st MC Erzgebirge's victory means German teams have won the tournament on eleven occasions.
• 2020 and 2021 – Events cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. ^{[5] [6]}
• July 2021 - Sad loss of Sam McCarthy-Fox, long time organiser of the event and ambassador of the game of marbles for over forty years. ^[33]
• 15 April 2022 - The event returned to The Greyhound after three years, organised by Julia McCarthy-Fox. ^[14]
• 7 April 2023 - The longest streak of different winning teams in history, with 5 different teams having won the last five tournaments. ^[34]
• 29 March 2024 - Black Dog Boozers reach the final for a record breaking 23rd time. ^[34]

Championship results (1932 onwards)

Year	Date	Teams	Team winner	Runners up	Individual winner	Best Lady	Weather
1932	24 March	5	Black Horse	–	–	–	– [26] [10]
1933	14 April	–	–	–	–	–	–
1934	29 March	7	–	–	Jack Arnold [10]	–	–
1935	19 April	4	Tinsley Green	–	Big Bert Botting [13]	–	–
1936	10 April	4	Crawley Busmen [13]	Southern Railways	F.S.'Champ' Harding [10]	–	–
1937	26 April	6	Tinsley Green [13]	Rustington Rambles	George Burberry [13]	–	–
1938	15 April	5	Copthorne Sharpshooters [18]	Crawley Busmen [18]	Tom Weekes [18]	–	–
1939	7 April	8	Old Comrades [35]	Crawley Busmen [35]	Fred Rowe (Copthorne Sharpshooters) [12]		Sunny / Note: 4000 spectators [35]
1940 (A)	25 March	10	Copthorne Sharpshooters	Old Comrades	Fred Rowe (Copthorne Sharpshooters)		–
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 (WW II)
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 [36]	Arundel Mullets [36]	Harry Langridge	–	Sunny
1950	7 April	8	Arundel Mullets [36]	Tinsley Green Tigers [36]	Wee Willie Wright (TG Tigers) [21]	–	Sunny
1951	23 March	4	Tinsley Green Tigers [36]	Arundel Mullets [36]	Big Bernard Wilcock [21]	–	Very cold
1952	11 April	6	Tinsley Green Tigers [21]	Handcross Bulldogs [21]	Cyril Wilcock [21]	–	Best weather for years
1953	3 April	6	Tinsley Green Tigers [21]	Copthorne Spitfires [21]	Cyril Wilcock [21]	–	–
1954	16 April	5	Tinsley Green Tigers [21]	Arundel Mullets [21]	Aurthur Chamberlain [21]	–	Sunny and cold
1955	8 April	8	Tinsley Green Tigers [21]	Rebels [21]	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 [24]
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) [37]	–	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 and wet
1984	17 April	19	Bow Street Fudgers [25]	Black Dog Boozers [25]	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 [25]	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 [25]	Lions De Lyon [25]	Darren Ray	Eve Vine	Wet
1993	9 April	17	Moonshiners	Handcross Rebels	Darren Ray	Jen LeBon	Wet
1994	1 April	20	Black Dog Boozers [38]	Handcross Rebels	Paddy Graham [38]	Alison Ray [38]	Wet [29]
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	Black Dog Boozers	Barrel Scrapers	Simon Monahan	Jen LeBon	Fine/sunny
2001	13 April	19	Johnson Jets	Handcross 49ers	Mark Parsons (J Jets) [39]	Alison Reimer (H-49ers) [39]	Fine/sunny
2002	29 March	22	Saxonia Globe Snippers [30]	Black Dog Boozers [30]	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) [40]	Leila Kara	Sunny but cold, rain later
2009	10 April	16	Yorkshire Meds [40]	Handcross 49ers	Halim Tata (Y-Meds) [40]	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 [41]	Handcross 49ers [41]	Chris Pampel [41]	Alison Reimer [41]	Cold
2013	29 March	13	Black Dog Boozers [31]	Johnson Jets [31]	Chris Pampel [31]	Alison Reimer [31]	Very cold
2014	18 April	14 [42]	1st MC Erzgebirge [42]	Handcross 49ers [42]	Paul Smith [42]	Leila Kara [42]	Sunny
2015	3 April	19	1st MC Erzgebirge	Johnson Jets	Colin Gardner(BD-Boozers) [4]	Alison Reimer	Cold and rainy
2016	25 March	18	Yorkshire Meds [16]	Johnson Jets	Paul Smith	Leila Kara	Warm and sunny
2017	14 April	15	Johnson Jets [43]	Yorkshire Meds [43]	Chris Pampel [43]	Alison Reimer [43]	Dry but cold at times
2018	30 March	18	Saxonia Globe Snippers [32]	Johnson Jets [32]	Chris Pampel	Alison Reimer [44]	Heavy rain all day [32]
2019	19 April	–	1st MC Erzgebirge [45]	Black Dog Boozers [14]	Paul Smith [14]	Whitney Lapic [14]	Hot and sunny
2020 & 2021		Cancelled (COVID-19) [5] [6]
2022	15 April [7]	12 [8]	Yorkshire Meds [46]	Black Dog Boozers [8]	Colin Gardner [8]	Leila Kara [8]	Hot and sunny [47]
2023	7 April	?	Black Dog Boozers [34]	1st MC Erzgebirge [48]	Dr. Frederik Ranck	Alison Reimer	Hot and sunny
2024	29 March	12	Yorkshire Meds [9]	Black Dog Boozers [9]	Alex of 1st MCE 2 [9]	Alison Reimer [9]	Overcast

Roll of honour

Multiple Winners : Telcon/Toucon Terribles 19, Black Dog Boozers 14, Tinsley Green/ Tigers 8, 1st MC Erzgebirge 7, Yorkshire Meds 6, Saxonia Globe Snippers 4, Copthorne Sharpshooters 3, Bow Street Fudgers 3, Crawley Busmen 2, Copthorne Spitfires 2, Handcross Rebels 2, Moonshiners 2, Johnson Jets 2. [26] [46]

Multiple Finalists : Black Dog Boozers 23, Telcon/Toucon Terribles 20, Tinsley Green/ Tigers 14, Johnson Jets 13, 1st MC Erzgebirge 12, Handcross 49ers 9, Bow Street Fudgers 8, Handcross Rebels 7, Yorkshire Meds 7, Crawley Busmen 5, Arundel Mullets 4, Barrel Scrapers 4, Copthorne Sharpshooters 4, Copthorne Spitfires 4, Moonshiners 4, Saxonia Globe Snippers 4, Pernod Rams 3, Old Comrades 2. [26] [8]

Individual multiple Champions : Len Smith 12, Chris Pampel [41] 7, Darren Ray 6, Wee Willie Wright 5, Alan Smith 5, Paddy Graham 5, Harry Langridge 4, Barry Ray 4, Simon Monahan 4, Paul Smith 4, Colin Gardner 4, Ian Gardner [43] 2, Halim Tata 2, Cyril Wilcock 2, F.S.'Champ' Harding 2, Fred Rowe 2. [26] [8]

Individual Lady Champions : Jen McGowan(LeBon) 12, Alison Reimer(Ray) [41] 12, Leila Kara 5, Eve Vine 2, Jackie Staples(Hodge) 2, Susi Joswich 1, Gabi Mühlisch 1, Whitney Lapic 1. [26] [14] [8]

Celebrity involvement

• 1937 – Stanelli – Irish-born British musician, composer and comic entertainer and radio presenter ^[13]
• 1947 – Laurel and Hardy – Comedy double act ^[12]
• 1948 – Jack Warner (actor) – English film and television actor (Dixon of Dock Green) ^[12]
• 1964 – Jackie Rae – Television presenter (The Golden Shot host) ^[22]
• 1974 – Tricia Ingrams – TV news presenter (Capital Radio/ITN/Thames News) ^[3]
• 1976 – Dave Allen – Irish comedian ^[3]
• 1980–2000s – Chris Tarrant – TV & Radio presenter (Tiswas, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Capital Radio Host)
• 1980–2000s – Tom Watt – Actor (Lofty from EastEnders) and Radio sports journalist ^[41]
• 2003 - Chris Packham - BBC TV presenter for Inside Out (and various TV nature programmes). ^[49]
• 2009 – Rory McGrath – Comedian and writer and captain on They Think It's All Over (TV series) ^[50]
• 2009 – Paddy McGuinness – Comedian and TV presenter of Take Me Out (UK game show) ^[50]
• 2015 – Henning Wehn – German comedian on Germany winning the World Marbles Championship (at 2 mins 40 seconds)
• 2021 - Marbles was chosen as an event in the popular Netflix survival drama Squid Game. ^[51]
• 2023 - Henry Smith - Mayor of, and MP for Crawley. ^[52]

References

1. Vishnuprasad, S. (6 April 2012). "Stage Set For World Marbles Championship". International Business Times . Retrieved 27 July 2021.
2. Ronay, Barney (26 March 2008). "Have we lost our marbles?". The Guardian . Retrieved 27 July 2021.
3. "1970s". Greyhound Marbles. 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
4. "World Marbles Championships held in Crawley". crawleynews.co.uk. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015.
5. "British and World Marbles Championship". Facebook . 12 March 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2021. Due to the current worldwide situation regarding COVID19 it has been decided that the British and World Marbles Championship 2020 will not be taking place.
6. "British and World Marbles Championship". Facebook . 8 February 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021. We are sorry to confirm that the 2021 British and World Marbles Championship will not be taking place due to the current worldwide COVID19 pandemic.
7. "British and World Marbles Championship will finally take place again on Good Friday, 15th April 2022". facebook. 3 March 2022.
8. "2022 Results". facebook.com. 20 April 2022.
9. "The final results of the day". facebook.com. 29 April 2024.
10. "1930s". Greyhound Marbles. 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
11. "Traditional Pub Games". telegraph.co.uk. 4 February 2014.
12. "1940s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
13. "The Greyhound Public House, Tinsley Green, West Sussex - home to 'marbles'". sussexhistoryforum.co.uk. 22 January 2019.
14. "The British and World Marbles Championship: When and where is held? When did it start? Who takes part? Who are the current champions?". sussexexpress.co.uk. 3 April 2022.
15. "Marble Rules as Played at Tinsley Green". The National Marble Museum. Museum of American Glass in West Virginia. 2001. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
16. "British team defeats Germans to win World Marble Championship". Reuters. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
17. "Germans Crowned World Champs as Brits Lose Their Marbles". Deutsche Welle . 17 April 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
18. "Meet the beer-swilling competitors at the world marbles championship". britishpathe.com. 1938.
19. "Marbles As Usual 1941". British Pathé. 1941.
20. "Marble Massacre". tonsleyevents.co.uk.
21. "1950s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
22. "1960s". Greyhound Marbles. 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
23. "Mini Skirts banned from Marble Championships 30th March 1970". The Day. 30 March 1970.
24. "Easter Holiday Weather Summaries: 1958–1989". Martin Rowley for booty.org.uk. 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
25. "1980s & 90s". Greyhound Marbles. 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
26. "All the Winners". Greyhound Marbles. 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
27. "Black dog boozers in the Guinness book of records". Crawley marbles appreciation (facebook)]. 6 September 2022.
28. "The Marble Super-dome of Monroe county, Kentucky". GoNOMAD. 1992.
29. "Report 1994". Greyhound Marbles. 1994. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
30. "English team lose their marbles". Funny Old Game (BBC). 3 April 2002.
31. "Black Dog Boozers win a record 13th Title". This is Sussex. April 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013.
32. "German team wins marbles world title". Euronews . Archived from the original on 31 March 2018.
33. "Worthing Theatres: Tributes paid to long-standing team member who was part of its 'fabric and heart'". worthingherald.co.uk. 15 July 2021.
34. "Black Dog Boozers 2023 World Champions". facebook.com. 7 April 2023.
35. "Sport: At Tinsley Green Monday, Apr. 17, 1939". Time. 17 April 1939.
36. "Arundel Mullets". Greyhound Marbles. 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
37. Nelson, George (8 April 2015). "Meet the beer-swilling competitors at the world marbles championship". Vice News . Retrieved 27 July 2021.
38. Macdonald, Marianne (1 April 1994). "Tolley throwers in quest for glory". The Independent . Retrieved 27 July 2021.
39. "Tinsley Green Championships 2001". Museum of American Glass. 2008. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023.
40. "Leeds family on a roll...world marbles champs again". joesmarbles.com. 16 April 2009.
41. "Report 2012". Greyhound Marbles. 2012. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
42. "Germans victorious as a marble-ous time was had by all". crawleyobserver.co.uk. 23 April 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014.
43. "Results 2017". Greyhound Marbles. 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2017.
44. "The full results from The 2018 British and World Marbles Championship". Facebook. 2 April 2018.
45. "The 2019 British and World Marbles Championship". Britclip. 19 April 2019.
46. "Yorkshire Meds - Winners 2022". facebook. 19 April 2022.
47. "Good Friday weather: UK basks on hottest day of year so far". bbc.co.uk. 15 April 2022.
48. "ICYMI: England beats Germany in World Marbles Championships final". newsflare.com. 7 April 2023.
49. "Inside Out - Losing your Marbles". bbc.co.uk. 9 June 2003. It's England v Germany - but not as we know it! It's the World Marbles Championship 2003 - a contest which can easily reduce grown-ups to tears. Inside Out's Chris Packham flexes his fingers and finds out more
50. "Top comedians stop for a pint at the Greyhound". Crawley Observer. 29 September 2009. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016.
51. "Essential guide to all the Squid Game rounds". radiotimes.com. 11 October 2021.
52. "Henry Smith MP and the Mayor of Crawley". facebook.com. 7 April 2023.

External links

• Greyhound Marbles Website archive by Sam McCarthy-Fox
• Zen Marbles

External video links

• 1938 British and World Marbles championship video preview by British Pathé
• 1941 British and World Marbles championship video preview by British Pathé
• 1962 British and World Marbles championship video preview by British Pathé
• 2008 British and World Marbles championship video by YouTube
• 2011 British and World Marbles championship video by YouTube
• 2013 British and World Marbles championship video by YouTube
• 2015 British and World Marbles championship video by BYN TV News on YouTube
• 2015 British and World Marbles championship video by World Wide weird on YouTube
• 2016 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube
• 2017 British and World Marbles championship video by Trans World Sport on YouTube
• 2018 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube
• 2019 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube
• 2022 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube
• 2023 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube
• 2024 British and World Marbles championship video by Britclip on YouTube

Other marble tournaments

National Marbles Tournament (United States)