Rolley Hole Marble Game

Rolley hole marbles a unique game of marbles passed down for generations is played in this area mainly by adult men using handmade flint marbles.

Rolley hole marble game.

The tennessee arts commission has helped support so many great artists and arts driven causes including the 35th 36th and the 37th annual national rolley hole marbles championships at standing stone state park. Shakespeare wrote of a marble game called cherry pit that used holes for targets. Rolley hole is a team sport played on a rectangular groomed dirt marble yard 40 feet long by 20 feet wide with three marble size holes positioned along a center line about eight feet apart. The marble game of rolley hole is a version of early european marble games like cherry pit and nine holes.

The origin of the game and the reason for its sustained popularity in one small region are moot points. This is a game played by youngsters young and middle aged adults and seniors alike. The national rolley hole marbles championships hilham tn. Rolley hole marble players recognize quality in their game pieces and good marbles often become heirlooms passed down from older players whose health forces them to quit the game.

496 likes 1 talking about this. Local marble players have won national and international honors with their skills. Funding is generated through the sale of specialty license plates. It s not unusual to see multiple generations of a family at the marble yard.

Marble games like five holes and nine holes are found on some 17 th century dutch delft tiles. Essentially the same as in croquet a victorian game which was probably inspired by the marble game rolley hole players earn extra shots by hitting opponents marbles and making holes. The game known as rolley hole is king in this area which includes overton county and monroe county kentucky that s roll ey by the way as in what you do to the marble. Incorporating elements of golf pool and croquet it combines strategy and dead on aim as one two person team competes against another.

The origin of the game is unknown and it is not mentioned in the works of ethnologist james mooney. Rolley hole marbles has seen the passing of a baton in clay county in the past few years as a younger group of county residents has given the sport something of a revival.