How Do You Play Old Bowler With Marbles?
Similar to today’s Pokemon card craze, the nineteenth century’s popular game of marbles gave kids a way to collect and share treasured tokens with each other. By “playing for keeps,” a skilled marble player could enhance his collection with rare “shooters” or marbles. Although there are several variations on the basic theme of play, the “Old Bowler” version of marbles is as follows. Draw a square that measures 2 feet each way. Write an “X” in the center, running from each corner of the square. Place a dot in the center of the “X.” Label the lower left hand corner of the square with a “1,” the upper left corner with a “2,” the upper right corner with a “3,” the lower right corner with a “4,” and the center with a “5.” Place a marble at each of the four corners. Place one on the dot in the middle of the “X.” To shoot, place knuckles down on the ground. Put the marble in the crook of your index finger. Aim and flick the marble with your thumb. Shoot the marbles away from the square using
