ARE you a mibster? Then get your cat’s eyes ready, flex your fingers, and get yourself to Brunswick Heads for the Australian Marble Championship on Sunday.
The marble competition is held annually in conjunction with the Old and Gold Festival, but due to the overwhelming popularity of the event, has been moved to the next day, June 12.
Competition starts at 10am at the church grounds (corner Tweed and Mullumbimbi Streets), with sections for schools, juniors and an open class.
A fun practise run will be held on the Saturday at the same venue.
The competition will serve as a preliminary trial selection for a national team to compete at the world championships.
Organisers are hoping the community can help restock their marble supply, their stock having dwindled over the years, lost in the grass or donated to new homes.
Donations can be made at Bangalow, Ocean Shores and Kingscliff Summerland Credit Union branches, Sabi Sushi Bar in Ocean Shores & Brunz Kids in Brunswick Heads.
For information call Mary Ashton on 0429 150 555 or email australianmarbles@ gmail.com
Tournament rules can be found at http://www. brunswickheads.org.au/ festivals-events/old-gold- festival/2016-old-gold/ marbles/p/776
Did you know…
- A mibster is someone who plays marbles.
- Marbles have been found in the ashes of Pompeii, in Ancient Egyptian tombs, and amongst Roman artefacts.
- They have been made of wood, clay, glass, steel, plastic, sulphides and stone; including agate and alabaster. Some even have glass-encased figurines made using small amounts of uranium to make them glow in a certain light.
- Marbles have been played for thousands of years; for fun, to win scholarships, trophies, world titles, even the hand of a beautiful woman in 1588.
- They were first mass-produced from clay in 1884 by Sam Dyke from Ohio.
- The World Championships have been played on Good Friday at the Greyhound Inn and Pub in West Sussex since 1932.
- Marble collecting is big, with some handmade glass marbles from the late 1800s selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
Source article:
The Byron Shire News
