Michael Cohill, tournament director, has personally instructed hundreds of children in the game of marbles as part of the City of Akron’s after-school programs sponsored with the Akron Public Schools. He has also shown the game to hundreds of visitors - - including hundreds of Cub Scouts - - at the History Museum at Lock 3.

"Every boy and girl, 14 years of age and under can compete in the Akron District Marbles Tournament," says Cohill. "Each child will be provided with a bag of marbles to get started, and receive a lesson in how to play the game."

Lock 3 gates open at 9:00am Saturday, and the tournament begins at 10am. The championship should conclude around noon.

Parents, adult family members or guardians can sign-up their child.  Anyone 14 years and under living in Summit, Medina and Portage counties is eligible to compete.

Contestants must know how to knuckle down to shoot a marble and understand the objects of the game of Ringer.

Upon signing in, each contestant will receive a bag full of marbles and regulation size ¾" American shooter agate marbles.

2006 champion Matt Olszewski of Akron will be on hand to help officiate.  (ohl SHEF skee)

Last year’s 2007 champions, Brandon Oliver of Ravenna and Lisa DeWitt of Akron are unable to compete again this year. Their year-long reign will be turned over to another mibster, the new Akron Marbles champions.

Again this year, the winners, one boy and one girl, will each receive a $1,000 college scholarship, from the Michael & Sara Cohill Trust at the Akron Community Foundation.

Sponsors of the Akron District Marbles Tournament are The American Toy Marble Museum, The City of Akron and the friendly staff and crew at Lock 3 Park.

The City of Akron’s Recreation Bureau will also be on hand to offer an assortment of games for children including hopscotch, jump rope, four square, hula hoops and even a bubble gum blowing contest.

Lock 3 Park actually sits atop the site of the American Marble & Toy Manufacturing Co. whose founder Samuel C. Dyke is regarded as the founder of the American toy industry. In the 1880's, it was Dyke who put a simple manufactured toy in the hands of every child who had a penny — a handful of ceramic marbles. The company made a million marbles every day, six days a week for many years.

The American Toy Marble Museum will be doing demonstrations of how marbles were first made in Akron, and children will be able to try their hand at forming a marble in clay the old-fashioned way.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information on rules, regulations and strategies of play visit www.MarbleMuseum.us.