Cathy was the first woman to play in the National Adult Marble Tournament

I grew up with 4 brothers and I was often told I couldn’t do certain things… but my grandmother told me differently and I valued her opinion to the utmost!

In 1992 I was the first woman to ever play in the National Adult Marble Tournament The Rolley Hole in Tennessee. I also in the early 1980’s was the first woman in the Marble Collectors Society of America to really study, learn and teach American Machine- Made Marbles from the early 1900’s-the 60’s.

I have helped with quite a few books and even my own little simple booklet KNUCKLES DOWN….A FUN GUIDE TO MARBLE PLAY is in it’s 5th printing. My husband and I also donated one of the world’s largest, most complete marble collections to the Toy and Miniature Museum in Kansas City, MO. www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org

I still teach hundreds of children how to play marbles every year and I NEVER tell any girl she can’t do it!  Marbles is one sport that is totally equal… No matter the gender, the social class, the cultural background, the language, etc. I have played marbles in Japan, Ireland, Mexico, Canada…Dominican Republic….children everywhere can play equally together!

Cathy Runyan-Svacina
The Marble Lady
www.themarblelady.com