RINGER is played in a ring ten (10) feet in diameter, with thirteen (13)
marbles arranged in the center in a cross. The object is to shoot these
marbles out of the ring, the player shooting the largest number of marbles out
of the ring in any game being the winner of that game. No less than two and no
more than six may play in one game in RINGER, except in national championship
matches two only play. All tournament play is for fair, and marbles
must be returned to owners after each game.
EQUIPMENT
The playing surface shall be a smooth level area of ground, hard clay, or
other suitable substance. The Ring is inscribed upon this area, 10 feet in
diameter, and all play is within this ring. (Note: The outline of this ring
shall not he so deep or so wide as to check the roll of a marble.)
With the center of the Ring as a point of intersection, mark two lines at
right angles to each other to form a cross, which shall he a guide for placing
the playing marbles. Place one marble at the center and three on each of the
four branches of the cross, each marble three inches away from the next one.
The Lag Line is a straight line drawn tangent to the ring and touching it at
one point. The Pitch Line is a straight line drawn tangent to the ring,
directly opposite and parallel to the Lag Line.
All marbles in any one playing ring must be of uniform size. The standard
size shall be five-eighths inch in diameter. Slight variation may be allowed
by the referee for manufacturing fault.
Shooters shall be round and made of any substance except steel or any other
metal, and shall not be less than one-half inch nor more than six-eighths inch
in diameter as determined by the referee.
PLAN OF PLAY
The lag is the first operation in RINGER. To lag, the players stand toeing the
Pitch Line, or knuckling down upon it, and toss or shoot their shooters to the
Lag Line across the ring. The player whose shooter comes nearest the Lag Line,
on either side, wins the lag.
Players must lag before each game. The player who wins the lag shoots first,
and the others follow in order as their shooters were next nearest the Lag
Line. The same shooter that is used in the lag must he used in the game
following the lag.
On all shots, except the lag, a player shall knuckle down so that at least one
knuckle is in contact with the ground, and he shall maintain this position
until the shooter has left his hand. Knuckling down is permitted, but not
required in lagging.
Starting the game, each player in turn shall knuckle down just outside the
Ring Line, at any point he chooses, and shoot into the ring to knock one or
more marbles out of the ring, or to hit or knock out of the ring the shooter
of an opposing player, or players, if any remain inside the ring.
If a player knocks one or more marbles out of the ring, or hits the shooter of
an opponent, or knocks an opponent's shooter out of the ring he continues to
shoot provided his own shooter stays in the ring. He ceases to shoot after his
first miss, and then is credited with the marbles be has scored.
If, after a miss, a player's shooter remains inside the ring, he must leave it
there and his opponents are permitted to shoot at it. If the shooter rolls
outside the ring, he picks it up and on his next shot he is permitted to take
roundsters and shoot from any point on the Ring Line.
PLAYING REGULATIONS
Marbles knocked out of the Ring shall be picked up by the player who knocks
them out. If his shooter stays in the ring he continues to shoot. If not, he
stops, and his opponent starts shooting.
Whenever a marble or shooter comes to rest on the Ring Line, if its center is
outside the Ring, or exactly on the Ring Line, it shall he considered out of
the Ring; if its center is inside the Ring. it shall be considered inside the
Ring.
A player hitting an opponent's shooter inside the Ring, but not knocking it
out, shall pick up any marble he chooses, and if his own shooter stays in the
ring shall continue to shoot. However, he shall not hit the same opponent's
shooter again until after he hits another shooter, or knocks a marble out of
the Ring, or he comes around to his next turn to shoot.
A player knocking an opponent's shooter out of the Ring and stopping his own
shooter in the ring shall be entitled to all the marbles won by the opponent,
and the opponent whose shooter has been knocked out of the Ring is out of the
game, "killed." If the opponent who was knocked Out of the Ring has no
marbles, the player who knocked him out shall not be entitled to pick up a
marble for the shot.
If a shooter knocks out two or more marbles, or hits an opponent's shooter and
a marble, or hits two opponent's shooters or completes any other combination
play, he shall be entitled to all points scored on the shot.
When a shooter slips from a player's hand, if the player calls "slips" and
the referee is convinced that it is a slip, and if the shooter did not travel
more than 10 inches the referee may order "no play" and permit the player to
shoot again. The referee's decision is final.
The game shall end when the last marble is shot out.
SCORING
For each marble knocked Out by a player, he shall be credited with the score of
ONE.
For each time a player hits the shooter of an opponent, and does not knock it
out of the ring, he shall be credited with a score of ONE.
For each time a player knocks an opponent's shooter out of the ring, he shall
be credited with all the marbles, previously scored by the hit opponent.
The player having credited to him the largest number of marbles at the
completion of the game shall be the winner of that game.
In games where more than two players are engaged, if two or more players lead
with the same score, those in the tie shall play a new game to break the tie.
A player refusing to continue a game, once it is started, shall be
disqualified, and if only two players are engaged, the game shall be forfeited
to the offended player.
The score of a forfeited game shall be 13-0.
OFFICIALS
The officials shall be a referee and a scorer, if a scorer is available,
otherwise the referee shall also keep score.
The referee shall have complete charge of the play. He shall interpret these
rules and have power to make decisions on any points not specifically covered
by these rules. He shall have authority to disqualify any player for
unsportsmanlike conduct. He shall have authority to order from the playing
field or its vicinity the coach or other representative of any player, who
conducts himself improperly.
The scorer shall keep a record of the game, marking score of each player, shot
by shot, and at the termination of each game shall notify the referee of the
score, and the referee shall announce the winner. The scorer shall assist the
referee in enforcing the rule against coaching, and call to the attention of
the referee any infraction of the rules.
PENALTIES
A player shall NOT:
Lift his hand until the shooter has left his hand. This violation is known
as "histing."
Move his hand forward until the shooter has left his hand. This violation
is known as "hunching."
Smooth or otherwise rearrange the ground or remove any obstacles. He may
request the referee to clear obstructions.
PENALTY (For any one of these three violations): If any marbles were knocked
out or dislocated on the shot, they shall be restored to their place, and the
player shall lose his shot.
Change shooters during the course of the game. He may choose a new shooter on
each lag, provided he uses that shooter in the subsequent game.
PENALTY: The player shall be disqualified from the game.
Communicate in any way with his coach during the course of the game.
PENALTY: Forfeiture of all marbles he has knocked out of the ring, said
marbles to be returned to the game and placed on the cross.
A coach shall not give instructions to either his own or any other player
engaged in the game.
PENALTY: Coach shall be ordered from the playing field, if, after being warned
once, he continues this violation.
Players must not walk thru the marble ring.
PENALTY: After a player has been warned for violaition the referee MAY require
the forfeiture of one marble, on a second offense, said niarble to be
returried to the ring and placed on the cross.
AGE OF PLAYERS
The tournament is open to boys or girls of 14 years or under.
A boy or girl who becomes 15 on or after July 1, 1931, is eligible to play,
and one who becomes 15 any time before July 1, 1931, is not eligible to play.
