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Hole Marbles Games

From the The Great American Marble Book on hole games:

Last clams

Marbles as a winter sport; a New Hampshire game, as one might expect. Dig a hole at the base of a snow bank, taking great care to see that the hole, the depth of a galosh heel, is packed tightly. Make an icy rim by tampering with warm hands. The marbles are here considered "clams," and the first person to shout "Last Clams!" goes last and has an obvious advantage, soon to be seen. A point is marked off about 12 feet from the hole. From here, the first person tosses his clam toward the hole, drops it in the snow wherever he likes, or with his finger etches an arm's length trench in the snow in the general direction of the hole and rolls his marble toward it. He could, if daring or confident, dig a trench all the way to the hole and toss his marble down it. The danger of using the trench is that once the marble comes to rest it is at the mercy of the last shooter, who can shoot for the hole or at any other marble. A marble in a trench is easy prey. If he hits a marble he receives a one-shot bonus and can conceivably work his way to the hole on the backs of the other players. On the other hand he too can elect to weave his way to the hole via trench.

A mass of trenches criss-cross their way toward the hole, each player inching forward but being careful not to be belted out of contention. Hitting an opponent entitles the aggressor to a free shot with which to further his trench.

The game was generally played with mittens, hands cupped, palm upward, using the knuckle of the index finger to propel the shooter. Crucial shots were, of course, taken barehanded, regardless of the cold. Cold hands is a small price to pay for being the winning clam. Last Clams appears to be the only instance on record of marbles as a winter sport. It is generally regarded as a spring pastime, beginning with the soft ground that comes after winter. However, games have been known to be played in mud or slush.

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Song: "Duck Tales"