The Marvelous Toy

How My MARBLE SHOOT came to be.

One Saturday morning in 1950, Daddy took me along to visit a friend of his, out toward New Holland. It was a treat to go anywhere with Daddy, and this memory would be even more important because of what happened there.

During the hour or so visit, where Daddy and this man, (I think Dad called him “Shoey” as his name was Shoemaker) talked and talked. But I had nothing to do while they talked…so Shoey noticed me sitting alone there, and came out with a wooden object he called a “marble shoot”. He sat it on the floor, right in front of me. It was something I had never seen before.

What’s a marble shoot? And, How does it work? Well, I soon found out, when he gave me a bag of marbles to load at the top end. Then releasing them, I marveled at the sound and the sight of these colorful spheres running down, back and forth along the “shoot” until they exited at the bottom, into a box Shoey had placed there. So there I was, hypnotized, and focused on this wonderful new toy. It was the neatest thing I ever had seen.

But here’s the big part…you’ll never guess what Shoey said to my Dad, when it was time for us to leave….I couldn’t believe my ears….Shoey said, “Hoppy, I want Billy to have the marble shoot…I want you to let him take it home with him! My kids no longer use it.” What? Was I hearing correctly? Was I on the receiving end of the most marvelous toy ever invented? Yes! Yes! Shoey, was so gracious…he had watched Billy Hopkins playing with the marble shoot for more than an hour, without stopping. I’ll never forget his generosity and kindness that morning!

And, that wonderfully made MARBLE SHOOT is still in the family! Some of you have seen it and played with it, as I did some 60 years ago! And, it was so solidly made and with a flawless design that no careless or rough treatment could ever diminish or degrade it’s quality. It’s like new!

So, where is this MARBLE SHOOT today?