Alleys, Allies, ? Marbles

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I don't beilieve I ever knew how to spell 'alleys'/'allies' by which I mean marbles.

As a kid, a grade schooler, all I ever called them or the pastime  was alleys.

Know what I mean? The small ,spherical (less than 1cm diameter), variously coloured glass objects.
Some seem quite delicate, but boy can they take abuse. They operate just fine from 200 degreesC to minus 50C. Drop them on concrete - no problems. Take a bunch of them, put them in a regulation purple Crown Royal flannel bag, and smack 'em together vigourously - no problems. Throw them up against a brick wall - no damage.

All the boys I knew, best I recall, had marbles at one time or t'other.
For a stretch a boy's alleys were the most obvious signal of wealth or status.
It was how many you had, how unique some were ('beauts' we called them), how good/lucky they were in games, and what their pedigree was (perhaps claimed in a game from the bully down the street).
Guys sought them out, usually buying them or getting them as gifts, or trading them at fluctuating values, and they learned the arts of collecting.

Teachers didn't much care for them.
Invariably they caused a commotion or at least a distraction.
On the other hand they also operated as a placator - sort of like TV - at  their best transfixing whoever was within range.
And of course there were Rules about Marbles near or in the School.

I recall playing two types of games.
Each boy played with his own alleys. This was no team pursuit.

In one game players gently tossed a marble towards a brick wall, close to the ground.
The alley would bounce off the wall with a pleasing sound, jump forward and roll on the ground.
The ground in front would have been smooth and level, but for a hole (depression) tennis ball size or so, carved from the ground a pace or two from the wall.

Now that ground could have been sand or gravel in the warm season, or packed snow in the cool season.
The object was to get all your alleys in the hole first - each player taking turns, one marble toss at a time.