When the U.S. National Marbles Championship comes to North Park in early August, it will be because of the hard work of the Ricci family of Shaler.

The Riccis are the organizers of the event, now in its second year, and every member of the family -- Ed, 42, Maureen, 41, Amber, 13, and Sierra, 4 -- is involved in some way in the game of skill.

"I've been shooting marbles all of my life," Mr. Ricci said. "My grandfather ran the city league in the '50s, '60s and '70s, so I grew up with marbles."

Mr. Ricci said his late grandfather, Walt Lease, organized and ran the marble shooting program which, in years past, was conducted at all city parks and recreation centers.

"Each rec center would have its own little tournament and send its champs to the big tournament," Mr. Ricci said. "The city would then send the winners to the nationals," held in Wildwood, N.J.

In 1974, Pittsburgh cut the marble competitions because of financial reasons.

"My grandfather was friends with [the late Allegheny County Commissioner] Tom Forrester, so he was able to ask [the county] to take it over," he said.

Since Mr. Lease worked for the city, he no longer could organize the marbles competition. His daughter, Caroline Lease, who is Mr. Ricci's mother, was hired as a subcontractor and took over.

In the meantime, Mr. Ricci kept practicing and competing. Although he went to the National Marbles Tournament, he never took home the grand prize.

"When I was 14, I was the leader for the whole event. Then it started raining and they moved it inside, where the conditions were so different and I blew my lead," he said.

Last year, his daughter Amber won the same tournament.

"We were really proud of her," Mr. Ricci said.

The National Marbles Tournament held annually in Wildwood, N.J., is open to mibsters 14 and younger. The winner takes home a $2,000 college scholarship, a marble watch, trophy and plaque. This year, a girl from the Friendship section of Pittsburgh was runner-up.

"It is a big honor," Mr. Ricci said.

The U.S. National Marbles Championship, which will be held next month in North Park, is open to players 14 and older and to winners of past national tournaments, regardless of age. The winner gets $500.

The county still conducts the marbles program from March through May.

Mrs. Ricci organizes the program, lining up churches, recreational centers and Boys and Girls Clubs for the children to compete, with hopes of winning the countywide competition in May and advancing to the national competition in June. Mr. Ricci teaches and serves as coach.

Marbles even played a role in how he met his wife.

"A friend of mine competed with Ed and she asked me to go on vacation with her to Wildwood to see the tournament," Mrs. Ricci said. "I asked her, 'What is marble competition?' "

In addition to learning the finer points of the sport, she met Mr. Ricci and they began to date.

Mrs. Ricci is organizing the tourney in North Park, which will be held Aug. 7-9. The registration deadline is Wednesday.

The winner will get $500.

In addition, Mrs. Ricci works full time as the director of operations for Equifax Settlement Services. Mr. Ricci is a field supervisor for a copier repair service.

Amber, who will be a freshman at Oakland Catholic High School in the fall, loves competing. Because she won the national award last year, she is eligible to compete at the U.S. National Marbles Competition.

"I have a lot of fun with it," she said. "Most of my friends are from marbles."

Amber also has competed in volleyball for several years.

Even Sierra, 4, has shown promise in the family sport.

"She is quite the little shooter," her father said.

For information on the tournament at North Park, go to www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/npfac.aspx#events.