georgehirschlifestyle.com
TIME TO TOSS THE PALLINO
no longer a game of sin
The Play
Unlike baseball you don’t need 18 players to have a
game. Bocce can be played with teams of one-four
players each. Young, and young at heart can all have a
great afternoon with a few rounds. An official court is to
envy, but unless you are planning to try out for the World
Championships in Torino any backyard or park lawn will
do.
The Basics
- The sport is played with one small ball (Pallino) and
eight larger balls [Bocce (singular), Bocci (plural)]—four
for each team.
- The Pallino is thrown first and becomes the target.
- Then each Bocce is thrown with the goal of placing it
as close to the Pallino as possible.
- A full game of Bocce is called a Round, and it is
separated into a series of scoring periods called Giri
(plural) or Giro (singular).
- The team that reaches nine points first wins the Round
(15 point Rounds are used in international
tournaments)
- For rules and tips: bocce.org
© Sean Nel, © Brad Wieland | istock
What first comes to mind in lawn games may be
horseshoes, badminton and croquet. But I’m talking
serious sport here. A game so old they played it during
family BBQ’s behind the Pyramids back in 500 B.C.. The
game was picked up by the Greeks, then passed along to
the Romans who made the sport what it is today, bocce.
Bocce became a national security issue around the
1500’s, banned in Venice with too many playing and not
practicing their archery. The church felt it was a sinner’s
game of debauchery due to gambling so all ball tosses
were condemned. The Brits took it on because the Queen
tossed now and then. As the French picked it up because
it resembles bread and so named it it boules. Another
George, President Washington built a court at Mount
Vernon in the late 1780’s.
For me, the first time playing was in my teens at a family
BBQ. Back then I thought a requirement of the game was
to have sausage on the BBQ and wine with the elder
women cheering on the sidelines. Later, I learned only the
sausage, good bread and wine was a requirement. I still
can remember that first lesson, taken under the wing of
my Uncle Jimmy; who in his late 80’s made us look quite
silly. Good Times. Thanks Uncle Jimmy for the lesson.
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