Bocce - A Roman Game
by Guillaume des Pyrenees
History
Bocce, or boules or lawn bowls, has its origins in the very dawn of time,
dating back to 5200BC in Egypt. From there it spread into the Middle East,
Asia and Greece. From Greece, bocce made it to Rome, where it gained its
name and immense popularity. The game’s name derives from the Vulgar
Latin bottia, meaning boss. Earlier forms of the game are believed to be
similar to modern bocce, but the Romans played a game that was essentially
the same as exists today, though typically without the benefit of a formal
playing court.
As was the case with many other games, bocce was variously outlawed and
enjoyed by all levels of society. England, France and Spain all prohibited the
playing of bocce at different times. The Republic of Venice publicly
condemned the sport in 1576, punishing those who played with fines and
imprisonment. The Catholic Church condemned bocce by proclaiming it a
means of gambling, which deterred the laity and officially prohibited
clergyman from playing. Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake were avid
fans. According to legend, Sir Frances Drake refused to set out to defend
England against the Spanish Armada until he finished a game. “First we
finish the game, then we’ll deal with the Armada!”
Equipment
Players need to have a target ball called a pallino (also called the cochonnet,
or jack) and eight bocce balls (four each of two different colors). The pallino is
about the size of a modern golf ball and the bocce balls are about the size of a
coconut; in fact, some early sets were made using polished coconuts. Prior to
the use of balls for this game, stones were thrown. The balls were usually
made of wood, although other materials were not uncommon. A piece of
string or some other implement to judge distances is useful, if not mandatory.
There are very elaborate court designs in use today, but play can progress in
any reasonably clear area. Today, this is referred to as “open bocce,” but is
how the game was originally played.
To Play
Players split into two even teams, one to three on a side, and decide who goes
first. A foul line is drawn, which players must stand behind when casting
their bocce balls.
The starting player throws out the pallino and then throws a bocce,
attempting to get close to the pallino. There is often a restriction that the
pallino must be thrown at least thirty-five feet. After that, an opposing player
throws until placing a bocce closer to the pallino than the starting team. Play
only alternates between teams when one succeeds in getting the best ball or
runs out of bocces. The side whose bocce is closest to the pallino is called
“inside” and the opposing side “outside.”
There is no restriction on what a bocce may or may not hit in being thrown. It
may hit and move the pallino or other bocces, both opposing and friendly, as
well as the sides of the court when played on a formal court or in the more
informal setting of an alleyway. In fact, doing so is often good strategy as it
might easily improve a team's standing.
In the event that a player should overstep the line before releasing the bocce,
that bocce is not counted and all balls (bocces and pallino) are returned to
their positions prior to the illegal throw. There are several other penalty
rules in modern bocce, but this is the only one really of interest to period
play.
One point is awarded to a given team for every ball that is closer to the
Pallino than the closest ball of the opposing team. In the case of a tie, no
points are awarded. The team that wins a round starts play in the next
round. A game is to an agreed-upon amount, typically 9 to 18 points.
Technique
Balls are delivered underhand or overhand; they can be tossed through the
air or bowled. The ball must leave the hand before the player oversteps the
foul line. Here are the three methods most often seen in play:
Punto This method relies on a slow, moderate approach to gently roll the
bocce ball as close as possible to the target ball. It is of particular advantage
where the court surface is smooth, level and generally free of debris and early
in play when there are no other balls to block the path to the target. The
player delivers the ball in a bent-over or crouched position so that the ball is
released in a slow rolling motion.
Volo With this technique, the bocce is tossed in the air, aimed to land on or
near the target ball. It requires that the bocce ball be tossed high with a
reverse spin. This spin will cause the ball to stop at the point of impact. The
volo shot requires a high degree of accuracy only practice can achieve.
Raffa This technique is similar to the volo shot, but with the raffa the ball is
not lobbed; it is thrown close to the ground. It is useful for moving an
opponent's bocce or disrupting a well-placed formation. In order to gain
proper momentum, these shots require a “trotting” approach. The player
should start far back on the court, take a few running steps, and release the
bocce prior to crossing the foul line. Once having released the ball, the
player’s arm should continue briskly in the direction of the shot in a followthrough motion.
Variations
There are many variations, most notably boules and lawn bowls. Changes
in the rules typically require balls hit by another to be returned to their
original positions and the offending throw to be disqualified. Some variants
allow for contact by other balls only if called. In modern bocce, a called shot
gives an immediate point if the ball lands closest to the pallino without
touching other balls. If it touches the pallino, it is worth two points.
References
Bocce Compiled by Modar Neznanich, Modar Neznanich (Ron Knight), 1998
Bocce, Ralph Hickok, 1999
Boules and Bocce, Dagonell the Juggler (David P. Salley)
The History of Bocce - An Ancient Game, Rico Daniele
History of Bocce, Collegium Cosmicum ad Buxeas