Bocce a Sport for Everyone
by
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THE HISTORY OF BOCCE
An Ancient Game
The beginnings of the game of bocce are lost in the darkness of time. Traces of the game can be found among the early Egyptians, and graphic representations of figures tossing a ball or polished stone have been recorded as early as 5200 B.C. While modern day bocce bears little resemblance to these early findings, one thing is certain: that through its evolution the objective has been constant -try to come as close to a fixed target as possible. From this early objective, the basic rules of bocce were born.
Bocce must have been part of the therapeutic advice given by the early Greek physicians Ipocrates and Galileo who indeed believed that the invigorating exercise provided by this game could have beneficial results. It is said that the early Romans were among the first to play the game, at times using coconuts brought back from Africa. Later on, hard olive wood was used to carve out bocce balls. Quickly gaining status, there are indications that bocce was enjoyed by such luminaries as the emperor Augustus.
Throughout the centuries, the game enjoyed rapid growth as one of Europe's most popular pastimes ... so much so that at one point in history several governments began to regulate its usage. Why? Because it was found that the popularity of the game interfered at times with the security of the state. In other words, the public at large was more interested in playing bocce than in defending their sovereignty! Rulers were moved to action. While Kings Carlos IV and V prohibited the playing of bocce (citing national security), several medical docents from the University of Montpellier, France, did their part by discrediting the claim that playing bocce had great therapeutic effect in curing rheumatism.
The popularity of the game reached such a level in Italy that on December 11, 1576, the Republic of Venice publicly condemned it, and thereafter those who disobeyed were punished with fines and imprisonment. Even the Catholic Church officially prohibited any clergyman from playing the game by declaring bocce a gambling device. Yet bocce survived and flourished.
Contrary to the rest of Europe, Great Britain has consistently embraced the game of bocce with great enthusiasm since its introduction. Among the early fans were Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake. An amusing anecdote has Drake refusing to interrupt his game to address a threatening military advance: 'First we finish the game, then we'll deal with the Armada,' it is believed he shouted to those who tried to hurry him on.
However, in spite of its popularity and lacking a central organization, the sport of bocce was excluded from the first modem Olympic Games held in Athens in April, 1896. Shortly afterward bocce leagues were formed throughout Europe. First to organize the sport was France, followed by Italy (specifically northern Italy), which organized local clubs and leagues. The first organized Italian League was formed by fifteen Piedmont Region teams on November 15, 1947 in the town of Rivoli (Torino). Since 1947, the Bocce World Championships has been held every year with France and Italy as the most prominent competitors.
These two countries paved the way for an international interest in bocce as a formal sport. Even as this book is being written, worldwide preparations are underway internationally to include bocce in Olympic competitions. Yet it was not until the turn of the century that the game of bocce was organized competitively in the United States. A strong influencing factor was the European immigration to the American continent. Early immigrants, trying to retain their original lifestyle, played the game as a way of duplicating the social environment they left behind.
Soon U.S. leagues were created, paving the way for the game to be accepted as a major sport... and not just by men. The oldest women's bocce league in this country is from Chisholm, Minnesota. Called the Chisholm Women's Bocce League, it started in 1944 with 25 women who were introduced to bocce by Guido Pergal at a summer picnic. Today the top three most-participated sports in the world are 1) soccer 2) bocce and 3) golf.
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About the Book
Within the pages of this book you will find a history of Bocce play, both ancient and modern. The construction of a court and the right equipment required is discussed, as well as numerous tips for playing and excelling at the sport. Official rules and regulations for everyday and championship play are included. This book is a valuable reference guide to resources in the United States and foreign countries for the sport of Bocce. The volume concludes with a photo section and miscellaneous treats from the author.
About the Author
Born in the town of Bracigliano, Italy, in the province of Salerno, Enrico Ciro Daniele spent his first four years in the verdant Campania region southeast of Naples. In 1954, his immediate family came to the United States and Rico, as he was called, settled in Springfield, Massachusetts' South End with his father Gennaro; mother Filomena; and four sisters; Carmela, Louise, Rosemary, and Gina. Those early years were filled with the excitement of a new land, new people, and a new language. Rico Daniele has early memories of his father taking him along to watch games of bocce at the Mt. Carmel Society courts on Winthrop Street. The young Rico soon began to throw a few bocce balls in between the "grownup" matches, and this early exposure to the game contributed to his fascination with the sport ... a love affair that is still very much a part of his life today. From the moment that Society members gave him an old set of bocce balls, Rico Daniele and bocce became inseparable. Soon the four green and four red balls became part of a larger involvement, and his skill began to include the word "strategy." By the age of eleven, Ricos proficiency caught the attention of the older players. They suggested he be given an authentic wooden set so that he could practice in his backyard. To this day, Rico Daniele remembers: "I loved those bocce balls." Rico's multi-level involvement with athletics started early on. While attending Howard Street Grammar School (now Zanetti) he became involved with Little League Baseball; then became a successful shortstop for both the Classical Junior High School and Technical High School baseball teams. He went on to play baseball for Holyoke Community College, and later was recruited for a semi-pro team: the Tri-County Palmer Merchants. Yet, it was 1971 before Rico, playing for the Mt. Carmel Society, entered his first organized bocce match sponsored by the Western Massachusetts Italian-American Bocce League. That year they captured first place and went on to become League Champions. While much of Rico's life has been devoted to sports ranging from ping-pong to basketball to football, the game of bocce was his first and -to this day - predominant love ... a love that Rico Daniele wishes to share with the whole world, literally, through the efforts of W.W.O.B.A. and this book.