Tuscarawas County Italian-American Festival

Bocce is an Italian variation of lawn bowling that has roots as far back as the Roman Empire. It has been described as a game of friendship and comradeship in which being a spectator is almost as important as playing in a game. In almost any Italian community on a sunny afternoon, men gather around a sand box-like court of about 60 to 75 feet long by 8 to 10 feet wide, enclosed by wooden planks approximately a foot high. Troughs of about four inches deep are dug at each end to prevent the balls that have been bowled too hard from rebounding into play off the end board. The balls bowled are 4 1/2 inches in diameter with a 2 3/4 inch jack ball, called the boccino, or pallino, used as the target. The eight larger balls are divided into two different colors. In the past they were made of heavy wood, today's composition balls are used more frequently.

Two, four or eight people can play Bocce at one time. When eight players compete, two stand at opposite ends of the court for each team and bowl in alternate directions. The starting team is usually determined by a flip of a coin and the winning team chooses a player to toss the pallino that he tries to bowl near the far end of the court. Then the same player rolls his first ball underhand as close to the pallino as possible. The opposing team then bowls until they succeed in placing a ball closer to the pallino. This procedure continues with partners and teams alternating until all the balls have been used. A point is awarded for each ball closer to the pallino than the opposite team's best ball. The winning score is twelve unless the opponent has eleven, in which case the game is continued until one team has a two point advantage.