Ill. In a coup of sorts that has left the town humbly exultant, the working-class enclave of 5,000 known for its Italian restaurants and incongruous setting between tony Lake Forest and Highland Park has snared the World Cup Bocce Tournament. The whole thing is such an honor. Just as Highwood is not exactly a household word outside the Chicago area, bocce does not quite rank alongside baseball as an American pastime. It is probably even somewhere behind shuffleboard in name recognition. The game, invented by a Celtic tribe and popularized by Italians, is similar to American lawn bowling.
Players throw balls down a long court, aiming for a small ball at the other end.
The goal is to knock competitors' balls out of range in the process. The four indoor courts were constructed in such strict accordance with international regulations that even the Italians agreed they would suffice, said one organizer with a laugh. Oddly enough, although local bocce ball players reveled in the recent news, the World Cup Committee in Chicago was having second thoughts about its offer. The committee, formed by the United States Bocce Federation to organize the event, must foot the bill for all seven days of the extravaganza beginning Oct. 20. That means hotels, meals, social events, medals, interpreters and gifts for everyone.