Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-24
ITALIANGAMEOFB BOWLS
RoCCE PLAYED IN MANY QUEER
CORNERS OF NEW YORK.
Ancient Pastime Without Frills and
Recommended as Aid to
Digestion.

From the New York Sun.
II you hear from the rear OF building
In almost any of the Italian quarters In
town hubbub of excited masculine eSe-
CARNATIONS the chances that the cause
of the noise is the Italian game of booze.
Odd and squaiid little courts for the
playing of this game, which is a curious
and ancient form of bowls, are concealed
in score of unexpected places all over
town. If you happen to look over a bit of
one of the Italian quarters from an eieva-
ton you may see running out from the
rear Of a saloon or a restaurant long. mar
row wooden shed lighted by big windows
This Is bocce court.
Once inside you find that the shed covers
a long. narrow space OF smooth hard earth
The courts are often as much as seventy
five feet long by ten or twelve wide.
They have little or none of the parapher-
MALTA of an ordinary bowling alley-no hard
smooth-planked floors no ways for returns
Ing the balls to the players.
The Spectators.
On side Of the court are openings
with smooth and worn benches. high and
low. for the spectators. On the inner wall.
about midway the court. is a graduated
board with holes and pegs for scoring The
score goes up to twelve points.
Bocce is played with mahogany balls.
set consists of one ball about one inch and
a half In diameter and eight balls about
FOUR inehes- and half in diameter. They
are made of seasoned wood. turned to a
nicely and smoothed to a finger nail sur
face.
Boece is often played for drinks, and
often as not for fun. The game Is PLAYED a,
al hours OF the day, but especially as an
aid to digestion after the midday meal and
at night when work Is over
n mo fot.
as ordinary bowls. The balls are light
compared with. the big spheres used In most
bowling alleys. and they are oftener rolled
gently than thrown with violence
The little ball at the opening of the game
Is rolled from one end of the court well
toward the other. Then one of the players.
OF whom there may be either two or four
takes three steps from the end of the court
and gently rolls big ball toward the little
one Ihe game Is to make the big ball
lie as near as possible to the little ball
The next player casts a ball hard and
endeayors to knock away the other big ball
When all of the balls have been cast every
body goes to the end where they lie and IL
there is any dispute as to result careful
measurements are taken with long 1ointed
rod Then the little ball is cast toward the
other end, the score is pegged up and the
game is resumed.
The italian Character.
Italian character comes out with amaz-e
ing clearness at game of bocce. The
players exclaim in Italian and in English.
occasionally throwing in familiar oath
In the language of the adopted country.
Voices are raised high in dispute. and at
good throw there are cries of Bravo"
The onlookers seem as much Interested
as the players.
AS ball comes slowly trolling down
the court there are shrugs and nervous
twists In sympathy with the uncertainties
OF its course. groans. grunts and odd little
hrp nd h.
ball goes too far. ordinations of "Lunga."
Then when the big ball settles close beside
the little ball there are long signs Of salts
faction. Sometimes the court is free to
players. upon the theory that they viii
drink enough to pay the proprietor for
maintaining the game. Sundays and holi-
days are much given to bocce, and the open
air courts are popular In summer time.