BOCCE BALL
Seventh grade students in the Ontonagon Area Schools PE class recently learned the game of
Bocce Ball. The game is designed to be played outdoors on courts than can be covered with
grass, fine gravel, or the preferred Mediterranean covering, crushed oyster shell. The crushed
oyster shells are a tip of the hat to the origins of the game in the countries north of the
Mediterranean Sea, but it should be noted here that there are variations of the game that hail
literally from all around the world.
Some modifications are needed to play the game indoors. It would not be wise to spread gravel
or crushed oyster shells on the gym floor. Using the solid balls that are normal for the outdoor
game would also not be a good idea on the much faster gym floor surface. Instead, the balls used
for the indoor game are similar to bean bags, only much firmer. They may not roll quite as true
as the solid, outdoor balls, but the players learn that each of the indoor balls tends to have a habit
of always rolling a little right or left. Typically, the game is played in teams of two.
The rules are simple. A small scoring ball, or pallino is rolled to the end of the court. Each
player then rolls one ball per player until both teams have rolled their four balls. The goal is to
have the closest ball to the pallino. Balls from opposite teams that are the the same distance
away cancel each other and only one team can score in each frame with their closest ball or
balls. The goal is to reach 12 points first.
Isaiah Beck (left) and Raymond Jenkins (r) made their way through the tournament bracket quite
handily before almost blowing a 11 to 4 lead in the semi- finals. This game proved to be a game
of inches indeed, as it took a remarkable throw on the last frame by Jenkins to outscore the two
balls that would have put Steven Graff and Rowan Potter in the finals instead.
In the finals, Beck and Raymond faced Sara Perttunen and Jasmine Penfold who had also
rolled through their opponents in the earlier rounds(pun intended) . Unfortunately for the
runners up, they hit their first cold streak in the finals of the tournament. They tried to make a
comeback, but it proved to be too little too late.
The game was brought to the U.P. in the late 1800s and popularized in the iron mining
districts. Courts are still in use in places like Negaunee, Ishpeming, Iron Mountain and Iron
River. The Ontonagon Area Schools Community Service class is thinking about making the
construction of at least one court at the school a project for next year. If it catches on, there
would be plenty of room at the Riverfront Park for more. Perhaps it is time for Ontonagon to
join the Bocce Ball universe.