Whiz Bang Days: Robbinsdale Restaurant Promotes Bocce
There’s some friendly competition during Whiz Bang Days. We caught up with winners from last year’s bocce ball tournament to see how to play the game. John O’Brien and Mary Daugherty are part of the Irish Ball Buster Bocce Ball Team.
O’Brien held up a large red ball, or the bocce.
“The smaller ball is called a pallino,” he said.
The game is made up of several frames. A frame starts with tossing the pallino by a team toward the opposite end of the playing court. Balls are tossed or rolled underhand. Whoever wins the coin toss starts the game.
“The objective is to get the bocce closest to the pallino. So, we have an opponent who is playing against us, that’s kind of the strategy,” explained O’Brien.
Bocce can be played on most surfaces grass or sand as long as they are relatively smooth and flat. The court is 60 feet long by 12 feet wide. However, the court size can be accommodated to fit the playing space available.
One point is given for each bocce ball that is closer to the pallino than the opposing team’s bocce.
“The goal here is to get them to throw all of their bocces first, so we have the last throws to get the ball closest,” said O’Brien.
The game continues until 12 points are scored.
The Nonna Rosa’s Bocce Ball Tournament takes place July 13 in the back lot of the restaurant. You must be 21 and over to play. Located in the back lot of Nonna Rosa’s. Teams compete for top places, trophies, and bragging rights. Peroni beer, sandwiches and gelato will be sold. An awards ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. or immediately following the last match.
