Game of bocce encourages a family atmosphere and serious play

Armond Merluzzi’s advice for playing bocce ball is “get close to the little ball.”

The 83-year-old president of the Italian-American Club’s annual bocce ball league has been at the helm for nearly 20 years.

“You have to be a dictator around these parts,” he said with a smile. “It’s a lot of work.”

The Italian-American Invitational Bocce League, with its 120 members, plays Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Justice Myron E. Leavitt and Jaycee Community Park at the southeast corner of Eastern and St. Louis avenues.

The game is played by two individuals or, as is the case with this league, two teams of four with two members of the team on each side of the court.

The small ball, or pallino, is tossed by one team, determined by the flip of a coin, and becomes the target at which the larger bocce balls are tossed. Teams and players alternate tosses.

Similar to horseshoes, the team with the closest bocce ball to the pallino receives the point. A team receives an additional point for each ball closer than the opponent’s closest ball.

Not unlike shuffleboard or curling, bocce balls in play can be knocked out by an opponent.

Scoring varies, but generally the first team to reach 11 points wins.

League members gather around the park’s bocce ball courts just before 7 p.m., enjoy a cup of coffee — provided by Merluzzi and his wife — discuss league matters and catch up with family and friends.

“It’s the one chance each week to see family members, cousins, roommates,” 32-year-old lawyer Dustin Marcello said. “It’s really just a great atmosphere.”

When the sun goes down and the courts’ lights come on, the group splits into teams. The games and friendly banter begin.

Bocce ball is an Italian tradition as old as pasta, and the league members are right in their element.

“It looks so easy, but when you throw the ball, it always seems to have a mind of its own,” Armond’s wife, Christine Merluzzi, said. She has a team of her own and helps officiate other games by keeping score, measuring distances when the precision of a tape measure is needed and settling any disputes.

“It can get pretty serious,” she said.

A league veteran of 20 years, Douglas McKenrick said that despite the seriousness of play, all the members are friends.

“We may squabble over some things but never for more than a few minutes,” he said. “I only remember one fight, but we broke it up before anything happened.”

According to seven-year league member Judy Keswick, the serious bocce ballers will play rain or shine.

“We have a lot of die-hards that will play in any weather,” she said. “It’s nice to get out and get some fresh air, though. I love it.”

That is not to say that only experienced players are allowed to compete.

Crystal Gwaltney, 29, was Marcello’s date for the evening and said it was her first time playing.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “It’s really fun. Everyone is so laid-back.”

The league has seen an increase in members over the years. Some say it is the simplicity of the game, others the cost — the 13-week season costs each member $10, less than 80 cents a week.

But Merluzzi said it is all of the hard work he and the other organizers have put into the league over the years.

“I’ve fought hard for this league,” Merluzzi said. “These courts used to be all dirt. Now look at them.”

He said the league is always looking for new members.

“People should come out, give it a try,” he said. “It’s an exciting game.”

Merluzzi began playing with the league in 1981 when it hosted the United States Bocce Federation’s national tournament in the Italian-American Club’s parking lot, just down the street from the park. And he has no intentions of stopping.

“I’ll be here playing as long as I’m alive,” he said. “They can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Contact Paradise/Downtown View reporter Nolan Lister at nlister@viewnews.com or 702-383-0492.