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In This Issue:
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Vol. I, Issue 47 - December 9, 2002
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The Joy of Bocce Weekly
The FREE weekly Ezine for bocce aficionados everywhere
Volume #1, Issue #47 December 9, 2002
Publisher: Mario Pagnoni Copyright 2002 http://www.joyofbocce.com
Come visit us often at joyofbocce.com. We have bocce info, merchandise, links to other great bocce sites, and the best selling bocce instructional book in the USA.
Order Now @ just $12.95 by clicking on the book cover to the right.
FOR JOY OF BOCCE WEEKLY SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
WILL SHIP U.S. FIRST CLASS MAIL RATHER THAN MEDIA MAIL AT NO EXTRA CHARGE
I hope you will like this electronic newsletter. To be deleted from my list, you can UnSubscribe at the end of this issue. Although, one of our enthusiastic readers suggested that “…bocce and unsubscribe are mutually exclusive terms.”
If you know others who would enjoy and benefit from this Ezine, encourage them to sign up. You could forward this issue to them so they can decide for themselves if they want to "opt in". I promise that I will never be in the business of selling or trading your email address or other personal information.
A word about ads: Like any entrepreneurial type, I'd love to turn a profit from something I really enjoy. For now, I have decided not to accept paid advertisements. If I pitch a product here, it is something I have examined and tested and deem it beneficial to our readers.
PLEASE – we are always looking for bocce photos and feedback from all over the USA. We want to connect bocce fans everywhere. You can email (author@joyofbocce.com) or snail mail (Mario Pagnoni, P.O. Box 608, Methuen, MA 01844).
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{Publisher’s comments in brackets}
{Bede Kortegast of Playaboule took exception to some of my comments in last week’s ezine and I need to clarify.
The background…I landed what I thought was a better bocce ball deal for my readers. Previously I was helping Rico Daniele (WWOBA – Springfield, Mass.) move some of his inventory of Perfetta balls that he purchases from Italy. His costs are high and he often gets extra charges in the form of duties from US customs.
I met with Robert Parrella of Paramount Industries who said that his EPCO balls could meet the same specs as the Perfetta and could sell for $100 instead of WWOBA’s $119 and shipping would be closer to $14 than Daniele’s $24. So, this seemed like a “win-win” to me and I listed the info in my newsletter.
Kortegast maintains that since Playaboule is the exclusive distributor for Perfetta in this country, that people would construe my comments to mean that Perfetta’s price for retailing and shipping balls is too high.
I apologize for my unclear writing which caused this misunderstanding. Evidently, Playaboule is a pretty big outfit, able to order in large quantities. Therefore, they can offer their bocce sets at a very good price with reasonable shipping charges. In addition, they support tournament events and make a sincere effort to promote the sport of bocce.
Check them out at the link below. They have a Perfetta bocce set that they call the Jolly Pro Set (107 mm – 4 red balls, 4 green, 50mm pallino, and carry bag) for ONLY $85 plus FREE shipping for on-line orders). I don’t see how you can beat this value anywhere!}
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Bede Kortegast of Playaboule also responded to Pete Rabito’s question about “official” bocce balls.
He says…
“I thought that I would answer the question posed by Mr. Pete Rabito and explain the difference between "true" competition balls and the recreational balls that are widely available in the USA.
{Bede forwarded a section of the rules from the International Bocce Federation (CIB) in the Italian language.}
The rules clearly state that the balls must be 107mm in diameter AND 920 gm for The World Championships, International and National competition play. As you know we have the exclusive contract with Perfetta and stock all of their balls. Our inexpensive Jolly set meets the 107mm dia rule but the balls are slightly heavier than 920gm.
Our professional balls, Eura, Palio and F2001 all meet these exacting standards and are precisely (guaranteed) 107mm dia and 920gm. If they do not pass the size/weight tests they are rejected and destroyed. This is why the balls for a 4 ball set (you only need yours and not your opponents) are double the price of our deluxe club set, the Jolly.
You mention the Sportcraft balls and these do not come close to meeting the weight limit and ALL their balls are imported from China. Perfetta is of course from Italy.
The question was posed by a member of the long Island Bocce Club. We gave several sets to their last tournament as prizes - this included a set of our Perfetta Pro Eura.
It is also interesting to note that a well known bocce club from the East Coast buys the biggest balls (115 mm or larger) so they can and use them for approximately 2 years. The plan is that the balls will wear down during that time to a more reasonable 100mm before they have to be thrown away!!! This club has some very well respected players. I guess in short "size" does not really matter.
If you’re playing Open Rules (unique to the US) then this is far from the real game of Bocce anyway. If you want to play outside the US then you need to be skilled at Punta, Raffa, Volo AND have the right size balls.
{I’m not so sure that the American bocce-playing public is going to embrace the International game. I like it, even admire it, and hope to play it myself. But most players I’ve talked with want to play informally after a barbecue, and won’t take the time to mark and measure balls. So Open Rules might be as close to “the real game” as most of us are going to get.}
We were the only supplier at the US Nationals and donated 13 complete sets to that very grand event.
You will also see in the rules that the Pallino is supposed to be 40mm in dia. In open rules it "tends" to be closer to 50mm in dia. As far as our research goes we are the only company in the USA that sells and has in stock both guaranteed size and weight balls and the correct pallinas.
I hope this helps with the question. If anyone wants more information they can contact me at Ph 888-225-2865 and I will be happy to answer any questions.
{Thanks for this detailed information, Bede. You certainly know of which you speak!}
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{chronological order}
Please - anyone running a tournament - do me a favor - put a notice near your tourney bracket board informing players that they can go to http://www.joyofbocce.com and "opt in" for my FREE Ezine on bocce.
March 8 & 9, 2003 - The Italian/American Bocce Association of Punta Gorda, Florida.
Fourth annual Southwest Florida Open Bocce Tournament. For more Info, contact George Farruggio at Tel. # 941-575-0482, Fax. # 941-575-6231 or E-Mail wam@strato.net.
June 8-15, 2003 - United States National Bocce Tournament
Highwood Bocce Courts, Highwood, IL
winners will compete in the WORLD COMPETITION in SWITZERLAND. Contact Mike Conti @ 847-692-6223
July 11-13, 2003 Bocce Classic IX Tournament, John Pirelli Lodge, 2625 County Line Road, Dayton Ohio, contact rbloomky@aol.com
NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL, NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE COUNTRY, SEND US YOUR TOURNAMENT INFO SO WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT IN THIS COLUMN. PEOPLE MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR EVENT OR JUST VISIT TO CHECK IT OUT TO "BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS."
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