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In This Issue:
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Vol. I, Issue 39, October 14, 2002
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The Joy of Bocce Weekly
The FREE weekly Ezine for bocce aficionados everywhere
Volume #1, Issue #39 October 14, 2002
Publisher: Mario Pagnoni Copyright 2002 http://www.joyofbocce.com
Come visit us often at www.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 @ $12.95 by clicking on the bookcover to the right.
I hope you will like this electronic newsletter. To be deleted from my list, you can Unsubscribe at the end of this issue. 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.
Disclaimer: Hey, I don’t claim to be a bocce pro. Heck, I’m not even a very good player – but no one loves the sport more than I do. My contribution to the game is in having interviewed many of the top players and then assembling the information into a concise, easy-to-read book. What I’ve created is comparable to what others have done for basketball, soccer, and other sports.
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}
Bryan Mero of Ibocce.com sends this…
“Hey Mario,
I finally got my scanner working again and have some pix from the Steve Mariucci Celebrity Bocce Tourney held at Campo di Bocce in Los Gatos, CA....check out the pix:
It was incredibly hot that day and there were tons of people. Every time you turned around you would bump into another famous athlete including Steve Young, Ronnie Lott and Jeff Garcia, just to name a few.
Bryan”
{Thanks Bryan – click the John Madden picture to the right to see these photos at Ibocce.com – while you are there, check out the rest of Bryan’s excellent bocce site.}
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Bob Whitlow sends this update on a bocce class that he is teaching…
“We completed week two of the six-week John A. Logan Continuing Education Bocce course at Herrinfesta courts yesterday evening.
{I’m guessing these are two-hour sessions?}
Of the 12 students, eight had never played the game. The remaining four were beginners, but had played some. The class consisted of three middle-aged couples, one senior couple and the remaining four were younger students.
Due to the rain, classes for the second and third weeks were reversed. Next week students will learn non-court play.
After a brief introduction to the basic fundamentals of court bocce, students were assigned to the court and were broken down into teams. During the first few frames, the atmosphere was quiet. Then after a few points were scored and some lost or taken away by the opponent, things began to loosen up.
All twelve were focused on learning the game...and the desire to outdo their opponent was prevalent. Our petite senior female student would scream and jump with joy when she made a point...also kick the sand and frown when her opponent knocked her ball away.
At 6:50 PM, which is usually break time, all twelve voted to forego their break and continue to play bocce. Bocce was their supreme interest for the evening. Each team played five games with instructions given where warranted.
If the remaining four weeks are going to be anything like last evening, it's not only going to be fun, fun, fun, it's going to be a ...BLAST.
I've never seen a happier group. “
{Sounds great – I bet you have trouble getting your students to go home at the end of the class. I just signed a contract to teach a five-week Continuing Ed. bocce course at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass. I thought I’d do a little lecture (brief history of the game, share info on bocce groups and web sites around the country), have a question & answer period, focus on one part of the game each night (pointing, hitting, strategy, etc.), and work on that skill during court time for the class – of course we’d schedule games too. Anyone have suggestions on what else should be covered? Please REPLY.}
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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.
Tempo Italiano Fall Classic is scheduled for a Sunday in October. Refer to www.tempoitaliano.net for more details. Teams of 4 players with an entry fee of just $50.00 per team. Guaranteed First Place team award of $600.00, 2nd Place Team award - $400.00 and Third Place $200.00. Contact Pam Richetta @ richetta@enter.net for more info or check out www.tempoitaliano.net.
OCT. 18-20, 2002 - North American Bocce Championship USA VS CANADA
Highwood Bocce Courts, Highwood, IL
Contact Mike Conti 847-692-6223 {I'll be there to photograph and write an article.}
October 26, 2002 – Long Island Bocce Club Fall Fiesta – Mildam Park, Huntington, NY. Two-person teams. For more info go to www.libocceclub.com or call James Schiffmacher @ 516-449-0238.
November 2, 2002 - Campo di Bocce. This will be the 2nd annual Big Ben Punto Raffa Volo (International game and rules apply). Typically a two ball per person game with two on a team, but Ben Musolf "tweaks" it a little and gives each player 3 balls. This is a variation which enables the players to correct an errant shot and score more points at the same time. The cost is $50.00 per entrant. Ben will take the first 16 teams, but has the ability to take up to 24. Big money for bocce is at this tournament and the best of the best will be here. Call "Bocce Bum" Ben Musolf at 408.857.0074 for details. This is a first come first serve event and will be sold out.
November 14-16, 2002 - Peppermill Hotel Casino, 2707 South Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89502, contact Cathy Spinetta @ 800-648-6992 ext.7425
March 8 & 9, 2003 - The Italian/American Bocce Association of Punta Gorda, Florida presents its 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@isni.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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