Boston Globe: Bocce players on a roll in North End

By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff  |  May 15, 2009

Natale DeMarco grew up playing bocce in Calabria, a region in southern Italy where love for the game runs deep as the roots of the grapevines. Most nights, he comes to Langone Park in the North End to let hard days slip away over a few rounds with friends.

So after an array of finessed shots that rolled gently, almost tenderly, toward their target, the 60-year-old knew his next toss needed power. After a vigorous wind-up, he whipped his ball down the hard gravel court, scattering a tight pack of his opponents' shots that only moments before had seemed hard to beat.

"I had a dream," he shouted in triumph, smiling at his competitors, who rolled their eyes in mock disgust.

That well-played toss helped DeMarco's team emerge victorious at yesterday's 12-team bocce tournament at Langone Park, the center of the region's bocce community. The event, part of the 15th annual Greater Boston Senior Games, drew more than 100 people, including Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who stopped by to chat with the crowd, enjoy some chowder, and roll a few with the regulars.

Bocce is a game of accuracy, a bit like horseshoes. Players roll a 2-pound ball as close as they can to the target, a smaller ball called a pallina. They can also take aim at existing shots, bumping them closer or farther away from the goal, as well as moving the goal itself.

Long considered a leisurely pastime for older men, the age-old game has broadened its appeal among the younger set in recent years, enthusiasts say. Families play on their lawns, in parks, even on the beach at low tide. The three pristine courts at Langone are consistently packed when the weather is nice.

"You should see it on Friday and Saturday nights," said DeMarco, a retired tailor and chef. "People come from all over." The court attracts tourists fresh from dinner on Hanover Street, although they are usually content to watch as they enjoy a cannoli.

Players like DeMarco who live near the court and also have access to indoor alleys next door enjoy a decided edge, their competitors grumbled.

"They can play all year round," said Nicholas Folino, an 84-year-old who plays each Tuesday at Voke Park with the Chelsea Senior Center. "They have a big advantage."

"They play day and night here," agreed Laura Kwiatkowski, 82. She and Bridget Manganelli, 76, were watching the last few teams battle it out after their Chelsea team was eliminated.

"Now we're exercising our mouths," Manganelli said.

Barbara Melvin, 67, said she never misses her Tuesday bocce games, which fit neatly between yoga on Mondays and bowling on Wednesdays. Just as Sudoku, her favorite part of the newspaper, keeps her mind sharp, bocce keeps her body moving, she said.

"It keeps us all active," she said. "Alive."

"Oh, Wow. What a shot!" she exclaimed, as DeMarco's teammate rolled the ball right against the target. Looking on, Maria DiSalvo, 82, applauded as well.

DiSalvo, who now lives in Melrose, grew up playing bocce in the street and sometimes would play with a young boy named Michael. Now married 63 years, their love for the game has not dimmed, their philosophy unchanged.

"Just try to make it to the bellini," DiSalvo said with a knowing smile, using another name for the target ball. "That's all."

For his part, Michael, 87, was impressed by the Langone courts, calling them the finest he had seen. The ball rolled straight and true, he said.

"Can't beat this," he said admiringly.

Menino, who nine years ago introduced bocce to the senior games, rolled some solid shots in between chats with the crowd. He took some grief, but dealt some out as well.

"It's coming, it's coming," DeMarco said excitedly, watching his ball bank off the alley wall and approach its target.

"You think Christmas is coming, too," Menino scoffed.

Later, DeMarco threatened to call a foul on Menino for stepping over the line on a throw. The mayor waved him off.

Some competitors said they weren't about to match the cut-throat tactics of the best players, who relished the chance to send their opponents' shots flying. That wasn't her style, said Mary Bruce.

"Nothing vengeful like these guys," said Bruce, 76. "They mean business. They're out to win."

Still, it was a good day, she said.

"Oh the chowder was excellent," she said. "Hit the spot."