Bocce Ball

Tossing a ball directed to a target is considered as the oldest game played by human beings. Even as early as five thousand BC, early inhabitants of Egypt practiced what resembled like bocce employing polished stones. Graphic illustrations of individuals throwing a bocce ball have been documented. The sport today though is far cry from the past especially when tracing back to the ancient civilization. However, one thing remains common with bocce balls which is the unbroken chain of attempting to come real close as possible to a certain target. With the classic objective, basic regulations of the match was conceived.

As what was previously mentioned, the game started in Egypt which was then introduced in Greece during eight hundred BC. Later on, the Romans learned bocce where they are believed to have first played guided with regulations still practiced today. They then promoted the sports to empires. Augustus became fond with the tossing of a ball which influenced a lot of other noble men in the society. As a matter of fact, bocce ball was observed by Ipocrates, a Greek physician, down to Galileo, an Italian philosopher. In the past, individuals who had a great time with bocce balls discovered the spirit of athleticism which made them drawn all the more.

Since the game was already known by the Greeks, it then moved on to Rome. It was not surprising that it received huge fame all over Europe. Not to mention, bocce was also slowly positioning itself in Italy. As what was previously, the sport was played by a lot of noble men in the society. However, the popularity turned out to be controversial as it was seen to be a danger to the general health of the country. You see, there were already countless individuals attracted to the tossing of the ball that the practice of archery was already set aside. Bocce ball was deemed more interesting than military exercises. Because of the situation, Carlos IV and his son banned the game. Physicians from the University of Montpeller even attempted to invalidate the assertion that playing bocce does not bring therapeutic results to heal rheumatism. By 1576, the government of Venice also prohibited the sport whereby any individual practicing the tossing of the ball will be fined or worst, will be imprisoned. However, the most serious sentence was being condemned by the Catholic Church. Bocce ball was even proclaimed as another way of gambling. However, in another part of Europe, in Great Britain to be exact, bocce balls were loved.

No less than Queen Elizabeth I became an aficionado of the game. Sir Francis Drake was also a fan of bocce where bocce ball history would render that he declined to immediately set foot in fighting England to counter Spanish Amada not until he can complete the sport. After many years, the phenomenal tossing of the ball was introduced in the United States. There was a different version though where they played not employing stone dust but rather on cropped grass. A lot of individuals say that the one practiced by the Americans was the beginning of the modern lawn such as what is utilized in tennis.

It was also noted that the Bowling Green became the venue of the game. It is located in the southern edge of Manhattan in New York. By 1870’s, the first president of the United States, George Washington, also became fond of bocce that he ordered the construction of a court in Mount Vermont. Today, the sport is already acknowledged all over the world where there is even a championship tournament held in an annual basis. A lot of individuals say that credit goes out to the Italians who introduced the tossing of the ball to other nations such as Brazil and Australia, among others.