Ancient Rome set the standard for a lot of things: architecture, art, and, of course, sport. No surprise, then, that an ancient game is still popular today: bocce ball.
Played with two single players or two to four teams, the game is played with nine balls, eight of a larger size and one small. Then, the game plays out a little like bowling; the small ball is thrown by one player or team to a certain spot on the playing field, and then players roll each of their four balls toward the smaller ball, or pallino. The player with the ball closest to the pallino gets the opportunity to continue rolling bocce balls; when each player or team has rolled all four balls, players or teams begin again. Points are awarded for every balls rolled closest to the pallino, and the game continues until a player or team receives 13 points.
Bocce and bowling enthusiasts will love a Personalized Tournament Bocce Ball set, $99.98 to $129.98 at www.bocceballsets.com. Each high-quality set comes with a vinyl carrying bag and a set of rules, and each ball can be engraved with up to seven characters.
Personalized Bocce Ball Set