A community forms around bocce ball league growing in Blue Island

There are three reasons Evergreen Park’s Phil Areddia likes to play bocce ball.

“You can drink, smoke a cigar and roll a ball,” he said after around of competition last week at the Rock Island Public House in Blue Island.

Actually, two of those three items are in the rules.

The cigar is optional. You do have to roll a ball. As for drinks?

“A drink in hand is a cardinal rule,” said Andy Zimmerman, the head of the American Bocce Company. “If you roll the ball with no drink, your ball is dead.”

But last Tuesday night, there were some players who were competing without a drink in their hands, and he turned a blind eye.

“Down here on the South Side, we’ve been very lenient about that because we’re trying to build a community around here,” Zimmerman said.

It’s a community that is growing quite well.

Since the Rock Island Public House and ABC became a tag-team last year, bocce ball has become a staple in Blue Island on Tuesday nights.

“It’s turned into a little community,” said Jennifer Brown, who co-owns the facility with her husband, Dave. “Last year we had just two seasons and it was funny to see our season grow from 12 teams to 14 and this year we had 18 in the spring 16 in the summer and now we have 16 in the fall.”

The six-week fall league featuring four-person teams started last week, and Dave Brown has been happy to welcome all the new players.

“It’s super easy to pick up and it’s very social,” he said. “It’s a sport where you can drink while you do it, so that always helps.

“It literally takes just a few minutes to pick up and a lifetime to master. It’s incredibly social and there is a lot of tradition and history to it.”

By some accounts, bocce ball has been around since 5200 BC. It involves throwing a small target ball on the court and players rolling bigger, heavier balls to get as close as they can to the target.

Zimmerman said that like with most sports, there are varying skill levels. But on any given day, there will be upsets.

He added that anyone can play, which is a part of the sport’s appeal.

“This sport is so accessible. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Man or woman. Athleticism. Body type. Anyone can play this game. If you can roll a ball down the street, you can play this game.”

But that doesn’t mean it’s sedate. There are thrills aplenty, league members said.

“Personally, I love the feeling you can get when you are playing,” Zimmerman said. “Your heart rate spikes and your knees start shaking.

“I’m never going to get that playing basketball at the YMCA. I’m never going to get that playing pickleball because I am so overmatched. I don’t get that playing golf.”

Areddia’s team, WKRP, won the summer league championship and hopes to repeat in the fall. Like most people in the Rock Island League, he took up the sport last year and enjoys it.

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“It’s gotten to the point where I built a bocce court in my backyard,” he said. “We do a lot of practicing and we’re as good as we can be, but you never know what’s going to happen. As good as you think you can be … the ball could take a curve. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Some players take the sport more seriously than others, but most agree the competition is just one part of the experience. The social aspect is another.

“I love it — this is so much fun,” said Marty Wilbur, of Crestwood. “I’m sorry I didn’t try this earlier. It’s a ton of fun. It’s intense. You meet a lot of people. People are here from a ton of different suburbs.”

Oak Lawn resident Ellen Ohl was introduced to the game at a party with her sisters in Elmwood Park and was happy to find the Blue Island competition on Tuesday night.

“It’s just fun, I love it,” she said. “The competition is fun.” I have my good days and bad days but it’s fun.”

While the fall league is full, the Rock Island Public House will host the Southside Bocce Tournament at 4 p.m. Sept. 30. Teams will be determined by a random draw. For more information, call 708-388-5513.

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.