Beach Channel Park

The Daily Plant : Friday, October 17, 2003

BRINGING BOROUGHS TOGETHER, ONE BOCCE GAME AT A TIME

If you ask any bocce player, he or she will attest that bocce is one of greatest sports around. Indeed, there are few sports able to bring different generations together in fun competition. Earlier this month, hundreds of the City’s top bocce players met at Queen’s Juniper Valley Park to compete in the Nutella 9^th Annual Citywide Bocce Tournament finals. The two-day event, hosted by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, was free to all contestants. Teams that had made it to the finals faced fierced competition just a day earlier in their hometown borough, and top teams received cash prizes, trophies, deluxe bocce sets and a chance to ride on the Nutella float in the Columbus Day Parade.

"Bocce is something that’s become a yearly tradition in Marine Park," said Bob Tracey of Tracey Real Estate, based in Marine Park. "It gives our community an opportunity to have a youthful approach to sports." Mr. Tracy noted that although many players in Brooklyn are older, a new generation of twenty-somethings from Cobble Hill have begun to heat up the competition.

"We’ve got the old blood with new blood and they’re getting along so well," said Tony Buttacavole, President of the Staten Island Bocce Club. Mr. Buttacavole described one eager 93-year-old player who comes with his nurse’s aide and a "telescope on his glasses" to see the ball. He believes the annual competition gives all bocce enthusiasts citywide the opportunity to meet up and enjoy each other’s company. "It was a nice day out, and meeting all the guys we played last year was really great. I really want thank the Parks Department for running this [tournament]. It gives our guys something to look forward to each year," he added.

After a full day of excellent bocce playing by all teams involved, Queens teams took first and third places, and a Brooklyn team scored second place. It’s quite apparent, however, that the pleasure of bocce is in playing the game.

Historians trace Bocce’s origin to Egypt around 5000 B.C., where it spread to Greece and later, the Roman Empire. Italian immigrants introduced Bocce to the Americas during the 19^th century, and the sport has grown immensely popular in recent years.

This Saturday, October 18, New Yorkers will gather in Central Park for the 6^th annual Falconry Extravaganza. Falcons, hawks, eagles and raptors of all sizes will fly above Central Park’s East Meadow at this year’s event. Visitors will have the chance to look these enormous birds in the eye and to learn more about the Urban Park Rangers wildlife management programs. Wildlife experts, falconers, and rehabilitators will be on hand to answer questions. This event is free and will take place from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. For more information please visit our website at www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.

"If we had no faults of our own, we would not take so much pleasure

in noticing those of others."

(1613-1680)