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In This Issue:
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Vol. V, Issue 2 - January 9, 2006
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Notes from the publisher
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Bocce product of the week
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Bocce news & readers' feedback
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Non bocce product of the week
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The weekly Ezine for bocce aficionados everywhere
Volume 5, Issue #2 - January 9, 2006
Publisher: Mario Pagnoni Copyright 2006
76 Emsley Terrace, Methuen, MA 01844
http://www.joyofbocce.com
Last week, in my review of the year in bocce, I stirred up a little controversy when I gently chastised the USBF for paying a tad more attention to international play than open play. I always try to stay rather "benign" in my bocce writing - not wanting to offend any individual or group. But sometimes it's good to "rattle the cage" a little. One of my old teachers used to say "If you're going to be a writer with something to say, you can't worry about hurting people's feelings." Another was fond of advising, "Hey, let them write their own book" {insert newsletter here}. At any rate, I got more than the usual number of responses to last week's ezine - and that has to be a good thing. More on this next issue...
If you missed last week's issue you can read it here http://www.joyofbocce.com/filecabinet/Ezines/vol5_1.html
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Please add joyofbocce@topica.email-publisher.com to your "whitelist" or email address book program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues!
Also, click "Confirm" at the end of this ezine to further ensure consistent delivery.
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Joy of Bocce 2nd Edition
Click the link below to order an autographed copy from me. Shipping will be $4.00 (US Priority Mail). And please let me know how you want the book autographed (type the details in the "Special Inscription/Autograph" box provided).
Also, you can order an electronic version from the publisher ( http://www.authorhouse.com ) at just $4.95 (you download it - no shipping charge).
Click on the image above to order from the publisher's web site or the link below to get an autographed copy directly from me. {If you order from the publisher's site enter Pagnoni in the box for Author = ...}
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I hope you will like this electronic newsletter. To be deleted from the list, you can Unsubscribe at the end of this issue. We will quickly and permanently remove your email address from our list (we'll be sorry to see you go). But, be aware that one of our enthusiastic readers suggested that “…bocce and unsubscribe are mutually exclusive terms.”
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P.S. Did a friend send you this? Sign up to get your own here - http://www.joyofbocce.com/feedback.ivnu - it's entertaining, useful, and complimentary.
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{Publisher's comments in brackets...}
Ben Collins send news from Aiken, SC...
"Thank you for publishing such an informative website about Bocce. I have built several bocce courts with synthetic grass, and I have finally found a very good product that I am ready to start marketing. It is even clay colored!
Currently I am working with the city of Aiken, South Carolina on a couple of courts for community usage. They are interested in hosting tournaments to bring visitors to the town. Do you think it would be a difficult task sparking interest among other bocce groups to visit?
{Locals will always come if you run a quality event. To get players to travel a great distance usually requires the lure of big prize money.}
I am working closely with a group called 'Partners in Friendship' which is an Italian club in Aiken. I have been doing a bit of research, and would like to tell you that I appreciate folks who take the time to provide information to others. I am presently building a smaller (6 x 50 feet) version in a homeowner's yard to entertain guests and hone their skills.
If you care to see any of the pics I have gathered through my work, please check my website @ http://www.collinsturf.com/bocce.html ."
{Click the photo above to view Ben's site.}
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Jean Anthony of Maine asks about bocce party favors...
"Our Senior Centre here in Bath, Maine, will be having a 'Grand Opening' of its indoor Bocce court, makeshift though it may be on Wednesday, January 11. Does anyone have any ideas for luncheon table decorations, party favors, etc., bearing in mind we are operating on a shoestring!
This is all new to me so any suggestions would be most appreciated."
{I'm drawing a blank here - can anyone help? REPLY and I'll get the word out ASAP.}
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Bob Kestranek of Brunswick, OH asks...
"Do you know where I can find the real wooden bocce balls like the ones my grandfather brought over from Italy almost 100 years ago?"
{Some department stores have inexpensive wooden balls, but I don't think they are the quality that your grandfather had...you might find them on e-Bay or in antique shops. Does any reader know of another avenue to pursue?}
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The Perfetta Bocce balls used on the Isaac Mizrahi Show didn't sell on the e-Bay auction. Anyone want to make an offer? Please REPLY.
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Patrick Dubiel of Lafferty, Ohio writes...
"I am now receiving your ezine, but I also enjoyed having a hard copy that I can read anywhere. I would like to send a small donation to help cover the cost of mailing, if you would be willing to send additional copies to my bocce friends (8 people). If you can do this, I will provide you with their addresses. Also, I watched the Isaac Mizrahi show with Steve Schirippa and enjoyed seeing bocce in the main stream (I can't say that I enjoyed Isaac)."
{I'm hearing a number of people saying they are not so fond of Isaac...send me the bocce friends' addresses and I'll send the hard copy ezines - no charge - same goes for any reader.}
"For the past four years I've been trying to promote bocce in my area (eastern Ohio) with some success. Information that I've found on the internet, especially yours, was very helpful.
My small group has played in the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival bocce tournament for the last three years with good results. This small tournament is gaining popularity every year.
This year we formed an indoor league at our local community park and this weekend we will play the finals. The court is nothing pretty, but it serves the purpose and is a lot of fun. If you are interested I would be happy to send some pictures. We plan to build one or two outdoor courts this spring. Hopefully this will interest more people."
{ALWAYS looking for photos - please send...}
"If there is anything that I can help you with in my area, please let me know."
{Always looking for input - feedback - info on what is happening with bocce in different areas of the country - keep me "in the loop" - Thanks. This goes for all Joy of Bocce readers - please keep me in the loop.}
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NEW BOCCE WEB SITE
The Martignetti family (we helped them run a bocce tourney fund raiser for the Jimmy Fund in October) has created a new web site. They'll run an annual bocce fund raiser for a different charity each fall. Check out http://www.bocce4charity.us
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Here is an excellent "open letter" from the president of the Memphis (TN) Bocce Club (reprinted with permission)...
To: All bocce clubs and their members -
The cancellation of the 2005 K.C. Midwest Tournament was a real disappointment for our Memphis Bocce Club and I am sure it was a disappointment to your club and members alike.
I fear that the Midwest cancellation and the lack of tournament support will set a harmful precedent regarding future regional tournaments and further, impede the growth of bocce in the US. Along with the Midwest cancellation, we’ve seen the devastating effect that hurricane Katrina had on the New Orleans Bocce Club and our many friends in that city.
It is very important for our clubs to maintain good relationships with each other and develop a dialog regarding the state of our game, where it is going, and how we keep it growing for future generations to enjoy. Tournaments are an ideal opportunity to promote camaraderie between our clubs and to share ideas and solutions.
After discussing the Midwest cancellation with our Board of Directors, we agreed to host an invitational tournament here, in Memphis, on February 24th and 25th, 2006. We feel that it is very important to sponsor a regional tournament for the good of the game and to maintain the long term relationships that we’ve enjoyed with our fellow bocce clubs around the country, for many years.
Geographically speaking, Memphis is a reasonably equal distance from New Orleans, Chicago and Kansas City. With that, we hope to have participation from those clubs as well as from any team, from any club, who wishes to attend.
All of the entry fees in our tournament go towards the cash prizes and trophies. Any profit that the Memphis Bocce Club makes will be generated from the sale of food and beverages purchased by those in attendance.
We are arranging for a special hotel room rate, call for details.
I certainly hope that you will encourage your members and make every effort to attend our tournament for the love of the game and the fun of the sport.
Please call me at (901) 272-2124, with any questions or if you need more information.
Sincerely,
Ralph Galtelli
President
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{chronological order}
Please - anyone running a tournament - do me a favor - put a notice near your tourney bracket board informing players that they can go to http://www.joyofbocce.com and "opt in" for my FREE Ezine on bocce. Click the logo to the right to opt in if you do not already receive this ezine every Monday.
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Please consider designating someone as "official event photographer" and directing that person to send snapshots for us to reproduce as photos of the week. Our readers love seeing bocce action from around the continent.
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January 28, 2006 - Massachusetts - Lawrence - Sons of Italy, 155 Marston St. Four-player teams - $100 entry fee includes coffee and donut breakfast and sausage sandwich lunch. Registration cut-off = January 25, 2006. Contact Steve Zanni at 978-687-6853.
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February 4, 2006 - California - Los Gatos - Campo di Bocce - 2nd Annual Maureen Albanese Valentines Day
Tournament - teams of two men and two women (REQUIRED) - round robin - Open Rules - REGISTRATION ONLY OPEN TO 16 TEAMS - $30.00 per player/ $120.00 per team - Continental Breakfast and Buffet Lunch included. Contact Ben Musolf at 408-395-7650 - USBF CARD REQUIRED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS.
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February 11 & 12, 2006 - Michigan - Orion - Palazzo di Bocce - Mid-Winter Bocce Blast - Doubles (2-person teams), round-robin format, limited to 40 teams - $150 per team, paying top 10 places. 1st & 2nd places guaranteed $2,500 & $1,500 respectively. Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 8th. More info... Bryan Sanborn at 248-371-9987 x13 or email bsanborn@palazzodibocce.com.
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February 24 & 25 - Tennessee - Memphis. Memphis Italian-American Society/Memphis Bocce Club (4217 East Holmes Road). Four-player teams - double elimination - $200 entry fee. Prize money based on 20 teams - 1st - $2000, 2nd - $1000, 3rd - $500, 4th - $250. Contact Ralph Galtelli @ 901-272-2124.
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March 26, 2006 - Florida - The Punta Gorda ELKS Lodge Each participant must be an ELK (any lodge). Double elimination - four-person team, one sub allowed. $100.00 entrance fee. First, Second and Third prize money. 50% of the proceeds go to a charity and the other 50% will go towards the prize money. For more details contact George Farruggio @ 941-575-0482 or wam@strato.net.
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March 31 - April 1, 2006 - Arizona American Italian Club
$200 team entry / 4 person teams and $4000.00 first prize. Second place = $2,000, 3rd = $1,000, 4th = $500. Contact Pasquale D'Alisio @ 602-569-9149 or daliesio@aol.com.
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April 22, 2006 - California - San Francisco - Orange Ave. Mem. Park - Triples (3-person teams) - Open rules - contact Alvaro Bettucchi @ 650-871-9278.
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April 29, 2006 - Washington - Bellingham Bay Bocce Tournament - 4th annual charity fundraiser ( this year for Hospice ). Four person teams $20/person, 32 teams. Details at http://www.boccemon.com or contact Tom at 360-224-2909.
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May 13, 2006 - California - Martinez - Debbie Gerow Memorial Bocce Tournament/The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Fundraiser - Open – 4 person team. Contact Traci Malley @ 916-456-7169.
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May 20, 2006 - California - South San Francisco - Open -2 men/2 women - IACC - Orange Ave. Mem. Park. Contact Rudy Bertolozzi @ 650-583-9936.
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June 3, 2006 - California - Fairfield - Women’s Tournament - Open – 4 person teams - Fairfield Bocce Federation, 1200 Civic Center Dr. Contact Richard Meccette @ 707-434-0190.
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June 17, 2006 - Location & date not finalized - ABA Raffa Championships - 3-person teams - Crockett Bocce Federation. MUST HAVE ABA CARD - contact Dick Gomez @ 707-554-9916.
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June 24, 2006 - California - Martinez (tentative date & location) ABA Open Championships - Open – 4 person teams - Martinez Bocce Federation/Waterfront Park - MUST HAVE ABA CARD - contact Traci Peters @ 916-456-7169.
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Merchandise still available at joyofbocce.com
Check out the first-rate equipment we offer. The finest measuring devices for bocce (made in UK by Prohawk for lawn bowling, petanque, and bocce) - the finest bocce balls in the world (made in Italy by Perfetta) and the number one selling instructional book on bocce in America - Check them out.
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