On a steamy summer night, you can hear the voices down below.

Whose point is it?

Do we need to measure it?

I think it’s ours.

No, it’s ours.

Sometimes a ruler is needed to decide this outcome.

That’s often the determining factor in a game of bocce at the courts located under a pavilion near the Kiski River below the Marconi Club in Leechburg.

This location is the meeting place where members of the long-standing club and their friends come to compete once a week for 16 weeks beginning in May and ending at the end of August or beginning of September.

They play three games per night with two teams of four competing against each other. The first to 12 points wins. Game time is 7 to 9:30 p.m.

But it’s about more than a sport.

It’s a gathering place that brings together old friends and becomes a spot where new friends are made. All skill levels are welcome. Those with experience share that with the newcomers.

The competition is friendly. Players often meet before or after the games for a drink or to share conversation about what’s happening in their lives.

History

The Latin word bottia (ball) is the root of the Italian word boccia or bocce. A bowling sport of precision and accuracy, bocce was popularized in Pittsburgh by Italian American immigrants who settled in the region at the turn of the 20th century. By providing a venue for socialization, bocce helped immigrants preserve the language and customs of the Old World and provided an important link for young Italian Americans to learn more about their past.

Women didn’t play until the early 1970s.

It’s become a sport played by individuals of all ethnicities. A coin flip determines who goes first. One member begins by throwing a small white ball, called a pallina. It has to pass the center line of the court and stays within the boundaries of the court. Then there are four balls apiece made of a different color that are larger and are rolled in order to get them closest to the white ball. One point is awarded for each ball that is closest to the pallina than the closest ball of the opposing team. Players can sometimes figure out by looking, but often need to measure to know which ball or balls are closest.

All balls must be thrown underhanded and players must stay behind the foul line.

Teams from the Marconi Club also compete against other bocce players in the area, such as those from the Spartaco Club in New Kensington.

Ladies’ night

Every Wednesday, the women come to play. This particular evening the age span ranged from 40-91 from all over the Alle-Kiski Valley. The eldest member is Stella Caramellino, 91, from West Leechburg, who has been playing bocce for decades.

She’s a little unsteady on her feet at times, but her teammates and even members of the opposition give her a hand entering the court.

“I love playing this game,” she says. “I don’t think about my age. It’s best to just keep moving. Bocce is a wonderful sport. I would tell people to come out and try it. We are all family here.”

They certainly are, agrees Fran Matuscin of Gilpin Township, who is president of the women’s bocce club. It’s an evening out and a chance to catch up with friends. It’s also about strategy, she says.

“You want to get your ball as close to the little white ball as you can, while also knocking the other team’s balls out of the way,” says Matuscin. “When you do that, you feel pretty good about it.”

“We have fun, but we also want to beat the heck out of our buddies out there,” says Betty Danka, from Gilpin. “We give everyone a chance to play. It’s a social thing.”

Some had parents who played and introduced them to the game, but it’s a little different today in that they say there isn’t a lot of interest from a lot of younger people because a lot of them have young children and both parents work, so they don’t have a lot of free time.

“We have a good time,” says Susie George, of Parks Township.

“It is a friendly competition,” says Marie Antoniono, of Allegheny Township. “And we are always looking for new players.”

Boys club

The guys compete on Friday nights.

“Papa” John Lucjak, of Leechburg, who was smoking a cigar, says “it gets you out of the house every week.”

Bocce is a cool sport and the group of guys has been welcoming, he says.

These bocce games keep us going, says Kevin Ceraso of Lower Burrell. You get to meet new people and enjoy an evening out away from technology.

“We can just talk and enjoy each other’s company,” Ceraso says.

“There is camaraderie here,” says Dan Logero, of Leechburg. “We have guys from all walks of life that play here, from bricklayers to roofers and carpenters to computer people and retirees. And we all get along because we share an interest in bocce.”

Randy Caramellino of Allegheny Township says bocce has been a staple in his family forever. Being able to continue the tradition of his father, uncles and grandfather who played before him is special.

One name that constantly is mentioned when you talk about bocce is the late Dom Garda. He was born upstairs from the Marconi Club and came to be known as the elder statesman, and not just locally. He played all his life and took the game seriously, Randy Caramellino says.

Richard Arduino from Manor Township, who plays at the Marconi Club on Sundays, says his dad John of Leechburg was best friends with Garda.

“If you mention the word bocce in the Alle-Kiski Valley, people will say ‘Dom Garda,’ ” says Richard Arduino. “He was the best bocce player.”

The Marconi Club is located at 135 River Ave., Leechburg

Details: 724-845-2680

JoAnne Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062 or jharrop@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jharrop_Trib.

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