Ok, so maybe people everywhere around me have been playing for many years and I just never noticed. But the last time I remember seeing anyone play was in Europe, in parks under shady trees on dirt “courts.” The players were overwhelmingly ancient, or so they seemed to me at the time.
Well, bocce, with roots stretching back to the Roman empire and spread throughout the world by Italian immigrants, is now the newest bowling game in Midwestern cities from Chicago to Kansas City. To find out how bocce ball has hit the Midwest, I paid a visit to Pinstripes in Overland Park and was surprised to see how upmarket this humble sport has become. Offering 16 bowling alleys and nine indoor/outdoor bocce courts, Pinstripes is all about the grownups with the likes of filet mignon, pinenut-encrusted halibut, and sophisticated cocktails, but it also caters to families with its weekday Tots Playtime, pizzas and Sunday brunch. Corporate types find it a fun venue for team-building workshops. Heck, some people even choose to get married here. While I can’t say that I’ll ever be any better than a novice, it’s a hoot trying to beat out opponents, especially after a few beers. But it’s also simply a good place for a meal, even if all you want to do is watch others at play. I could get used to this.
