Abbiamo Palle Shows Bocce What's What

At the Union Hall bocce courts, usually play is casual.

But this past weekend the stakes were higher: the winner of Sunday's bocce games would be crowned the winner of this season in the , an honor bestowed upon only bocce's best. Eight teams advanced from last weekend's semi-finals to the finals, but only one would leave a champion.

The games began at 1 p.m. and as the afternoon wore on, players measured distances between balls for accuracy and frequent yells of "oh my god!" and "great shot!" came from the bocce courts. Children carrying juice boxes cheered on their parents from the sidelines as they discussed the intricacies of bocce strategy. The atmosphere in the musty, dim-lit bar grew noticeably more competitive as fewer and fewer players gathered around the bar's two bocce courts. 

And for the first time in their team's thirteen-season bocce career, Abbiamo Palle not only rolled their way to the finals but also took home the coveted Union Hall bocce trophy during Sunday's championship.

Abbiamo Palle, which is Italian for we have balls, played a nail biter against Bocce Baci in the semi-finals, barely getting by with a two-to-one victory. The game lasted nearly two hours, and Abbiamo Palle captain Paul English, 55 from Park Slope, said the team was exhausted before the final game even began.

Meanwhile, the competition was confident. After beating the well-known Mighty Mudskippers, the Army Bots were ready, beer in one hand, ball in the other, to defend their title as the reigning bocce champs.

Like Abbiamo Palle, the Army Bots have been in the Union Hall league since it began thirteen years ago. They have had better luck, however, appearing in the championship eight times and taking home the gold last year.

"We're going to win. We've done this so many times," Army Bots captain Eric Bernstein, 32 from Prospect Heights, said before the final game.

English and team started strong, winning the first game seven to three. But at the start of the second game, the Bots seemed to be taking control. A flawless round put the Army Bots ahead four to nothing, and after the second round, Abbiamo Palle trailed five to zip.

While it seemed the championship game would come down to a third round tiebreaker, the struggling team kept their cool and rolled like the champions they are. They came back from nothing and won the game seven to six.

The comeback was so out of the blue that members from both players looked at each other and said, "Is that it? Is it over?" The new winners were given their shiny trophy as well as individual medals.

Player Jeremy Lintz, 33 from Sunset Park, said the win felt fantastic, but came as a shock after an extremely mediocre season. The team had to constantly fight their way back and win from behind, but in the end, win they did.

"I knew this was it. I thought we were going to win," said English. "I could just feel it."

The Army Bots will have to wait until the spring finals to attempt to win back their title, trophy, and honor.