One doesn't have to understand all the intricacies and terminology of bocce
to be a fan of the sport.

That was clearly evident at the Pat O'Brien Chevrolet Cleveland Challenge
Cup of Bocce, a three-day event, which culminated Sunday at the Wickliffe
Italian-American Club on Euclid Avenue.

"We enjoy playing, but it's also fun being with friends and seeing people
you haven't seen for a while," said Warren Fabian, 70, of Willoughby Hills. "It's like old home week."

FROM HOME PAGE > An estimated 10,000 people flocked to Wickliffe over the weekend to be part of the festivities. Some were there to play and some were there to watch, but many seemed quite content to mingle with friends while enjoying a sandwich or a cold beer.

"We have some knowledgeable people that come out here and then there's
families that are learning about the game and just looking to have a good
time," said Don Bochert, captain of the two-time defending tournament
champion J.J.'s Litehouse out of Sharon, Pa.

"This is the best tournament there is," Bochert said.

J.J.'s Litehouse was not able to extend its streak to three years, however,
as the team was defeated in the final match Sunday evening by Felice
Construction by a score of 16-11.

Felice is a multi-national team based in Concord, Ont., Canada, with two
members from Concord and two members from Rochester, N.Y.

Finishing in third place was Vandra Bros. Construction Team No. 1, which is
based in Mayfield Heights.

Bocce, for those who don't know, originated about 1,500 years ago when Rome fought Carthage in the Punic Wars, according to a written history compiled by Tournament Director Wayne Farinacci.

"It has been said that the Roman soldiers pitched rocks at a small stone to
kill time between battles," Farinacci said. "It is believed that Roman
soldiers carried their bocce balls to every new conquest."

The game spread throughout Europe and eventually to the United States.

A record-setting total of 84 teams came to Wickliffe this year from across
Northeast Ohio, as well as the eastern United States and Canada, to compete in the tournament, said Patrick Del Freo, the event's marketing director.

The event, now in its 23rd year, has grown through the continuous support of area businesses and the city of Wickliffe, as well as a $3,500 grant this
year from the Lake County Visitors Bureau, Del Freo said.

"It continues to put us on the map," Wickliffe Mayor Thomas Ruffner said of
the tournament. "It's a game that can be serious, and it can be fun. Any
person can play."

Being successful out on the bocce court is all about knowing where to
position the ball and how to call a good game, said Lou Fatica, an
accountant from Highland Heights who has been playing bocce for at least 10 years.

"Some people think there's not a lot of strategy to it but calling the right
game is the biggest thing," Fatica said.

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