"Any time you want to throw it! C'mon! We're not getting any younger!"
Marty Maccione waved his hands to emphasize this exhortation, though it did little to inspire the opposing team. In fact, his brother, Jimmy, who was captain of that team, named the "Benton Blazers", in reference to the space colony neighborhood the park they tended to play in was located. He returned his brother's hand wave, but began it somewhere down near his loins, refashioning the whole thing into a rude gesture.
Marty and Jimmy lead the two bochu teams that were playing, but were on opposite sides; Jimmy's "Blazers", and Marty's "Goldenberg Wolf Pack", in reference to the park, itself. They'd had to assemble their own players, so if they hadn't been on two different teams, they wouldn't have had two teams to make up the league, which was the minimum. There was no way they were going to let Menkin Bommador, president of the "Opal City Bochu League", continue to act like he was the last word on the game. Bommador wasn't Italian, while the brothers were. Well, somewhere along their patronomial line they were. Not like Bommador. And bochu had been born from bocce, an //Italian// game from old Terra. Everybody knew that. Well, it came from bocce, and horse shoes, and a few other games. But mostly bocce.
Of course, there were a family of games kinda-sorta like bocce that were from an entire region of Terra, each one with an exotic name. Bochu grew up on space stations, so it was newer. Newer, but still Italian. Like the Maccione brothers!
Bailey Gannet stopped mid-throw, and stood there in her team's runup zone, staring at Marty at the other end, who immediately halted his old man's bluster, looking abashed. She had that kind of control over him, despite that she was on his brother's team. For that matter, she had the same power over Jimmy, both elderly Macciones long holding a torch for the woman. At seventy-four, and on a full regimen of age-countering medications and therapies, Bailey looked her years, but definitely didn't feel them.
She just pointed at Marty, crossly, then took a few steps back, and returned to her wind-up throw. One, two, three bold steps, stopping just short of the runup line, she let go of her bochu with an underhand snap that sent the ball high into the air, across most of the length of the grass court. It came down almost perfectly straight with a muted plop and tiny bounce, not two meters from the other team's goal stake. The stake was bright yellow, and stood high out of the grass, where Jimmy had moved back it at the beginning of the round.
This was clearly the closest throw yet for either side, and Bailey's teammates gave up a whooping cheer, lead by her own team captain.
Trying to be a good sport (or to get in her good graces, more like), Marty acknowledged the throw with an mild call of, "Nice one, Bailey."
"Better than your last one!" she crowed, putting on a mock scowl.
That was a challenge Marty's competency, or maybe manhood; he wiggled his fingers, and said, "Ooooo...!" Then he threw a lopsided grin at his own teammates, who all laughed for no reason. They were his cronies from //Lemon's Bar//, down on Pillar and 5th, who he'd nagged and badgered into joining. To be fair, they all seemed to like the game now, but it was brand new to most of them when the league started up.
It had been new to Bailey as well. She, and a couple of her longtime female friends had thought to try it out, when Jimmy, who was a friend of one of them, suggested they join up with the brothers' new league. Margaret had gotten sick, and quit early on; May Lin just got sick of game, itself, and Roberta moved. That left Bailey as the sole woman on either team of the tiny league, but by then, she'd gotten the bochu bug. She rather liked all the male attention, too, she had to admit.
Bailey, and most of the others, still had another bochu to throw before the end. At the moment, however, it was time for the "Wolf Pack". She vacated the game space, stepping up and out through one of the openings in the low fence surrounding the sunken bochu court, just as Max Jeberoski, of the "Pack" stepped in. Max was a quiet, bald enby, with a broom of a mustache, and bright eyes above dark bags. Everyone on both teams liked Max, and they all cheered for xem.
"Go, Maxi!"
"You got this, Millions!"
With a name like Max, xe were immediately dubbed Maximilian, when xe first responded to the flier for new players, that Marty had put up in "Lemon's Bar'. The name Maximilian later morphed into Made-a-Millions, then just Millions, Mills, Milly, Max M. M. Overdrive, just Overdrive, O.D., Odie, Maxi, and finally Fuller (this last, by Lemuel Sanders in the "Wolf Pack", who claimed it was because of Max's mustache, but no one ever understood the reference). Everyone had their own pet name for Max Jeberoski, but xe answered to, and seemed to appreciate, all of them.
Stepping forward into the throw, Max wound up with a wide sweep of the arm, xyr right foot stopping short just centimeters from the runup line. Xyr bochu sailed fast and low over half the court, then dropped and rolled to within a couple meters of the goal stake. It was a great throw, but Bailey's was still closer. If one of Max's teammates, coming up behind in the round, could make a throw to just tap Max's bochu, it could bump the enby's ball closer yet. The teams were tied-up, so it was still anyone's game.
The following turns ran sequentially, one side after the other, each person throwing one bochu, until all balls on both sides had been thrown. No one had been able to give Max a bump in that time, nor roll any closer than Bailey had, so she won the most points, and therefore the game, for the "Blazers".
The two groups came together for their traditional hand-shakes, boasts, and put-downs. Marty sauntered up to Bailey, with Jimmy on his heels.
"Listen, Bail," the captain of the "Blazers began, "what d'ya say you and I grab a bite to eat?"
"Forget him," Jimmy interfered. "He'll take to you a roach-loaded food truck, Bailey, and call it romantic. Let me show you that new Japanese fusion place on 3rd and Rappaport."
"Fusion food?" Marty dismissed in a horrified voice. "Italian! I can get us into Solo Mio, down in Venice! I know the owner..."
"Sorry, boys," Bailey offered easily, walking past them both. "I'll have to take a couple rain checks: big date tonight." She then raised her voice, and waved, walking off. "Ready, Maxi?"
Max was, but the Maccione brothers sure weren't.
END
RULES OF BOCHU
BOCHU: A lawn bowling game derived from Bocce, for 2, 4, or 6 players (that is, 1, 2, or 3 players per side).
MATERIALS: A bochu court; three bochu balls for each player (so, a total of 6, 12, or 18, depending upon the number of players in the game); two goal sticks (one for each team).
THE COURT: The court is a rectangular grass space. It is set one step (20cm) down, inside a hard boundary that encloses the court. The inside dimensions of the court are 25x4.5 meters. The boundaries are 20cm tall, making them even with the ground outside the court. They are made of a hard, dense material such as concrete. The boundaries must have a safety railing set into it, to prevent anyone standing or walking on the ground outside the court from accidentally entering or falling inside. The railing has openings for players to enter the court. The court is divided into three zones: two smaller areas (one at either end) called "runups", and a larger area in the middle, known as the "field".
THE RUNUPS: Each team has a zone called a runup. Runups are 3 meters in length from the ends of the court, and cover the width of the court (3x4.5 meters). A line is drawn on the grass using chalk or other marking material, to deliniate the ends of the runups. Alternatively, lines may be permanently set at the 3 meter mark in the boundaries on either side of the court. Players must throw their bochu from within their own runup, and cannot cross the runup line during a throw.
THE FIELD: The size of the field is 19x4.5 meters, encompassing the width of the court, and extending from the runup line of one team, to the runup line of the other.
CENTERLINE: Inside the field, at the 12.5 meter mark, is the centerline, dividing the court into the two halves. Each team possess one half of the court (12.5x4.5 meters). A line is drawn on the grass using chalk or other marking material, to deliniate the centerline. Alternatively, marks or lines may be permanently set at the 12.5 meter mark in the boundaries on either side of the court.
GOAL STICKS (or just goals): Each team has a goal stick. Goals are 1 meter in length, and are made of wood, metal, or plastic. They must be easily visible from a distance. They may be pointed at one end for ease of inserting into the soil of the field.
BOCHU BALLS: Bochu are the balls used in the game. They are the size and mass of regulation bocci balls. Each player gets to throw three bochu per round, so three bochu for each player must be available.
COLORS: Each team has a distinctive color from the other. Balls may be owned, supplied by, or kept with the game court, in which case there will be a set of black bochu with white numbers, and a set of white bochu with black numbers. Alternatively, individual teams may supply their own bochu. These can be of any color or pattern, but the numbers on the bochu must be of contrasting colors to that of the bochu themselves. Both teams must agree on the colors or patterns being used in the game, and the bochu chosen by either team must be distinct from the other.
NUMBERS: Each set of bochu for each team are numbered, starting with "1" and going up to the number of bochu being used by the team. The numbers allow teams to tell who threw which ball in what order. The numbers serve no other function in the game. Players will throw a "run" of balls (either 1,2,3; 4,5,6; or 7,8,9).
GAME RULES:
Before the first throw, each team places their goal upon their own field where ever they want. This means, anywhere on their side of the court, between the runup line, and the center line; however, the goal may not be placed any closer to a boundary or the runup line than .5 meters. From a strategic standpoint, most stakes get placed either near the runup line, or near the centerline, to encourage Out-of-Bounds throws by the opposing team.
ORDER THROW: One player on each side throws one ball at the opponent's goal. This is an Order Throw, and it does not win points. The player with the ball closest to the opposing goal wins first throw for their team. From this point forward, all throws are for points. A team may simply choose to go second in the game, as a matter of courtesy or expediency, in which case the other team is said to have won the Order Throw.
ORDER OF PLAY: The team winning the Order Throw goes first. Player 01 of that team (that is, the player using the 1,2,3 run of bochu balls) throws bochu number 01. Player 01 on the other team goes next, throwing their bochu number 01. Player 02 on the first team (who has bochus 4,5,6) then throws bochu number 04, followed by Player 02 on the other team. Player 03 on the first team (who has 7,8,9) then throws bochu number 07, followed by Player 03 on the other team. When all players have thrown, Player 01 on the first team then throws their bochu number 02. Player 02 on the other team follows suit. The game proceeds in this alternating fashion until all players have thrown all three of their bochu balls. This is called a "round".
ROUNDS: At the end of a round, all bochu are collected up and returned to the appropriate players. At this point, a team may (but does not have to) change the location of their goal stick. Once again, this must be on their own side of the field, no closer than .5 meters to a boundary. A team may move the goal in this fashion whenever a round ends.
Only the player throwing the bochu may be within the boundary of the court during the throw, and all other players or judges must remain outside the court until the thrown bochu comes to a full stop. Should anyone else remain inside, or enter, the court during a throw, it is considered to be Interference (see below), whether or not their presence actually affected the throw.
POINTS: Points are added up and awarded at the end of each round, as follows:
The bochu closest to the opposing team's goal = 3 points (4 points if touching an upright goal)
The next closest bochu to the opposing team's goal = 2 points
The next closest bochu to the opposing team's goal = 1 point
No other bochu are awarded points in a round.
If two or more bochu are at equal distances to one or both goals when adding up points, then the Order of Play is considered, with bochu thrown earlier in the round being counted before those that were thrown later. Since the bochu are colored for each team, and numbered for each player, the exact order of all throws can be determined.
If a bochu knocks over a goal stick, play is stopped, and the stick is returned to the same position. If any bochu is occupying that position, it is moved just enough for the goal to be returned to where it was, with the bochu now touching it.
If a bochu hits a goal and damages or breaks it, play is stopped, and the goal must be replaced.
Considering how easy Out-of-Bounds throws can happen (see below), it's important to emphasize that "The bochu closest to the opposing team's goal" does not necessarily mean it's all that close. It just has to be closer than the opposing team's closest throw to the other goal.
OUT OF BOUNDS (or OOB): Once thrown, a bochu must come to a stop within the opposing team's field-of-play. If it ends up anywhere else, it is considered to be Out-of-Bounds, and must be removed from play. Any such bochu are not returned to the player; they are, in fact, taken out of the game, and that player thereafter has one less bochu they can throw in that round, and subsequent ones. Bochu that end up outside of the court; bochu that do not make it over the Center Line to the opposing team's side of the field; or bochu which pass into the opposing team's runup zone, are all considered to be OOB, and must be removed from play at the end of the round.
A bochu in a legal position within the opposing team's field may be struck by a bochu thrown later in the same round, knocking it into an OOB position. This counts the same as if the bochu had been thrown OOB to begin with. The opposite is also true: if an OOB bochu within the court is somehow struck by a later throw in the same round in such a fashion that is is knocked into a legal position upon the opposing team's field-of-play, then it is no longer consider OOB, and can be returned to the player.
Any bochu thrown or knocked over the boundary (that is, it lands outside of the court entirely), is OOB, and cannot be returned to the player.
In theory, a bad throw that does not pass over the centerline could end up close to or touching the goal stick of the thrower's own team. This awards no points to anyone. This is an OOB bochu, and if it does not get knocked over the centerline by a subsequent throw in the same round, it will be removed from play.
Any player who steps over the runup line during a throw is considered OOB. The ball that was thrown (or still in their hand if it wasn't throw) is removed from play immediately. Any balls struck by this bochu, or any sticks knocked over, are all returned immediately to the locations they were in before the OOB throw.
Any player who runs out of bochu is out of the game. New players cannot be added in the middle of a game. Any team that cannot field at least one player when a new round begins automatically loses the game, no matter the current score.
INTERFERENCE: Interference can take a number of forms. As stated above, only the player throwing a bochu may be within the confines of the court while doing so. If anyone else is there, or if they enter the court before the bochu stops rolling, a call of Interference must be made, either by a referee, or by the players. If the person who entered or remained in the court was a player, then the opposing team (no matter who threw the bochu) is immediately awarded 3 points, the throw does not count, and the bochu must be immediately thrown again. Any balls struck or stakes struk and moved during this time must be reset to their previous positions. If the person who caused the Interference was not a player, then the throw simply doesn't count, everything must be reset, and the throw must be repeated.
Any changes that occurred inside the boundary of the court, such as bochu that were struck and moved, are reset; balls that were moved must be returned to their previous spots, goals must be returned to upright positions, etc. If the game has a referee, this person has the final say as to where all bochu were lying before the Interference occurred. If the game does not have a referee, then both teams must agree as to where all the bochu were lying.
Interference may occur from other sources as well, such as animals, debris, or outside distractions. No points are awarded in this case, and any throws that occurred during the Interference must be repeated.
BAD BEHAVIOR: Unsportsmanlike behavior is not tolerated. Penalties for this are meted out by the referee, and can range anywhere from an award of three points to the team opposing the player engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct, to expulsion of said player, to the immediate forfeiture of the game by the team so behaving (if the referee determines that the behavior is team-wide). Non-players who engage in offensive or disruptive behavior can cause a referee to declare Interference (see above).
NUMBER OF ROUNDS: Games last for a set number of rounds, depending upon the number of players:
2 players (one each side) = 5 rounds (15 throws per player; 30 throws among all players, in total)
4 players (two each side) = 4 rounds (12 throws per player; 48 throws among all players, in total)
6 players (three each side) = 3 rounds (9 throws per player; 54 throws among all players, in total)
WINNING THE GAME: The game is won in either of the following ways:
Highest Score. In the event of a tie, the team that won the Order Throw, at the beginning of the game, is declared the winner.
If a team is unable to field even one player at the beginning of a round, the other team automatically wins.