Hey Chicago, Join a Bocce League!
The scene: Your first ever bocce league with American Bocce Company. You have just arrived at the bar and to your dismay, your team has yet to show face (note: you will have to nip that in the bud moving forward—timeliness is godliness). It appears that you know no one, but it’s a good lookin’ scene.
You’ve acquired a nice pint of liquid courage (New Belgium most likely) to help you navigate the room when someone approaches wearing an American Bocce shirt, hat and a few pins that shout “I love bocce.” Is that a bocce tattoo on their left arm? The amount of bocce paraphernalia is enough to make you question the sanity of this human. They sense your trepidation and introduce themselves as one of your bocce guides and a wave of inclusion and welcome washes over. You promise that your team is on the way (but seriously where are they!?) and that you will head to the court as soon as they arrive.
Once you’ve gathered your cohorts (and drinks! always a drink in hand), you head into the BocceDome. It’s beautiful. You are greeted by yet another bocce clad referee and your first opponents. They’ve done this before and ask the referee to allow time for a few warm ups. You thank these kind souls for the opportunity. It may be a little more difficult to thank them after they school you in the game, but you can sense the momentum—you’ll be a star in no time. And if not? Fuck it, this is fun.
It is mid-way through your first game and you are holding strong. You are confident in your first few throws when it happens. Your ball doesn’t make it past the halfway line and your referee shouts “HOT SHOT!!” What is that? What does that mean?
Your opponent and new friend says calmly, “It’s ok, it happens to all of us. The first one is the hardest.” After consuming what can only be described as hot avocados with melted chocolate and a mix of vodka, that’s when you know: You are hooked. You want more—not necessarily more hot shots, but more bocce. (And I suppose free booze is free booze.) Furthermore, where can you buy one of those fine bocce shirts?!
Welcome to the bocce community, dear friend. We’ve been waiting for you. These leagues still have room for you. Play two scheduled games a week for six weeks and then it’s playoffs (one way or another, everyone plays). Prizes, specials, etc. $260/team. Email [email protected] with questions. Get in where you fit in.
The St. Lou’s Assembly league is going to be as chill as chill can chill. One court on their West Loop oasis of a patio for your hanging pleasure. Games are on Monday evenings (5/15 – 6/26).
The community at Old Irving Brewing Company is so lovely. They’re into it and really supportive of each other. It plays on Tuesday nights (5/26 – 6/27) and features $4 drafts of all their beers.
Check the cozy setting out back of Clark Street Ale House in their secret(ish) beer garden. This league plays Wednesday nights (5/17 – 6/28) and is an absolute blast.