Jimmy Dunne hopped off his electric bike, hung his helmet on the handlebars and hurried over to the three bocce courts at Veterans Gardens just in time to offer his usual Tip of the Day. "Think strategically," the commissioner of the Palisades Bocce Club told the 50 amateur players who had gathered at the park on this chilly gray morning in the Los Angeles neighborhood. At 68, he was a relative youngster compared with most of the assembled< crowd.
"If you're playing against a master like Bill Skinner and you're down in the last quarter, go hard." Everyone laughed. Skinner, who is 90 and plays for the OBG (Old But Great) Rollers, beamed.
And the tournament began. Pickleball may have exploded in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Pacific Palisades, bocce is king. More than 900 people have joined the Palisades Bocce Club since it began in June 2021.
In the spring season, 542 people played regular matches. Games take place three times a week, and while winning is nice, it has never been the point. The league prizes community over competition, bringing together neighbors of all generations to connect in the outdoors.
"None of this was ever about bocce," said Dunne, a longtime Palisades resident and songwriter who has written for Whitney Houston and Kenny Rogers. "It's about celebrating the wonder in our backyard and the simple pleasure of having friends in town." 'Time off from life' The stakes were high on this Tuesday in May — the winning team would head to the champion.