From Joe Martin, FPUSA

Hello Boulistes

Our new FPUSA newsletter is now online. Click here for the latest edition. We now have the newsletter back on a regular schedule and you will recieve a new edition every four months.

Each newsletter will have a major theme. This current letter focuses on marketing pétanque in your city and will give you ideas for spreading the word about pétanque in unique places in your community.

I hope you have a prosperous year and a great time playing pétanque this year. Hopefully i will see you on one of America's pistes one day soon.

Regards,

Joe Martin, President
FPUSA

La Boule d'Or is 50 !!

Under the auspices of French expatriates Jean Krauer, Jean Bontemps, André Martin, the late Armand Squitieri, Charles Nicolas and others, La Boule D'or was born 50 years ago in San Francisco. Together with the founding of Le Mistral Club de Pétanque, founded in Boston in 1958, it remains one of the oldest and yet active pétanque clubs in the United States.

Please mark your calendars for the birthday celebrations to take place on May 30th and 31st.

On Saturday May 30th there will be a panaché doublettes tournament and on Sunday May 31st, there will be 2 tournaments from which you can choose.
Either: A: Select open doublettes OR
B: Melée triplettes, random drawn

All pétanque players are invited to come and celebrate La Boule d'Or's 50th birthday with what promises to be two exceptional days of Pétanque in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
More details regarding tournament times, hotel suggestions, and meals will be forthcoming.

pétanque vs bocce

A question often asked is "What is the difference between bocce, the Italian bowling game and pétanque?"
The difference is this: traditional bocce is more of a bowling game, whereas pétanque is more of a tossing game, like horseshoes.
Bocce players take steps before throwing, pétanque players stand still.
Bocce balls are usually rolled palm up, pétanque balls tossed palm down, so they get backspin upon release.
Pétanque balls are the size of an orange, hollow, and always made of metal.
Bocce balls are larger and solid, about the size of a grapefruit, colored (green & red are popular), and generally made of resin or wood.
Bocce has different variations as to court size and layout. The court should be smooth and flat; some rules call for wooden sideboards to make it an enclosed area.
Pétanque can be played on almost any terrain; most players actually prefer an uneven terrain to make it more challenging.
The counting of points and game tactics are very similar between the two games.
Overall pétanque is more flexible (no need to find a court), and the equipment is easier to carry around. For the record, there is a variation of bocce ("bocce volo") where balls are delivered palm down and metal balls are used. The players run-up in this one is spectacular, similar to "boule Provençale", the forefather of pétanque.

courtesy of Pétanque America

NorCal Commemorative Cup

Now is the time to start thinking about with whom you would like to play in the upcoming Northern California Commemorative Cup Tournament. The tournament is being held this year on a Saturday so that in the event of rain, the event can be held on Sunday. Please check back for further updates.

Saturday March 7 - Northern CA Commemorative Cup.

All games start at 10:30 a.m. Bring your own lunch.
Select Mixed Doublettes (1 man & 1 woman). Plaques, but no cash prizes.
Apéritifs will be served after awards ceremony.

LPM Tournament

Join us for the first tournament of Marin's 2009 season!!


Saturday February 7 -

CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER