Spheres

Pallone col bracciale

Spheres

Spheres were the most popular game in our country before the introduction of football.

“Palla bracciale” and “palla elastica” are traditional Italian heritage, and still practiced by a number of players in various parts of Italy.

Balls are hit either with the palm of the hand (usually protected by bands of tissue) or a bracelet of wood and leather.

Many of these games are practiced on roads, although there some playgrounds (called “sferisterio”) still exist. One of the common features to almost all of these games is to require a field with a wall (or a row of houses) to bounce the ball on.

Historical Background

Spheres have always been played in cultures around the world: from the mythical representations of the violent  game “thlachtli” , a ritual of pre-Columbian civilizations , to ancient Greeks and then the Romans.

Romans in particular developed the game of " follis " and " ludere espulsim " , and built fields for the game, called spheristerium.

Balls could be made of natural fibers and fabrics, or they could be made of stone or metal, covered in wool and leather, or rubber.

However leather balls are still used by various game communities.

Since the Sixteenth century various types of ball games have been played in Western Europe, with different local varieties. In particular, these games are popular in Spain , the Netherlands and in Central and Northern Italy.

Many poets and writers have written about these games, among others, Goethe, De Amicis, Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio.

Game Communities

Palla Bracciale, Treia (Macerata), Marche

Pallone Grosso col Bracciale, Monte San Savino (Arezzo), Toscana

Palla Eh!, Torniella (Grosseto), Toscana

Palla 21, Ciciano di Chiusdino (Siena), Toscana

To' Vegna, Farra di Mel (Belluno), Veneto

Balina, Valeggio sul Mincio (Verona), Veneto