JEFFERSON TWP The Jefferson Arts Committee is seeking teams to participate in the second annual Road Bowling Competition. This unique 400-year-old game is rooted deep in Ireland, and six teams consisting of four members each male, female, or combined are needed and all participants must be at least 16 years of age to play. What is road bowling? The alley is a country road typically a mile to two miles long, and the July 22 game in Jefferson will begin at the intersection of Catholic Charities Road and Weldon Road (the driveway entrance to Weigand Farms). In road bowling, the road is not officially closed so it’s important to stay alert for vehicles. There will be no improvements made to the road, so the road will be played as is uphill, downhill, and winding. There’s no stopping the ball when it’s moving; and you have to watch out for rocks and holes and in this case, speed bumps. And there are no bumpers along the edge of the roadway on either side nothing but woods, so retrieval might become necessary. The “bowl” is small, black and dense about the size of a baseball but six times as heavy weighing 1 lb. 12 oz. The bowler is allowed to throw it however he/she sees fit, but the most common approach is basically an underhand fast-pitch softball throw with a running start. The match will begin at 2 p.m., and the bowling ball will be provided. Team members will throw the ball in rotation as listed on their entry letter. When the team reaches the top of the road past the half way mark, they will reverse the course and end where they started. The team who takes the least number of throws to complete the course (similar to scoring for golf) will be declared the winner. Anyone can get a team of four together (must be 16 years-old and up) and submit an entry letter listing all four names with addresses and phone numbers and the name of your team. Send the information to Jack Kelly, 13 Greenwood Drive, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 no later than July 1. The first six teams to submit their entry will be accepted. Prizes will be awarded. Road bowling fun facts Some historians suggest road bowling was played in Ireland in 1690. Back then, they used stone bowls. The first European Championship Game was in 1969. The first World Road Bowling Championship was in 1985. A game played in West Virginia at an Irish Festival in 1996 was filmed and aired by a cable television channel.