Outside it was a brisk, grey, slightly wet day – in other words, perfect weather for bowling! Inside Somerville’s Sacco’s Bowl Haven, thirty BSC members gathered for a couple of hours of bowling and socializing, fueled by pizza and lemonade. Our group was assigned four consecutive lanes in what felt like a cozy corner on the side away from the Flatbread Company. Each lane has comfortable seating and a table for six players. Behind this area, there’s a divider with a narrow counter where one can stand, watch the action, socialize and eat. The overall layout invites both bowling and hobnobbing, and there seemed to be an equal number of us doing either at any given time.

Trying out our skills at Sacco’s Bowl Haven!

Candlepin bowling at its best

Among those of us who bowled, many (including yours truly) didn’t keep score. We just enjoyed knocking down pins and cheering on others to do the same. And if, by chance, our best attempts to topple a pin failed, so what! We pushed the button and moved on, as did the still-standing pins. Among other newsworthy details, it should be noted that at least one person arrived perfectly attired in a classic bowling shirt!

Someone is wearing a bowling shirt

And at least one group kept score! Is Ricardo explaining the fine points of scoring to a captive audience in one of the photos?

Ricardo has us captivated

And finally, near the end, someone with no shame obtained a device designed to deliver a ball down the lane more precisely than most of us can; but alas, in the end it, too, disappointed. Oh well. This was all the evidence (and excuse) some of us needed!