BUTLER TWP - Dom Bonefeste never learned to play bocce until he was 18.

Now 81, his name is synonymous with the sport around Butler.

Born and raised here, Bonefeste founded and was first president of the Butler Bocce Association, which was formed approximately 20 years ago.

"I guess I organized the thing," Bonefeste said. "There were 10 of us or so who loved the game and wanted to build an organization to publicize it."

The association peaked at about 50 members and there are 38 active members today.

The purpose of the game is to roll a bocce, a 4½-inch ball weighing about three pounds, as close as possible to the pallino, a 1¾-inch ball which is rolled first. The bocce coming closest to the pallino scores.

While the origin of bocce is in dispute, most authorities agree that it was played between battles during Rome's Punic Wars in 264 B.C.

No one taught Bonefeste how to play the game; he just picked it up himself, as did his cousin, longtime bocce player and original association member Bruno Zuccala.

"Bocce was played by older people," Zuccala said. "It was their game and they didn't want to get beaten by any kid or girl. They didn't encourage you to play."

"I played softball when I was a kid and tried basketball, but I was too small," Bonefeste said. "I picked up on bocce by watching the older people play."

Zuccala, 76, and Bonefeste have "combined for 120 years of bocce playing," Bonefeste said. "Bruno is the best player in our association."

"He's a one-man wrecking crew," current association president Tom Sherman said in agreement.

But a few things have changed since those older players jealously guarded their game. There are a few women in the Butler Bocce Association today - including 83-year-old Irma Kelly - and the ages of its members range from 17 to 89.

Gabby Lucas is 89 and teamed with Bonefeste, Bob Sinz and Zuccala to reach the semifinals of a national bocce tournament in Tampa, Fla., in 2001."Whenever association members travel to tournaments, we usually do pretty well," Bonefeste said."Down there, though, we were told we had a good team, but we didn't play as a team. Bocce is a game of individual skill, but it is a game in which the team must play together to be successful."Sherman, who is the organization's third president behind Bonefeste and Sinz, estimates that members have won 15 tournaments outside of the area."Women started playing bocce on a regular basis maybe 15 years ago," Bonefeste said. "We're trying to get more younger people involved and interested in the game."Probably 75 to 80 percent of our membership is over 60 years of age. I'm concerned about the future of the association," he added.The organization originally met and played at a bocce court in Father Marinaro Park before courts were built in Butler's Memorial Park and Alameda Park.Butler Bocce Association members meet to play at 9 a.m. Wednesdays at Alameda Park and at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Memorial Park."Our problem is that most of our members are retirees and retirees usually play golf," Sherman said. "It's tough getting some of these people out to the court.""I don't understand it," Bonefeste said. "Bocce is such an inexpensive game to play. It costs virtually nothing."Bonefeste lives on Bocce Drive, having had the street's name changed five years ago after consulting with all of his neighbors.Signs on his garage door read: "Are you ready for bocce? Yep, it's time."He still plays bocce three times a week, sometimes at the court, sometimes on his lawn."I will play until the day I die," Bonefeste said. "It's not a strenuous game. It's a game of tact, accuracy and push that you can play forever."