Rolling with ‘amazing sport’ in Ghent
Players gather from as far as Canada and Arizona form Belgium American Days
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GHENT -- Rolle bolle players travel from far north as Manitoba Canada and as far south as Arizona to Ghent in southwest Minnesota to play "an amazing sport," according to Dan Beckwich of Babbitt.
More than 40 players showed up in Ghent Saturday to compete in the Rolle Bolle Calcutta during Belgian American Days over the weekend. Besides Canada and Arizona, players were also from Iowa and Illinois.
Beckwich traveled for the second time to Ghent to play rolle bolle with his wife Trudy. He just started playing four years ago while visiting Arizona.
"It's so much fun,” he said. “It really is and the people are unbelievably nice. Everybody. It's such a close-knit community over there (Arizona) and here. It's a lot of fun.”
Babbitt hopes to play in Winnipeg, Canada next year and hopefully visit Iowa and Illinois rolle bolle courts.
Meanwhile, brothers Reg and George Adam brought their rolle bolle skills from Manitoba. Reg Adam has been playing in the Ghent tournament since 1975.
He recalls playing rolle bolle at his grandfather's place with neighbors who were farmers.
"We have been playing all our lives," he said. "We play more on grass. Then we started coming here and play on sand and gravel. We like this better. Grass is a bit rough."
Adam said he's not aware of any official rules on the correct playing surface.
"Whoever sets up the tournament you do it this way. That's the way you do it. If you don't like it you don't come back. We have quite a few Canadians that come here,” he said.
Belgium American Days Rolle Bolle results
A division
First place: Josh Vanthournout of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Doug Causemaker of Coal Valley, Illinois and JJ DePauw of Waseca.
Second place: Glen Hostens and Glen Ryan Hostens of Moline, Illinois, and Shen DeBrower of Hartwick, Iowa.
B division
First place: Dick Welvaert and Brandon Boerboom of Marshall and Brennon Welvaert of Janesville.
Second place: Western Doubler of Maple Grove, Jared Boone and Shawn Maclain from Winnipeg, Canada.
Novice
First place: Barb Bergstrom, Bridget Bergstrom and Tyson Bergstrom from Marshall.
Second place: Halkey Beirl of Wanda, Payton Earle of Treherne, Manitoba, Canada and Hanna Adam from Treherne.