Bowling Ball in Italy??

[scrapbookersdis]

Has anyone seen the hidden bowling ball in Italy lately? The legend is that the sculptor of the stone statues gave one a bowling ball as a tribute to his favorite sport.

These figures are on every pillar around the Doge's Palace, more than 5 feet off the ground (so hard to inspect if you are petite). There are about 8 pillars across the front of the Doge's Palace (on the lagoon side) and about another 8 down the side. Supposedly the bowling ball was on the fifth pillar down the side.

I checked and rechecked for it recently, but I could not find it, which is driving me crazy. I wonder if it has been plastered over during routine maintenance? Has anyone else seen it?

This is what the pillars look like -- one of the seated figures is circled, but this is not the one with the bowling ball!

Lou Mongello's site has a photo of the bowling ball. I saw nothing like this -- not with real indentations, though some seemed to have a random depression or mark.

Click Here: Bowling Ball Photo


Sharla
A Scrapbooker's Guide to Walt Disney World

 

[Dan Murphy]

Neat!! I have never heard of this.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Ooh, if anyone has any info I'd love to hear as well!

 

[bluejasmine]

Geez Im only 4'11 but my DS is 5'7 so I will tell him about it so we can look for it. Bowling in Italy just seems strange doesnt it?

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I went looking for it this past May and I think it is gone

Maybe with the last refurb it was painted over.

Debbie

 

[seashoreCM]

I inspected all of the poles a few years ago after hearing about this subject.

I would have thought that figures on several of the poles were holding bowling balls,although I did not notice explicit finger holes on the balls.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[k5thbeatle]

Not bowling balls...bocci (sp?) balls!

 

[scrapbookersdis]

Each column has six of these seated statues. Some just have swords. Some are holding oval football-shaped balls. Some are holding round balls. (Like the orb held by Infant of Prague statues since the 1600's, only without the cross on top.) I think two on each pillar have the round balls. Bocci balls would be appropriate for Italy for sure, but they don't have holes.

Sharla
A Scrapbooker's Guide to Walt Disney World

 

[MickeysBestPal]

That's so cool.

 

[notnothin]

Are you referring to bocce balls?

 

[Harambe]

Are you referring to bocce balls?

And if so, they are smaller than bowling balls. Maybe that's why your missing them. I'll look next week.

Hey, this isn't one of those hidden camera things . . . where there'll be pictures of me all over the DIS just staring up at a bunch of columns with a big DUH face going on!

 

[scrapbookersdis]

Are you referring to bocce balls?

You're right! Bocce is the correct spelling. "Bocci" means "flunked" in Italian - like botched! So I boccied the correct spelling of bocce!

Sharla
A Scrapbooker's Guide to Walt Disney World

 

[scrapbookersdis]

Maybe this is a plastered-over bowling ball hole! This kind of "repair work" might explain what happened to the bowling ball.

Sharla
A Scrapbooker's Guide to Walt Disney World

 

[SnwflkCts]

When you compare the photo of the bowling ball one against the repaired one -- it does look the same. Awww, repairs taking away our fun!!!! Now I just have to concentrate on more Hidden Mickeys!!!

This was a very interesting thread!