Library of Congress
Cover of lawn bowling rule book published in 1896 available through the Library of Congress.
This summer, the Dunellen High School’s football field at Columbia Park will have an additional use, as a lawn bowling court.
Head of the Dunellen Recreation Commission, Miles Alexander, stated in a press release issued on March 32, “Because space is limited in Dunellen, everything must do triple-duty. The field was recently used for our Easter Hunt with great success. We knew there had to be another way to use this hundred yards of grass.”
According to Alexander, it was Loof Lirpa, a Recreation board member and Second Vice President of the Dunellen Historical Society, who originally made the suggestion of lawn bowling as the field’s summer use.
Lawn bowling, a game similar to bocce, has been around for centuries around the world. After the American Revolution it was rarely played in the United States. It was brought back to popularity by Dunellen resident Christian Schepflin in 1879.
“Because of Dunellen’s connection to lawn bowling, we knew we had found our new use,” said Alexander. “Only a few holes will need to be dug in the field for the sport.Those can be easily patched for football season.”
While the grounds are being prepared for tournament use, residents are invited to complete the league registration form on the Recreation Commission’s password-protected website. Type in “yad sloof lirpa 6102.”