When I was growing up, lawn darts was the preferred leisure sports activity at most family events. Those 12-inch spears were a Hayes family institution. I think they took that game off the market, yeah? At some point during my childhood we moved from lawn darts to volleyball, with like 14 to a side.

With my friends, I spent many an afternoon perfecting the art of “hitting the chair” (strike-zone) while pitching a beyond inordinate amount of innings of whiffleball. I’m talking from the age of seven through college, 1991 through…actually, one of my buddies is trying to bring weekly whiffleball back, which I told him I’m in for.

Recently, I’ve also taken a liking to lasso golf (often called ladder golf or polish golf).

Barely competitive, barely athletic akin to sport sports are the best. John Madden and I have an understanding about this. Madden just held his 12th annual charity bocce tournament: the Madden-Mariucci Battle of the Bay Charity Bocce Tournament. Madden, Steve Mariucci, George Seifert, and presumably a bunch of other members of the Tommy Bahama Weekenders club were all in-attendance – starting to understand why I went with the pic of the anonymous Raider cheerleader?

Check out more pics at NESW Sports

Inman: John Madden, Steve Mariucci attract big hitters for charity bocce (Mercury-News)