FORT SILL, Okla., March 22, 2018 -- Cannonballs were flying at Fort Sill March 16, but it wasn't because of artillerymen training at the ranges.
The Fort Sill Marine Artillery Detachment (MARDET) held an Irish road bowling competition as a morale event, and to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, said Col. Tim Parker, MARDET commanding officer. The historical game uses small, steel 1.5-pound cannnonballs that teams of players roll over roads to a final destination. The team with the fewest shots to the finish is the winner.
"We thought this would be a great way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and our role as artillerymen," Parker said. "It's about enjoying each other's company, it's about camaraderie."
About 40 Marines on staff from the training sections, and headquarters battery made up eight teams for the competition, said Master Sgt. Tim Harvey, MARDET operations chief. A couple noncommissioned officer students also participated as players.
"A lot of times we get so focused on the mission in our individual sections, so this is a chance for everybody to get together," Harvey said.
The game began at the Pershing Complex and followed Howitzer Trail past Condon Road for a total course length of about one mile. Players rolled the ball underhand like a bowling ball, or on some spots on the course threw it overhand, which is allowed, Harvey said. The cannonball is about the size of a baseball.
Staff Sgt. Bryan Fennell, a student in the Marine Artillery Operations Chief Course or MAOCC, played on one of the teams.
"One of the instructors told us about it, so a couple of us from the class thought it would be fun to try," said Fennell, who is a radar operator assigned to Camp LeJeune, N.C.
Irish road bowling is played in the county of Cork, and it goes way back when the Irish were fighting the British, Parkers said.
"It was believed that the Irish rebels would steal cannonballs from the British, and basically, roll them down the streets to let them they know, 'Hey, we stole your cannonballs,'" Parker said. He said he learned about the sport when he was a commanding officer at Quantico, Va. The game was brought to the United States during the American Civil War.
"Many Ireland immigrants who were artillerymen actually played Irish road bowling during the Civil War," the commander said. The West Virginia Irish Road Bowling Association keeps this tradition going in America.
Player Sgt. Kavonn Morgan, also an MAOCC student and a fire direction controlman, said the game was fun.
"One of the cool things about the artillery community is we do a lot of stuff like this ... and we celebrate St. Babs (Barbara), the patron of artillery, it's why I love the artillery community," said Morgan, who is a reservist in Bristol, Pa., and manages telecommunications stores in his civilian job.
He added that it was a good way to unwind because his studies, which now deal with manual artillery firing, were, what he called, "brain melting."
Staff Sgt. Henry Reinewald, Cannon Crewman School instructor, was part of the winning team.
"We were motivated, and worked together as a team," said Reinewald. "It was a good day."
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