About Us

About Us

Left to Right: Jim Burgess, Jason Abbott, Underboss, Jefferson Henry, Ahren Trumble, Cante Swearingen, Dan Stotesbery, Kevin McElroy

So, many of you may be wondering (and rightly so) what exactly is a "Hone Dog?" Well.........

Hone Dog lore dates back to the mid-16th century when a young Italian peasant began experimenting with hurling semi-polished stones while under the influence of raviolis and ale. Soon, he began to notice that the more animalistic he behaved, the more precise his stone hurling became. Eventually he "honed" his skills to such a degree that no peer could match him. Sadly, however, he was killed in a tragic pasta-making accident and thus his passion and his newly developed skill died with him, leaving only the myth of the "Hone Dog."

Fast-forward several hundred years, throw in the alignment of a couple mid-sized planets, and you get a team of young men similar to that half-mad Italian peasant, who have a passion for rare sporting skills, an extreme talent for getting dirty and a deep craving for winning Bocce tournaments. The Hone Dogs Bocce team was unofficially established in 1998, and was originally a splinter group of the now defunct Ehlers Grove Bocce contingent. Today, survived by the two founding members, Capo Cante "Love Your Balls" Swearingen and Underboss "Doc" Forni, Hone Dogs' Bocce has become synonymous with excellence, achievement and flip-flops.

In 2007 the Hone Dogs won the coveted "Triple Crown" of St. Helena Bocce (see Press page for story), winning the Napa Valley Bocce Federation (NVBF) Spring and Indian Summer leagues, and the St. Helena Bocce Club Summer league, a feat no other team has ever accomplished, or even attempted. After falling just short of the Summer crown in their 2006 finals showdown against the Olive Oilers (the Yankees of Napa Valley Bocce), the Hone Dogs renewed their determination and set their sights for Bocce glory. 2007 saw the Dogs come back with a vengeance, winning every Bocce season St. Helena had to throw at them, including their Summer finals match against the Tainter Street Beetles. For all three 2007 Bocce seasons (Spring, Summer and Fall) the Hone Dogs compiled an overall record of 99-13 and a playoff record of 19-3.

Alas, the feat of winning the St. Helena bocce "Triple Crown" will never occur again, as the St. Helena Recreation Dept. has disbanded the two ever-feuding Bocce leagues because too many players were being "whacked" and bodies were being found all over Napa County (interestingly, no Press story on this as of yet). Furthermore, the bloodshed had increased in recent years due to corruption and territorial disagreements related to high-stakes Bocce gambling, and several teams were suspected of throwing playoff games for major crime families. Consequently, as of Spring 2008 the City of St. Helena has taken full-control and instituted its own rules and regulations (see Rules and Regulations page), in an effort to subdue the ongoing violence. However, there are only two St. Helena Recreation Dept. sanctioned seasons - Spring and Fall - and thus, the Hone Dogs now have an unyielding aspiration to win the coveted St. Helena Bocce "Double Crown."

UPDATE: The Hone Dogs have again won 50% of the coveted St. Helena "Double Crown" by winning the Fall 2009 City of St. Helena Recreation Dept. Playoffs. The Dogs defeated the Grapestompers (see Press page) in the finals of the winner's bracket and then again in the Championship Finals. Both matches showcased good, old fashioned, hardcore St. Helena Bocce at its finest. The Grapestompers are legends of St. Helena Bocce and the Hone Dogs are indebted to them for much of what they have learned over the years about Bocce strategy. The Dogs have won the first two City of St. Helena Fall Playoffs, and have now accumulated 10 St. Helena Bocce Championships overall.

UPDATE: The City of St. Helena and Bocce Committee in their infinite wisdom have decried that there shall be only one City of St. Helena Recreation Department Bocce season. Although Mob payouts are suspected there is no hard evidence as to the logic of this move. But alas the coveted "Double Crown" will be put to rest, much like the "Triple Crown." So the Hone Dogs now have the unending desire and full-fledged determination to win the coveted St. Helena Bocce "Single Crown." (just doesn't have the same umpf as the "Triple Crown" does it?)

Our new (and only) season will begin on May 2nd and should include a vast array of fun and competitive teams. The Hone Dogs will test their moxie against the Thursday night teams.