Have a ball with variety of sports

Now that the Dodgers have broken your heart, perhaps you’re ready for other games played with a ball that might divert your attention. Here are four sports and where you can find them.

Pickleball

Pickleball — a hybrid of tennis, badminton and table tennis — is played on a badminton-size court with a 34-inch-high net. Players volley a perforated plastic ball with a paddle about twice the size of the one used in table tennis. The sport can be played indoors or out, singles or doubles. The National Championships will be held Nov. 2-10 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, southeast of Palm Springs. Info: usapa.org

Lawn bowling

You can find three of the most popular lawn bowling games (boccie, lawn bowling and pétanque) at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Boccie is played with wood, metal or plastic balls and involves rolling a bigger ball toward a smaller ball, called a pallino. The idea is to see how close you can get your ball to the pallino. The same is true of pétanque, or boules, a game that uses steel balls. For those interested in lawn bowling, the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club offers free lessons at noon most Wednesdays and Saturdays at the park. Info: bit.ly/petanqueSF; sflbc.org

Lacrosse

The East is the hot spot for lacrosse, a fast-paced game played with a long-handled stick with a net that the player uses to catch or throw the ball. The Eastern enthusiasm explains why the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum is in Sparks, Md., north of Baltimore. Admission is free; the museum is open 9 a.m.4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Info: bit.ly/lacrossemuseum

Jai alai

Jai alai, which uses a cesta , or a “basket-racket” as the Fla-Gaming website calls it, is used to catch and launch a ball against a wall. It once was a popular sport and can still be found in the U.S., mostly in Florida. Magic City Casino in Miami is showcasing a new generation of players. Performances, as the games are called, are at 3 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 30. Info: magiccitycasino.com /jai-alai