TIMES MEN'S BOWLING LEAGUE RULES - REVISED 8-21-90 Rule 1 - Management Rule 11 - Bowling Out Rule 2 - League Membership Rule 12 - Substitutes Rule 3 - Returning Teams Rule 13 - Postponements Rule 4 - Practice Bowling Rule 14 - Secretary's Salary Rule 5 - Position Standings Rule 15 - Fees Rule 6 - Entering Averages Rule 16 - League Funds Rule 7 - Handicaps Rule 17 - Prize Distribution Rule 8 - Blind Scores Rule 18 - Playoffs Rule 9 - Legal Lineup Rule 19 - Banquet Rule 10- Tardy Players The Times Men's Bowling League shall consist of 12 teams with a playing strength of 5 men each. The league will bowl on Tuesdays for 35 weeks commencing the first Tuesday in September. All scheduled matches will start promptly at 6:10 p.m.. We will be sanctioned with the American Bowling Congress through the local association. RULE 1 - MANAGEMENT The management of this league shall be vested in the Board of Directors which shall consist of the Officers and Team Captains. A retired staffer cannot be a candidate for office. The league membership shall elect Officers at the Annual Awards Banquet by a majority vote. The electees shall assume the duties of office after the banquet and will hold office until after the banquet the following year. Any Officer terminating his employment for any reason shall be replaced by a temporary Officer appointed by the Board of Directors. The temporary Officer shall maintain the duties of his office until such time as the membership may elect a replacement by majority vote. The league shall be governed by the rules of the American Bowling Congress, rules adopted at the Annual Award Banquet, and the preseason organizational meeting. At no time during the season may a rule or any part of a rule be changed, deleted, or amended without a majority vote of the Board of Directors. At least 3/4 of the Board of Directors must be present to constitute a quorum. Any mid-season proposed rules revision will be taken under advisement by the Board of Directors for a period of at least 1 week before a vote may be taken. RULE 2 - LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP League membership shall consist of male Staffers presently employed by the Times Publishing Company and retired Staffers 55 years of age or older. Any league member terminating his employment for any reason becomes ineligible for membership effective with the date of termination. RULE 3 - RETURNING TEAMS (Grandfathered) To allow existing teams to remain in the league from season to season: A Team Captain has the right to remain the Captain or to choose a replacement Captain from his existing team's roster. The Captain or replacement Captain of each team should inform the League Secretary or President during the off-season of each year of his decision to remain in (and have a team in) the league. Any Captain failing to inform the Secretary or President by August 15th of his decision to have his team return, negates the league's responsibility to include his team in the league. RULE 4 - PRACTICE BOWLING During practice bowling, each man will roll 1 ball and then move to the end of the line on either lane. This will allow everyone ample warm-up time. Resets for a full rack are not allowed. RULE 5 - POSITION STANDINGS Standings shall be determined on a point basis, with 1 point awarded for each game won and 1 point for the high 3-game series in each match. A replacement team shall assume the position standings of the original team. RULE 6 - ENTERING AVERAGES Bowlers will use averages maintained in the league last season, based on 21 or more games. After the first 9 games are bowled, a new average is established. New members entering the league shall establish an average after the completion of their first 3 game series. RULE 7 - HANDICAPS The handicap allowance shall be 90% and shall be figured on the difference between the individual's average and 200 scratch. Handicaps will be based on the entering averages for each member until a 9-game average has been established in the league. Thereafter, handicap will be based on the bowler's current average in this league. RULE 8 - BLIND SCORES Blind scores shall be allowed when a team has a legal lineup but less than a full lineup at the start of any game in a series. The blind score shall be the average, less 10 pins, of the absent bowler on the team roster having bowled the most games. Absentee's entering average will be used until he has established a current average of 9 or more games. If 2 blind scores are needed, the average, less 10 pins of the absentee with the next highest number of games shall be used. When 2 absentees have the same number of games, the lower average shall be used. A bowler must have bowled a minimum of 3 games in the current season to have his average used for a blind score, less 10 pins. Handicap shall be figured on the average of the absentee. When a team does not have enough players on its roster for a full lineup, a vacancy blind score based upon the leagues composite average of 161 for the prior year, (less 10 pins), will be used for the vacancy, with a handicap of 35 pins. If a team does not show for bowling, the opposing team must beat that team's blind game score, less 10 pins per bowler, to be awarded any points. The opposing team must beat the total of the blind game scores, less 10 pins per bowler, to be awarded the series point. RULE 9 - LEGAL LINEUP There must be at least 3 members of a team's current submitted roster present before the end of the 5th frame of any game to constitute a legal lineup. Bowlers arriving prior to the end of the 5th frame will be allowed to bowl missed frames. RULE 10 - TARDY PLAYERS A tardy player shall be allowed to bowl and catch up, provided he is ready to bowl before the end of the 5rd frame, or by any frame that can be agreed upon by the Team Captains. Any bowler arriving after the designated frame is completed shall use his blind score for that game. RULE 11 - BOWLING OUT A bowler may bowl out in the 3rd game if it is necessary for that player to report to work at the Times Publishing Company. The opposing team's Captain may select a member of his team to bowl out opposing the player who going to work. RULE 12 - SUBSTITUTES After a game has started, no changes shall be made in the order of players during such game. The Captain, however, in emergencies, may replace any of his players with a qualified player at anytime during the match. Each team shall be allowed up to 2 subs per night, exclusive of their roster lineup. Any league bowler can act as a sub provided his own team lineup is full with roster team members. Also, he may not sub for a team that is bowling against his own team. Substitutes are not allowed on any position night or rolloff. In order for a substitute to be eligible for individual prizes, he must pay the full amount each and every night he bowls. RULE 13 - POSTPONEMENTS All postponements shall be requested at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled time of the match except those granted for emergencies. The league must grant postponements for emergencies when a team fails to appear for its scheduled matches due to reasons beyond their control. A committee of 3 appointed by the President shall determine what is sufficient cause to grant a postponement. In emergencies the Captain of the team unable to attend shall notify the opposing Team Captain and the Secretary or President of the league at the earliest opportunity. RULE 14 - SECRETARY'S SALARY The Secretary's salary shall be $.50 per man per night and shall be paid at the end of the season at the Annual Awards Banquet. RULE 15 - FEES The Team Captain shall be responsible for the attendance and for the collection of fees from each member of his team each week. The amount to be paid by each bowler each night shall be $9.00 of which $6.58 will cover the cost of bowling, tax included, with the balance to be deposited in the league treasury. The last 2 weeks of bowling must be paid by each member before the end of the 5th week of play. That portion of the final week's money applied for the prize fund will be set aside as a minimum amount for SWEEPER NIGHT prizes. If any team is in arrears for 2 consecutive weeks, a meeting of the Board of Directors may be held to determine if any upcoming matches will be forfeited until that team is current in fees. However, the opposing team must physically win their matches to be awarded points. When a bowler fails to pay his delinquent fees, he may, at the option of the Board of Directors, be suspended from the league. Each bowler shall be responsible for finding his own substitute if he cannot be present. The bowler is responsible for notifying the Team Captain of substitutes or lack of substitutes. If that substitute fails to show up, or a substitute is not available, the absent bowler must pay the shortages by the following week. RULE 16 - LEAGUE FUNDS An account shall be opened in the name of the league in a local bank or credit union of St. Petersburg, either checking or savings, in which funds shall be deposited weekly. The treasurer and another officer, together, will sign for all withdrawals. The President shall verify the balance monthly. RULE 17 - PRIZE DISTRIBUTION At the start of the schedule, the President shall appoint a Committee of 3 members to draw-up 3 prize lists. The final prize list must be approved by a majority of the league members and posted no later than the end of the first half. To qualify for an individual average award, a bowler must have bowled in 2/3 of the scheduled games. To qualify for an individual game or series prize in a 1/2 season, a bowler must have bowled in 2/3 of the scheduled games for that 1/2 season. A bowler or team can qualify for 1 prize in a half. A team can qualify for one prize in each half. Bowler and team prizes are independent of each other. When prizes are of equal value, the handicap prize will be awarded. In all other cases, the prize of the highest value will be awarded. The league champion team will always receive 1st place money. The remaining position standings money will be determined by total points won for the season. RULE 18 - PLAYOFFS The season will consist of 2 rounds of bowling. Round champions will be determined on position night when the top 2 teams will roll against each other. Any team with the higher point total after the position round will be declared the round winner. 1 point shall be awarded for each game won and 1 point for total pins. The league champions will be determined on sweeper night, when the 1st round winner and the 2nd round winner shall roll against one another for the title. The league champions will be decided in a 3-game playoff and the team with the highest total pins, including handicap for the 3 games, shall become the league champion. When a tie results, the 2 teams will roll another 1 more game and the league championship decided under the same scoring conditions. If a team wins both rounds, it is automatically the league champion. Then the teams finishing in 2nd place at the end of each round will roll a 3-game series, using the same scoring conditions, to determine the 1st runner-up for the season. RULE 19 - BANQUET A bowler must have bowled 21 games to attend the banquet.