Tuesday Businessmen’s League Rules

Tuesday Business League Rules

1. The League shall consist of no more than fourteen teams.

2. The League is to be sanctioned with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and all bowlers must fill out a sanction card and pay the USBC dues before bowling their first series of the season. With the exception of the rules contained in this document, USBC rules shall govern this League.

3. A scheduled three (3) game series is considered a competition meeting.

4. Bowling cost will be $15.00 per bowler, $75.00 per team, per competition meeting. $51.25 per team will be the lane fees. $23.75 per team will be deposited in a certified banking institution as league prize money. The withdrawal of prize monies shall require two of the following signatures: President, Vice-President, and/or Secretary-Treasurer. Sponsor’s fee of $40.00 per team must be paid by October 26, 2010

5. Secretary fee is $50.00 per team, plus office expenses, to be paid out of the prize money at the completion of the season and only after the secretary has submitted (a.) the final averages to the Lake-Geauga Bowling Association Secretary and (b.) the books have been audited.

6. No team account may fall more than $75.00 in arrears. All team members are responsible for team arrears. Teams who are more than $75.00 in arrears will be fined $5.00 each and every week that they are in arrears. Returned checks, including any service fees, are the responsibility of all team members.

7. Championship competition will consist of 32 competitions between August and May of each bowling season. Specific meeting dates are to be finalized by a Board of Directors meeting prior to the start of the season, and must be approved by a majority vote of The Board of Directors.

8. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and the Team Captains.

9. The season shall consist of two (2) sixteen (16) week halves. There will be two position rounds per half, after the seventh and after the fifteenth competition meeting of each half. In the event that there is a tie for position, total pins, including handicap will constitute the tie breaker.

10. There shall be thirty (30) points awarded per competition meeting. Each Game will have nine (9) points awarded, which consists of 5 head-to-head points and 4 team points. Finally there will be three (3) points awarded for total pins.

11. The active team roster shall be limited to eight (8) bowlers. All team rosters must be set before the thirteenth meeting (November 16, 2010). After this date, no bowler may be added to the roster without unanimous approval of the Board of Directors.

12. To qualify for individual prizes, a player must have bowled 63games.

13. Members of the Tuesday Business League may not simultaneously participate in another league.

14. A team’s handicap will be determined by 90% of the difference between the team’s average and 1100 with a 100% back spot for averages over 1100. In the case a team has less than a full line up of five bowlers for a competition meeting the following shall apply:

A.) the actual average of the absentee bowler with the MOST games bowled shall be used for the determination of the handicap. That bowler’s average, minus ten (10) pins, shall be used as the score for each game.

B.) a team with less than five members on their roster shall use 150 for the handicap and the score for the game. A bowler must have bowled at least three games in the current season and be sanctioned with the USBC in order to have his/her average used as an absentee score.

C.) Individual Handicap is 90% of the difference between the bowler’s average and 220 with 100% back spot for averages over 220.

15. Individual starting averages will be determined in the following order of precedence for all individuals:

A.) Last year’s average in this league (21 games or more)

B.) Highest average in the last three (3) years in the Lake-Geauga Bowling Association

C.) Highest average from another Association, if verifiable, or

D.) For bowlers with no average, their average will be determined after their first complete competition series.
Averages will not change for the first three (3) weeks or nine (9) games for each returning bowler and bowlers with a book average. Averages will be recalculated weekly for all new bowlers.

16. Shadow balls may be thrown during the House designated time period, only (one ball per lane on a rotating basis). There shall be no resetting of pins during the shadow bowling period. The rotation may continue until the House resets the lanes for league play. Bowlers, who wish additional practice before the shadow bowling period, may do so on lanes that are not designated for league use.

17. Starting time is 6:45 P.M. for competition. Shadow bowling shall begin at 6:30 P.M. A team must have a legal lineup of at least three (3) bowlers at the beginning of the competition. Lane courtesy shall consist to one (1) bowler on either side. The bowler to the right has preference when two (2) bowlers step up at the same time.

18. A substitute bowling date and time may be arranged by any team, scheduled to bowl each other, at their convenience, within a seven (7) day period prior to the scheduled match. The league secretary must be notified of any substitute date. If a league officer is not present during the bowling match, the teams must provide a printed copy of the three (3) game series from the House, which must be presented at the next scheduled competition night, along with the weekly bowling fees. Otherwise, the games will be considered forfeited for both teams. The league officers and the captains of the teams shall mediate any dispute in arranging the makeup time or date.

19. If necessary, a league meeting may be held. There must be a quorum of the Board of Directors. A quorum shall be declared only if there is at least 75% of the Board present. Only the Board of Directors may vote. (Exception: All league members may vote at the August Organizational Meeting and at the Election of Officers Meeting at the end of the season. A meeting may be called at the discretion of any league officer provided that there is notification to all members of the Board of Directors.

20. League rules may be added, deleted, or modified during the season by 100% representation and vote of the Board of Directors. Changes may not be retroactive. Any other vote (USBC override or sanction change) will require a 75% approval of the Board of Directors.

21. Loud, boisterous, profane, and non-sportsmanship behavior will be subject to League, House, and ABC rules. Unless specifically covered by League, House, or USBC rules, the rules of good sportsmanship and fair play shall govern. All flagrant or outright cheating will result in immediate expulsion from the League and will be reported to the Lake-Geauga Association and the USBC by the league secretary. The expelled bowler will also forfeit all prize money. Bowlers who improperly withdraw from the League shall forfeit all prize money.

22. Trophies shall consist of Sponsor and Individual trophies for the League Champions, High Game, High Series, and High Average. The trophies will be supplied by the House.

23. In addition to the regular duties of the office, the Vice President will be responsible for the organization of the Awards Banquet, which shall be held no later than two weeks after the season ends.

24. All disputes will be mediated according to the following steps and time schedule: A.) By the League secretary or other League officer in the absence of the secretary. All disputes must be resolved before the recap sheet is turned into the secretary. B.) By a meeting of the Board of Directors before the next scheduled competition night. C.) By written correspondence from the Lake- Geauga Association Secretary prior to the next competition meeting after the meeting of step B. D.) By USBC, in writing, following the decision that was rendered in step C.

25. The point leaders of each half will meet in a roll off on the Tuesday following the 32nd week of competition to determine the League Champion. The championship match winner will be determined by the same method as the weekly competition. If the championship match ends in a 15 to 15 tie, a fourth game will be bowled to determine the winner. The traditional doubles tournament will be contested concurrently with the championship match. Ties for either half will be broken by a one (1) game sudden roll off on the same night ending the half.

26. Bowlers, arriving tardy for the first game, have until the first ball is thrown in the fifth frame to begin bowling. For any subsequent game, a tardy bowler may bowl if the game has not begun. This rule may be waived, in the event of inclement weather, by the Board of Directors.

27. Prize lists for each half will be drafted by the third week and will be voted upon by the Board of Directors no later than the first competition meeting in November.

28. Any 50/50 raffles must be documented and all monies kept in the League’s bank account and a separate record be kept. The League President, Vice-President, and Secretary must sign the signature card. All withdrawals will require two signatures.

29. Ball cleansers will be restricted to those on the ABC approved list.

30. Sexually explicit cards are prohibited while in the House.

31. In the event that a team must bowl unopposed due to a forfeit or bye situation, the team will not earn the game points if they are more than 50 pins below their team average. The team must earn at least four game points to earn the 3 points for series. The individual game point is won when bowling not more than 9 pins below the bowler’s average and 1\2 point is won when bowling exactly 10 pins under average.