Monday Night Fourplay
Mixed League Rules
Summer 2008
SCHEDULE AND FORMAT:
The
Monday Night Fourplay Bowling League (MNFP) shall be sanctioned with USBC through their local association. The
league will bowl on Monday nights at 7:45 pm, promptly, for 12 weeks beginning June 2, 2008 and
ending August 18, 2008. The MNFP Bowling League will have no holidays.
The MNFP Bowling League will use an 11-point scoring
system: three (3) points per game, one (1) point for total wood, and (1) point for high handicap game.
ORGANIZATION:
The management of this league shall be vested in the Board of Directors, which shall consist
of the league officers and all team captains. A majority shall constitute a quorum. The
Board of Directors shall adopt the league rules and the membership shall elect the officers.
MNFP shall establish and maintain membership with the International Gay Bowling Organization
(IGBO). The league shall appoint a representative and alternate through elections.
AVERAGES AND HANDICAP:
A.
MNFP bowlers from last season will use their
book average from the 2007/2008 season, OR;
B. Highest book average
established last season, 2007/2008, on a fall league based on 21 or more games.
C. New bowlers without an average from the previous winter season
shall use their highest book average from the past summer season based on a minimum of 21 games, OR;
D. Highest book average from the 2006/2007-fall season.
E. If the
above criteria do not apply, a new bowler shall establish a league average at the completion of their first full series (3
games).
F. Handicaps will be based on the entering average for each member
until a 9 game average has been established. Thereafter, handicap will be based on the current average.
G. Individual handicapping will be 90%, based on the difference between each individual’s
average and a scratch figure of 220 for all bowlers (male and female).
H. Ten Pin
Drop Rule: If any bowler with a book average from
last season drops more than 10 pins after 9 games bowled, his/her handicap will be based on an average no more than 10 less
than the book average. Absent average is based on “true/real” average. New
bowlers will qualify for this rule after bowling 21 games.
I. Sanctioned
bowlers who cannot attend the first night of bowling shall use a blind score of 130 until they throw their first ball in the
league for the current season.
FEES AND SANCTIONS:
A. The amount to be paid by each bowler each night shall be $22.00, of which $12.00 will cover the cost of bowling (lineage), with the balance to be placed in the league treasury reserved for the prize fund.
B. The last two (2) weeks of bowling fees (weeks 11 and 12) MUST be paid by Week #6 (July 7, 2008).
D.
Any bowler more than three (3) weeks in arrears and present may not be permitted to bowl.
A bowler more than three (3) weeks in arrears and absent shall be dropped from the league. It is
the responsibility of the team captain to make sure his/her team envelope is kept current and to inform the treasurer of any
planned extended absences. The week where the bowler is not permitted to bowl, any bowled games shall be recalculated with
the bowler's blind score.
E. A bowler who does not complete the season (12 weeks/sessions)
must give a minimum of two (2) weeks notice to the league secretary or they waive all rights to prize fund dollars.
Teams wishing to collect a full share must pay full league fees (lineage included).
F. A bowler shall complete a USBC sanction card and, if necessary, pay the
applicable sanction fee within 30 days of the first game they bowl. Failure to comply with this provision
will result with the team forfeiting any points or games won.
G. An account shall be opened in the name of MNFP through AMF Syosset Bowl and in a private bank.
These funds must be verified monthly by the league president. The withdrawing of these funds will
require the signatures of two (2) league officers.
H.
All fees need to be paid and league envelopes brought to the
treasurer by the end of the 1st game. Each team is solely responsible for the money in their
envelope until the envelope is delivered to the treasurer.
I. Checks must be made out to the bowling house (AMF Syosset) -- not Monday Night Fourplay. There is a $20.00 fee for returned checks.
If a member’s check is returned, that member’s check writing privileges shall be revoked. If
more than one instance occurs during the season, that
bowler’s membership shall be revoked and all claims to the prize fund will be forfeited.
TEAM ROSTER:
A. The
team captain will turn in a roster of team members to the secretary prior to the start of the schedule. Rosters
will be limited to six (6) players. Any roster changes must be reported to the league secretary prior to
the time the new team member bowls.
B. MNFP Bowling League allows up to 6 players on a team roster, but only 4 can bowl for
scoring each week.
C. New bowlers cannot be added to a team’s roster on a position night or after the 9th week of the start
of scheduled bowling. The Board of Directors must approve any changes to this rule.
D. Team rosters can’t
change after the 1st ball is thrown, unless a bowler cannot continue due to injury or illness. An
alternate may bowl any remaining full games left for that bowler.
E.
It is the league member’s responsibility to notify the league secretary of any extended planned absences. If
a team member is absent for three (3) consecutive weeks, without giving notification, that member will be considered dropped from the league
and lose all claims to any prize money.
F. For teams without
a full roster, the blind score will be 130.
G. Absentee
scores, (Blind), will be 10 pins off the bowler’s current average.
H.
A legal lineup shall consist of one (1) bowler. The lineup must be present by the start of the 1st
frame. Vacancies are considered legal bowlers.
I. Forfeitures: When a forfeit is declared, the team forfeiting
receives “0” points. The opposing team must bowl within 40 pins of their own team average.
SUBSTITUTES AND PACERS:
A.
The MNFP Bowling League does not allow substitutes to bowl.
B. Pacers
may bowl at a cost of $5.00 per night, paid to the league treasurer and only with the permission of both team captains and
a vacancy on the lanes.
POSTPONEMENTS AND LATENESS:
A. Only prebowls will be allowed. (No makeups!) The
team must notify the league secretary and opposing team one week before or no prebowls will be granted. No prebowling
will be allowed on position nights or the last two (2) weeks of each half.
B. Late arrivals must be present and ready to
bowl before the 1st ball of the 4th frame of the 1st full pair of teams bowling (4 bowlers
on each team are present and bowling) to their right.
C.
Individual Prebowling is allowed for the Summer.
PRIZES:
A.
The president shall appoint a committee by the 2nd week of bowling of at least three (3) members to draw up a
prize list. The Board of Directors must approve the prize list. A copy of the prize
list shall be distributed to each team captain by the 4th week of bowling for a league vote.
SPORTSMANSHIP:
All
bowlers must exhibit good sportsmanship while bowling. It is the intent of the Board of Directors that this league will
be fun and accepting, and that each bowler, while on the lanes, acts with decency, fairness, and integrity. Poor sportsmanship
will result in a warning, suspension, or in extreme cases for the habitual offender - expulsion from the league. All
reports of Poor Sportsmanship must be brought to the attention of the League Officers by the offended party or his/her team
captain at the time the incident occurs. All of these offenses will be dealt with immediately and hopefully a civil
and responsible solution will be found. The league Officers and Board of Directors will follow USBA guidelines for more
serious conflict resolutions.
Examples of poor sportsmanship are as follows:
1) Use of ethnic,
religious, or racial epithets
2) Excessive taunting or teasing of opponents
3) Excessively loud behavior that
is disturbing to other bowlers on the league
4) Dumping - defined as when a bowler manages his/her average in the last
frames of a game by purposely throwing low pin frames, clearly in an effort to minimize the games' effect on his/her average.
MISCELLANEOUS:
A.
All bowlers must wear regulation-bowling shoes.
B. At no time is anyone or any object on a person
permitted past the foul line.
C. Bowlers are required
to provide 1-lane courtesy. 1-Lane courtesy means that a bowler is not permitted on the approach when bowlers in the
lane to his/her immediate right and immediate left are already on the approach. Once these bowlers release their
balls, all is clear.
D. Position rounds will be weeks 4, 8, 11 and
12.
E. In the event of a tie for a trophy position, a one
(1) game roll off will be held. A tie for any other position, the winner will be based on total handicap
wood.
F.
The secretary shall submit a final average sheet to the house.
G. In the event that a rule has not been covered in the aforementioned
list, MNFP refers to the USBC rulebook