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RULE 1: - ABC and League Rules
The following rules are provided for by ABC rules. If a situation occurs where there is no League rule, then ABC rules will apply.
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RULE 2: - Schedule
The League will consist of 16 teams, each with a roster of 4 men, and will bowl on Wednesday at 6:45P.M. on lanes 21 to 36 for 36 weeks commencing on September 5, 2007 and ending on May 7, 2008.
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RULE 3: - Entering Averages - Team
A. - No new team may have an entering average in excess of 800.
B. - Any established League team which had averaged in excess of 800 in the previous season may return as a team only if all 4 members of the team return.
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RULE 4: - Entering Averages - League Members, Subs, and Replacements
A. - Entering averages will be based on the following:
1. - Previous season's League average
2. - Previous season's highest ABC sanctioned league average
3. - 1. or 2. above from 2 years ago
B. - Entering averages will be based on 21 games or more.
C. - A new league member who does not have an entering average will be given a 150 average to determine his team's eligibility into the League.
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RULE 5: - Establishing Averages
A. - Entering averages for regular League members, subs, and replacements will be used for the first 9 games bowled for handicapping and eligibility purposes. For the 10th game and thereafter, current average will be the established average.
Exception: The League has adopted a ten-pin drop rule. If a bowler’s average after 9 games is less than 10 pins below his entering average, his entering average less 10 pins will be used for handicapping purposes. This rule will be
enforced throughout the entire season.
B. - Regular League members, subs, and replacements who do not have an entering average must bowl 3 games on the first night they bowl in order to establish an average for handicapping purposes. Thereafter, a current average is established
weekly.
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RULE 6: - Special Rules for Subs
A. - A list of subs will be maintained by the League Secretary.
B. - All subs are roving or floating so that they may bowl for any team provided the team's average will not then exceed 800.
Note: Rule 6B is waived for subs who have no entering average until a 9-game average is established.
C. - Only subs who have bowled 12 or more League games are allowed in the final 3 weeks of the season.
D. - Subs do not qualify for any league prizes or awards.
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RULE 7: - Special Rules for Replacements
A. - If the current team average will then be over 800, the replacement's entering average (or current League average if he has one) may be no more than 10 pins above the bowler's current average whom he is replacing.
B. - Only replacements who have bowled 12 or more League games are allowed in the final 3 weeks of the season.
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RULE 8: - Handicapping
A. - If a bowler’s current average (or entering average if a 9-game League average has not been established) is 210 or less, the individual handicap allowance will be 90% of the difference between the average and the base score of 210.
If a bowler’s current average (or entering average if a 9-game League average has not been established) exceeds 210, a 100% negative handicap will be imposed.
B. - Absentee and vacancy scores will receive handicap allowances in order to determine team score totals.
C. - The team handicap will be the sum of the individual handicaps. If a team's current average is over 800, a 100% negative team handicap will also be imposed.
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RULE 9: - Standings and Points
A. - The league uses a 28-point match point system. For individual bowlers, 1 point is awarded for each game won and 1 point for the total pinfall plus total individual handicap. For teams, 3 points are awarded for each game won and 3 points
for total pinfall plus total team handicap.
B. - Team standings at season's end will be determined by the total number of points accumulated. If a tie exists, a 1-game roll-off will take place (only for trophy positions - 1st, 2nd, 3rd).
C. - If a tie in number of points exists at any other time in the season, the team with the higher current average will be given the higher standing.
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RULE 10: - Legal Line-up
A. - A team must have at least 2 members of its current roster bowling before the start of the 4th frame of any game to have a legal line-up.
If a team does not have a legal line-up, the scratch plus handicap scores of each member of the team that is present must exceed the blind plus handicap scores of the opposing absent bowler in order to win individual points.
The total scratch plus handicap scores of the team that is present must exceed the total blind plus handicap scores of the absent team in order to win team points.
Note: Points are split in the event of a tie.
All money from points not won by the team that is present will be deposited in the League treasury.
B. - A bowler who arrives late may enter the game provided the 4th frame has not begun. Frames missed may be made up.
C. - If a team drops out of the League at any time during the season (or if there are an uneven number of teams in the League), the procedure outlined in Rule 10A must be followed by all teams scheduled to bowl against that team.
D. - On each pair of lanes, the team on the left enters its lineup first.
E. - When bowling against an absentee or vacancy, the scratch plus handicap scores of the bowler that is present must exceed the blind plus handicap scores of the opposing absent bowler in order to win individual points.
Otherwise, the points are credited to the opposing team.
Note: Points are split in the event of a tie.
F. - If both opposing teams have an equal number of absentees or vacancies, they must be placed in direct opposition in the lineup. The team who wins the game and/or total wood wins the point.
G. - No change may be made in the order of bowlers in the lineup during a match.
Exception: If during a match a bowler cannot continue due to an injury or other emergency and a suitable sub cannot be gotten, and if the opposing team has an absent bowler, the line-up must be adjusted so that the injured bowler is
directly opposed to the absent bowler. Rule 10F would then apply to determine which team wins the individual points.
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RULE 11: - Absentee and Vacancy Scores
A. - The absentee (blind) score will be the absent member's current League average (or entering average if a 9-game average has not been established) plus handicap less 10 pins.
B. - The vacancy score will be 150 plus handicap.
C. - If a team at season's start has a legal line-up but less than a full roster, the team will use the vacancy score for each vacancy in the line-up until a full roster is obtained.
D. - If a vacancy occurs on a team after the bowler who left the team had established a 9-game average, the absentee score of that bowler will be used for 3 weeks if a suitable replacement is not found. After 3 weeks, the vacancy score must be
used.
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RULE 12: - Prizes and Prize Money
A. - Trophies will be awarded to each team member whose team finishes in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.
B. - Trophies will be awarded to individual members for High Average, High Game, High Series, Most 200's and Most Improved League Bowler. To qualify for these awards, the bowler must finish the season, and to qualify for the High Average and
Most Improved awards, he also must have bowled at least 2/3 of the scheduled games.
C. - A bowler who qualifies for more than one of the High Average, Game and Series trophies may receive only one of the trophies. The other trophy(ies) will be awarded to the runner(s)-up in the other category(ies).
D. - The ABC League Achievement Award (ABC Most Improved) will be awarded in accordance with ABC rules with the additional stipulation that the bowler must finish the season.
E. - The award for Most Improved League Bowler will be awarded to that bowler who shows the most improvement in average in the League from the previous season to the next.
F. - Team prize money will be based on the total number of points accumulated by the team by season's end and will be awarded in accordance with the League budget given to each Team Captain at the start of the season.
G. - Prize money will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers for Individual High Average, High Scratch Game, High Scratch Series, High Handicap Game, High Handicap Series, and Total Match Points, and Team High Scratch Game, High
Scratch Series, High Handicap Game, and High Handicap Series in accordance with the League budget.
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RULE 13: - Payments and Payment Default
A. - All teams will pay League weekly dues and entry fees in accordance with the League budget.
B. - Team Captains will be responsible for the collection of all League weekly dues and entry fees, and ABC and Bergen County Bowling Association membership applications and dues.
C. - The League entry fee and ABC/BCBA dues are payable within 2 weeks after the season starts.
D. - Weekly dues must be paid by each team prior to weekly bowling.
E. - If a sub is used, weekly dues for the absent bowler must still be paid.
F. - If a bowler's dues account shows any arrearages for 2 consecutive weeks, he cannot bowl on the 3rd and succeeding weeks until his arrearages are paid in full. His blind score must be used while he is so suspended from league membership.
G. - If a bowler's dues account shows any arrearages for more than 2 consecutive weeks, a League Board of Directors meeting must be held immediately after bowling on the 3rd week in order to discuss the arrearage and resolve the team's problem.
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RULE 14: - League Board of Directors
A. - The League Board of Directors will consist of the Team Captains and the League Officers.
B. - League Officers cannot also be Team Captains.
C. - Each member of the League Board of Directors is entitled to 1 vote on any League issue.
D. - At a League Board of Directors meeting, 2/3 of the Team Captains or Representatives must be present to constitute a quorum. A majority vote will settle any issue.
E. - A League Board of Directors meeting will be held yearly approximately 1 month before season's end for the purposes of election of League Officers, planning the upcoming year's budget, rules changes and any other League business.
F. - The Secretary/Treasurer's fee will be 3.75% of the total dues and entry fees collected (excluding ABC/BCBA dues).
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RULE 15: - Postponements
A. - If a team cannot have a legal line-up on a regularly scheduled bowling night, Rule 10 is temporarily suspended if a League Officer or lane personnel is informed at least 48 hours prior to the start of bowling.
Exception: If a team cannot have a legal line-up due to severe inclement weather or family emergency which affects 2 or more family members who are on the same team, a League Officer or lane personnel must be informed prior to the
start of bowling.
B. - Procedures for prebowling, postbowling and postponements:
1. - The absent team has the option to bowl either before or after the scheduled match.
2. - If the absent team has chosen to prebowl, no member of the opposing team can be present so that the scores can be kept confidential.
3. - If the absent team has chosen to postbowl and the opposing team will have a legal line-up for the regularly scheduled match, the opposing team has the option either to bowl unopposed or have the match rescheduled at a time
agreeable to both teams. If the opposing team chooses to bowl unopposed, no member of the absent team can be present so that the scores can be kept confidential.
4. - If both teams cannot have a legal line-up present, the match must be rescheduled.
C. - Prebowling or postbowling by individuals is not allowed.
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RULE 16: - Miscellaneous Rules
A. - Pacers will not be allowed at any time.
B. - Refusal to bowl:
1. - Any bowler has the option to not start any or all games that his team is scheduled to bowl if he so chooses. His absentee (blind) score would be used if a sub or replacement is not used.
2. - Any bowler, having started a game, who refuses to finish the game for reasons other then injury or emergency will be given a zero score for all those frames missed.
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RULE 17: - Complaints, Disputes, Protests
All complaints, disputes, and protests which cannot be resolved by the League Officers will be heard and acted upon at a League Board of Directors Meeting in which all teams are represented. A majority vote will settle the issue.
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