2011-12 League Rules


Quick Links | Organization | Scoring | Special Conditions | Averages | Substitutes | Prize Money & Banquet |

| Courtesy Rules | Ten Commandments of a Good Sport |


Officers
President:Mary Carnes(330) 929-4148Vice-President:Terry Finch(330) 699-1443
Secretary:John Eichenlaub(330) 289-5185Treasurer:Donna Hunsicker(330) 703-9162
Sergeant-at-Arms:Ernie Howard(330) 958-2659

(Changes adopted by the Executive Board at the August 28, 2011 meeting are highlighted with red text)

Organization
  1. League will be USBC sanctioned.
  2. League will bowl a 31 week split season. Two Round-Robins must be scheduled per half.
  3. HOMBL is committed to providing a flexible team organization structure to provide a broad definition of a fair team composition and the greatest opportunity for people to bowl in the league.

    Teams:

    For regularly scheduled league matches, a team is defined as "two (2) men and two (2) women from the same team roster". Accepted combinations are:

    a) Two (2) men and two (2) women.
    b) Two (2) men and one (1) woman with one (1) female vacancy.
    c) Two (2) women and one (1) man with one (1) male vacancy.
    d) One (1) man and one (1) woman with two vacancies, one (1) male and one (1) female.

    In accordance with Rule #13 and Rule #17, any man or woman may be represented by a legally obtained ‘bowl out’ score on non-ROUND ROBIN (POSITION WEEK) matches.

    Rosters:

    The nominal roster shall be four persons, two (2) men and two (2) women.

    Rosters many be comprised of as few as two (2) team members or as many as six (6) team members in which the number of men and women is evenly divided or if an odd number is a ratio of 3:2 for five person rosters or 2:1 for three person rosters or 1:1 for two person rosters.

    All teams are responsible for providing the league Secretary will a FINAL ROSTER by end of the third week of bowling.
    In accordance with USBC Rule 107, a roster may be added to if the team roster strength is below the nominal team roster strength. Any other change or addition to the roster after the end of the third week of bowling requires the approval of Two-thirds (2/3) of the league’s team captains.
  4. The league shall have five officers, elected by the League membership. The officers shall be: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sergeant-at-Arms. The duties of the Officers will conform to the rules of the USBC. The League Secretary shall be paid a fee of $150 or $15/team, whichever is greater, for services and $75 for out-of-pocket expenses. The League Treasurer shall be paid a fee of $100 or $10/team, whichever is greater, for services and $50 for out-of-pocket expenses. The President, Vice-President, and Sergeant-at-Arms shall be paid no fees but will be reimbursed for all League related out-of-pocket expenses.
  5. A quorum for a meeting is half of the team captains and 2 league officers. League officers may call periodic meetings with team captains to discuss changes and/or complaints.
  6. League fees are $ 60 per team per week. Captains are responsible for the team money and must forward it to the league Treasurer by 6:30 PM or the 4th frame.
  7. Team captains are responsible for team funds. A bowler may be no more than two (2) weeks in arrears in bowling fees. On the third night of delinquency bowling fee for that night must be paid or the bowler cannot bowl. The bowler will take a vacancy score until the funds are paid. The bowler's name will be turned over to ABC/WIBC for suspension.
  8. All monies will be deposited in a bank account in the league name requiring the signatures of 2 league officers for withdrawal. The league President will verify account balance periodically.
  9. Bowling starts promptly at 6:15 PM. Bowlers who arrive after the completion of the 5th frame of the team of their team are considered tardy and will not be allowed to bowl that game. No practice after 6:15 PM or when the alleys are set for regular league play, whichever comes later.

Scoring
  1. Blind score will be bowler's average minus 10 pins.
  2. League will use a 10 point system. Two points for each game won and one point for total pins. In addition, one bonus point will be awarded per game should a team bowl their team average or above. Maximum number of points possible in a week is 10 points. Handicap: 80% of the difference between team averages shall be assigned to the team with the lower average as the handicap.
  3. When a team does not have enough players for a complete team a vacancy score of 120 for a women, 150 for a man will be used.
  4. Two members (this may include a substitute or bowl-out score) of a team must be in the bowling circle at the end of the first frame any game or that game is forfeited. Exceptions may be authorized by the league officers in case of an emergency.
  5. A team receiving a forfeit or bowling a GHOST TEAM must bowl no more than 40 pins below their current team game average and no more than 120 pins below their current team series average to receive points.

Special Conditions
  1. If a lane breaks down for a period of 30 minutes and no alternate lanes are available, the game or games must be made up prior to the next week's bowling. A printout of the games bowled will be left with the front desk and collected by the league Secretary the following scheduled week. Both team captains will initial any manual modifications to the scoring.
  2. In the event of a tie for First Place at the end of a half, there will be a one game roll off held immediately after the completion of the night's regulation bowling.
  3. Unopposed bowling is permitted. The bowlers who wish to bowl out must notify the Secretary or President. The opposing team must also be notified to offer them the opportunity of bowling at the same time or to allow a member of the opposing team to be present when the games are bowled out to observe and verify the scores. If the opposing team declines, the scores submitted will stand official. Printouts of the games bowled must be obtained from the desk and given to the league Secretary. NO GAMES WILL BE BOWLED OUT FOR ROUND ROBINS.

Averages
  1. Bowlers from the previous year will use their final average from the previous year for the first 9 games of the season. Bowlers not in the league, but having a sanctioned average for the previous year will use their USBC book average for the first 9 games of the season. Bowlers, for whom no average can be established, will establish an average the first night of bowling, based on a three game series, and use it until completing 9 games.

Substitutes
  1. No substitutes will be permitted for any ROUND ROBIN OR CHAMPIONSHIP ROLL-OFFS. Substitutes are permitted on Fun Night.
  2. Substitutes are not eligible for individual awards. Substitutes may bowl for any team. The sub list will be placed on each week's bowling recap sheets.
  3. No new substitutes will be allowed after the 22nd week of bowling. A substitute must have bowled nine games prior to the last eight weeks in order to bowl during the last eight weeks. An exception may be granted by consensus of the league officers in emergency situations.

Prize money and Banquet
  1. All team, individual, and place bonus prizes and all banquet expenses will be deducted from the gross receipts before distribution of the remaining funds. This is a scratch and handicap league. 3 places for team and individual handicap game and series, and 3 places for team and individual scratch game and series will be paid. Each person/team is only eligible for one (1) award in any division. The person/team the team will receive only the highest prize they/it qualifies for.
  2. The team winning the first half championship, second half championship, and league championship shall receive a team bonus of $30 for each championship won.
  3. First place winners of team and individual High Game and High Series, scratch and handicap, have their choice of receiving the money allocated for the award or a trophy, but the cost of the trophy shall not exceed the allocated award.
  4. There will be a $4.00 bonus per place per team, from last to first place, based on the total year's scoring performance.
  5. All banquet costs will be paid directly by the league and shall be deducted from the gross receipts in accordance with Rule #22 of this section (Prize money and Banquet).
  6. Two (2) dinners will be paid by the league for the league sponsor and a guest. One (1) dinner will be paid by the league for an alley representative as a part of the Banquet expense.
  7. Teams and individuals must give two (2) weeks notice and pre-pay the last two weeks of the season's weekly fees before withdrawing from the league. Failure to follow these conditions of withdrawal will result in ineligibility for ALL team, individual, and place prizes at the end of the year.
  8. UNCLAIMED PRIZE MONEY: Unclaimed prize monies shall be held in trust by the Treasurer until December 31 following the conclusion of the regular bowling season. Prize monies not claimed by that date will be returned to the league's general fund.

Children and Visitors
  1. NO CHILDREN, OLDER THAN INFANTS-IN-ARMS, ARE ALLOWED IN THE BOWLING CIRCLE DURING COMPETITION. NO UNESCORTED CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED IN THE LOUNGE AT ANY TIME. Parents are responsible for keeping their children under control at all times.
  2. NO VISITORS, GUESTS, OR NON-COMPETING TEAM MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED IN THE BOWLING CIRCLE DURING COMPETITION. Visitors shall remain behind the bowling circle at all times during competition.

Courtesy Rules
  1. While competition is strong and sometimes performance is frustrating, please be considerately mindful of the use of profanity around others, especially when children are also present.
  2. Prepare to take your turn promptly on the lane. When two bowlers on adjacent lanes are ready to bowl at the same time the player on your RIGHT has the right of way. Allow a 'one lane open' between yourself and other bowlers bowling at the same time.
  3. Take your time, but don't waste time with unnecessary or excessive delays.
  4. Return to the back of the approach after each delivery.
  5. Do not use someone else's ball without their permission.
  6. Good bowling requires concentration. Give every bowler the courtesy of making their shot without interference.
  7. Be ready to bowl but wait until the pin setting machine has cycled and the sweep bar has raised before delivering your ball.
  8. Respect the equipment. Getting your ball 'out on the lane' is good bowling; lofting can damage the lanes and your game.
  9. Play to win but be gracious in victory and defeat.

The Ten Commandments of a Good Sport
  1. Thou shall not quit.
  2. Thou shall not alibi.
  3. Thou shall not gloat over winning.
  4. Thou shall not sulk over losing.
  5. Thou shall not take unfair advantage.
  6. Thou shall not ask odd thou are unwilling to give.
  7. Thou shall always be willing to give thine opponent the advantage of the shade.
  8. Thou shall not underestimate an opponent or overestimate thyself.
  9. The game is the thing, who thinks otherwise is no true sport.
  10. Honor the game, for who playst straight and hard triumphs even in defeat.

8/28/2011, Approved by the League Board of Directors.