Match Play Masters 2014-2015General Rules and Guidelines

Match Play MastersBowling League

A sanctioned I.G.B.O. league at

Melody LanesSunset Park, Brooklyn

1. All rules not covered here will default to rules specified in the USBC rulebook.

2. Sanctioning. Match Play Masters (MPM) is sanctioned as a mixed league by USBC. Allbowlers are required to be sanctioned by USBC and must complete USBC membershipcards and pay applicable fees. Bowlers who are sanctioned outside of the local bowlingjurisdictions must pay an Associate Member fee.

3. Entering Average. Each bowler will use a valid average (based on 21 games or more)from a USBC league, in order of preference, from the previous winter season, the winterseason of two years ago, the previous summer season, or the summer season from twosummers ago. If there is more than one valid average from the preferred time period, thehighest average shall be used. If the bowler bowled in MPM in any of the eligibleseasons, his or her final average of the most recent season will be the entering average, ifit is based on 21 or more games. If the bowler bowled in another Melody Lanes USBC-sanctioned league in any of the eligible seasons, his or her final average of the mostrecent season will be the entering average, if it is based on 21 or more games. Handicapwill be based upon the entering average until after the series in which the bowler bowlshis or her ninth game. After that point, the bowler's average will be recalculated afterevery series bowled.

A full-time bowler may be admitted to the league without an average at the beginning ofa bowling season, at the discretion of the league officers, provided that the bowler hasbowled at least six games witnessed by league-authorized observers within two months of

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Match Play Masters 2014-2015General Rules and Guidelines

the first night of season so that an average can be assigned to the bowler for purposes ofthe draft. Any such bowler shall establish an average the first night of bowling, whichshall be applied retroactively to that night's bowling. From that point on, the average shallbe recalculated after each subsequent night of bowling.

New bowlers with established averages may enter as a team if the team average is withinthe boundaries of the lowest and highest team averages of the previous MPM season.Former MPM bowlers who did not bowl in the previous MPM winter season can beconsidered new bowlers.

4. Teams. On the first night of bowling, the bowlers in the highest third of incomingaverages will be team captains. For example, if there are 45 bowlers, the top 15 bowlersby average will be captains. There will then be a draft, in which the top bowlers willchoose their team members in two rounds. The lowest average of the top third willchoose first, the second lowest will choose second, and so on until each captain haschosen one bowler. The tentative team totals will then be calculated, and then the secondround of the draft will proceed, with the lowest combined team total choosing first,second lowest choosing second, and so on. If there is a tie, the winner of a coin flip willchoose first.

5. Handicap. MPM is a handicap league; the individual handicap shall be 80% of thedifference between an individual's average and 220 (all fractions dropped). Negativehandicaps shall be used when a bowler's average exceeds 220; negative handicaps will berounded down to the next lowest integer.

6. Duration and Schedule. MPM will bowl on Thursday nights at Melody Lanes, withpractice commencing at 8:00 PM. The season will consists of 30 weeks. Up to two nightsmay be added to the end of the season to make up for any cancelled nights due toextraordinary weather or other extreme, unforeseen conditions.

7. Dues. The weekly dues are $32 per bowler. A bowler more than two weeks in arrears issubject to suspension or expulsion. USBC (sanction) dues must be paid by the fourthweek of bowling; checks may be made out to "New York City USBC" or "NYCUSBC".The final two weeks of bowling must be paid by the tenth week of bowling. Checks forweekly dues will be permitted, made payable to "Melody Lanes." If a check is returned,the bowler is responsible for the amount of the check and all bank charges; thatindividual's check writing privileges shall subsequently be revoked. Melody Lanes willact as the league's bank unless other arrangements are made. All team envelopes shouldbe delivered by the team captain or a designee to the league treasurer by the end of thefirst game.

8. Board of Directors. The league officers and all team captains comprise the league's Boardof Directors. Any league rule may be decided by majority vote of the Board of Directorsbefore the bowling season begins, unless the vote is conducted before the entire league;in this case a quorum of 50% is required and 1 vote in excess of 50% of those present is

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Match Play Masters 2014-2015General Rules and Guidelines

required for a decision on an issue. Changes to existing league rules during the seasoncan be made only with unanimous consent of the Board of Directors. A quorum of half ofthe Board of Directors is required for all votes. New rules not covered by any existingrules may be approved by a quorum of half of the Board of Directors during the season.

9. Legal Lineup. Each team will consist of three bowlers. One bowler from the lineup isrequired for a legal lineup. The number of substitutes on a team cannot exceed thenumber of team members bowling.

10. Points. Each night a team will bowl three games against the opposing team. Three pointswill be awarded for each team handicap game won, one point for each high teamhandicap series, and one point for high team handicap game of the evening. Each bowlerwill bowl against the bowler on the opposing team in the same slot of the lineup (i.e., firstin lineup against first, second against second, etc.). A bowler will get one point for eachhandicap game won, one point for high handicap game of the night, and one point forhigh handicap series, for a possible total of 5 points per bowler. Thus, the total points ateam can win on a single night is 26.

11. Substitutes. MPM allows substitute bowlers. Substitute bowlers are non-roster bowlersand are not eligible for any prize fund or individual awards. Substitutes are notresponsible for bowling dues. The bowler who is not present is responsible for making updues the first week he or she returns, unless the team elects to make up the funds in someother way. Any substitute must have an established average no greater than 20 pins higherthan that of the absent bowler. All substitutes must be USBC sanctioned and have anestablished USBC average. No substitutes shall bowl during the last two weeks of theseason. In the third- and fourth-to-last weeks, substitutes must have bowled 12 gameswithin the league during the current season.

12. Postponements. Postponements are strongly discouraged. Requests will be referred to thepostponement committee, which will consist of three league members appointed by theboard of directors.

13. Forfeits. When bowling against a forfeit, a team must bowl no fewer than 30 pins belowthe team average to win the team game. Ties count as a win (i.e., bowling exactly 30 pinsunder team average). To win points for team series, a team must bowl no fewer than 90pins under the team series average. To win high team game, a team must win at least onegame. To win points for a match play game, a bowler must bowl no fewer than 10 pinsunder his or her average. To win high series, a bowler must bowl no fewer than 30 pinsunder his series average; to win high game, a bowler must win at least one game. All tiescount as wins.

14. Absentee (Blind) Bowlers. Absentee bowlers receive their average less ten pins and theirfull handicap for each game bowled as a blind. However, if it is the first night of bowlingand the absentee bowler is a returning league member, their full average is used. If a newbowler is absent the first night of bowling, a vacancy score of 140 with a handicap of 64

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Match Play Masters 2014-2015General Rules and Guidelines

will be used. The opposing bowler must beat this score to earn the game match point; ifhe or she fails to do so, the team with the blind gets credited with that match point, butthe absent bowler does not get credited with the point. High match game and series aredecided similarly. Points for ties are split between the teams.

If both teams have an absentee bowler, the two blinds must be placed opposite each otherin the lineup. The team that wins a game shall win the absentee bowler's match point forthat game. The team that wins the high game point will win the absentee bowler's highgame match point, and similarly for the high series point. These match points will not becredited to the absentee bowler when calculating points won for award purposes. If twoteams, each with an absentee bowler, fail to place the absentee bowlers opposite eachother, the lineups shall be rearranged so that the absentee bowlers are opposite each other,and the lowest-average bowlers and the highest-average bowlers are opposite each otherbefore the scores are computed.

Also see the rule below on tardy bowlers.

Absentee scores must be clearly indicated on the triplicate/recap sheet with a capital B foreach blind score used. These scores do not count towards a bowler's average.

15. Vacancy Score. The vacancy score for a team that lacks a team member will be 140 withhandicap based on 140 (i.e., 64).

16. Tardy Bowlers. Tardy bowlers may join a match and bowl if they arrive before the fourthframe has begun; otherwise, they will begin at the start of the next game. Tardy bowlersare not permitted to practice if they start bowling during a game in progress. However, abowler who arrives in time to start the following game may bowl one ball on each laneprior to the start of that game.

For each game that a tardy bowler misses, the points will be awarded as for an absenteebowler. The tardy bowler will be eligible to win the high game match point with gamesactually bowled but not the high series match point. The opposing bowler wins the highgame match point if his or her highest game with handicap is greater than any of the tardybowler's blind or actual scores. If the highest game bowled is the tardy bowler's blindscore, his or her team is credited with the point, but the tardy bowler is not credited withthat point. If the opposing bowler's handicap series is greater than the tardy bowler'sseries, including the blind game(s), he or she wins the series point; otherwise it is creditedto the tardy bowler's team but not the tardy bowler.

17. Eligibility for Individual Awards. Team members must bowl 2/3 of all league games to beeligible for individual awards. Substitutes shall not be eligible for individual award cashprizes

18. Position Nights. On any scheduled position night, positions are established by (in thefollowing order): percentage points won and total handicap pin fall. The final night of the

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Match Play Masters 2014-2015General Rules and Guidelines

season shall be a position night. On a position night, the first-place team will bowlagainst the second-place team; the third-place team against the fourth-place team; and soon.

Exception: If a team clinches first place before the last week of the season, the first-placeteam will bowl the last-place team on all subsequent position nights. In thoseinstances, the second-place team will bowl against the third-place team; the fourth-placeteam will bowl against the fifth-place team; and so on.

19. Verification of Recap Sheets. Recap sheets must be signed by the team captain (orrepresentative if the captain is not present), and the top two copies given to the leaguesecretary upon completion of the match. Please verify all scores. If there is a discrepancybetween the scores downloaded by the computer and the scores on the triplicate sheet, thescores on the triplicate sheet will be used unless a mathematical error is evident.

20. Drop Outs. Bowlers who cannot complete the season must notify their team captain ofthe situation as soon as possible; they are responsible for dues for two weeks after theirlast night of bowling. In turn, the team captain should notify league officers in a timelymanner. Bowlers who leave the league for good reason and in good standing (e.g., injury,health issues,financial hardship, , or moving) shall get prize money at the end of theseason prorated for the weeks bowled; bowlers not in good standing will forfeit theircontributions toward the league prize fund and be barred from the leaguebe barred fromthe league during the current or future seasons. Full-time bowlers who replace dropoutsshall be eligible for a prorated portion of the team's prize fund at the end of the season.

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