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MON VALLEY DARTBALL
BYLAWS
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the bylaws for those without Microsoft Word:
MON
VALLEY
DARTBALL
LEAGUE BY-LAWS AND
RULES
(Amended April 27,
2009)
1. League Officers and Election
The League officers will be elected at a February
meeting and installed at the banquet at the end of the season.
The officers will be elected by majority vote of all members present
at that February meeting with a guarantee that elected officers will serve.
(a) Officers of the League and their Duties
President:
Call and conduct all League meetings and appoint committees.
Vice-President:
Help the President and conduct meetings in his absence.
Secretary: Shall maintain the
records of the League and minutes of the League meetings for future
reference.
Treasurer:
Shall maintain the financial records and report to the League
meetings.
Executive Board:
Will consist of all League officers and managers.
(b) League Officer Rotation
Starting in the 1977-78 season the officers of the
President and Vice-President will come from all the teams in the League.
Vice-President will always succeed the President for the coming year.
Each team will supply a man for the Vice-Presidency the following
year until all teams are represented.
It will take twelve (12) years to complete the team rotation and then
the cycle will be repeated. If a
team in rotation defers the office of President, the league may vote on a
President of its choosing by a majority vote.
Team rotation is as follows:
1.
2.
Belle Vernon
Presbyterian
3.
Roscoe Methodist
4.
Marion Presbyterian
5.
Fayette
City Christian
6.
St. John’s
7.
Salvation Army - Briggs
8.
Belle
Vernon
Methodist
9.
Grace Methodist
10.
Olive Branch Baptist
11.
Salvation Army - John
12.
Rehoboth Presbyterian
Regular scheduled league meetings shall be rotated in a season
among the churches represented by the four officers (President, Vice
President, Secretary, Treasurer).
(c) Checking Account
There must be two (2) signatures on the Checking
Account signature card of the Mon Valley Dartball League at all times.
Only one signature is required.
2. Voting Quorum
At least one more than half of all the teams in the
League shall be represented by the manager or his alternate at all meetings.
Each team in the league will be entitled to one vote to be cast by
the manager or alternate. A
majority vote elects a team to the League, a two-thirds majority vote of all
managers or alternates present is necessary to amend or change the by-laws.
Officers will be elected by a majority vote of all members present at
the February meeting.
3. League and Teams
(a)
The League will consist of no greater than twelve (12) teams.
Teams to be admitted by a majority vote.
(b)
After the first night of play each season the manager of each team in
the League shall furnish the League secretary with a roster of players that
will constitute his team.
(c)
A team will not be permitted to add any names to their roster until
they have notified the League secretary prior to playing.
It is unlawful for any player to be transferred from one roster to
another during any half. All transfers are to be made prior to the start of
any half. Any players not
legally on the roster, that play in any games, all such games will be
forfeited at the discretion of the Executive Board.
All team rosters will be added to the website and maintained each
year and as players are added.
(d)
Each team is to consist of at least nine players.
In the event of seven or eight players being present at game time (8:00pm),
John Does shall be added to fill the line-up.
The John Does can be placed in any position in the line-up and will
be an automatic out at their time at bat.
In the event of the arrival of other players, the John Does shall be
replaced by these players. The
first arrival will replace the first John Doe, etc.
All teams must have at least two adult members over the age of
twenty-one at all League games.
All players reporting shall play in all three games during the evening if
able. No players shall be added
to the line-up before the last batter posted bats, except when replacing a
John Doe(s). He will then play
in the remaining games. Second
and Third games --- The next batter posted in the line-up after the player
making the last out of the previous game, will
bat first.
(e)
If a team leaves the league, that team's records per half shall be
destroyed and all games scheduled during any half shall be stricken from the
opponents' records. The players
of this team shall have their records maintained and these will be a part of
their records in the event they join another team.
Players from a dissolved team may join any other team at any time.
(f)
The manager of each team shall be responsible for reporting all games
to the League secretary. These
records are to be reported in the first mail following the games.
All teams shall use the League accepted score sheet.
Each manager is to forward the standings of each player to the
secretary at mid-season and at the end of the season.
(g)
No female is to be added to any team roster.
(h)
It is up to the individual manager's discretion to decide if a boy is
old enough to be put on a team's roster.
(i) A line-up of all
players shall be posted each night prior to the first game, including any
John Does.
(j)
Any team exhibiting behavior that another team deems inappropriate,
including language, is to notify the League President.
The League President shall present the occurrence to the Executive
Board at the next league meeting for discussion.
A majority vote of all teams present will determine whether or not
that teams manager is to remove the player(s) from their roster for the
remainder of that season.
Repeated occurrences by any one team shall be grounds for removal of that
team from the league by a majority vote by all teams present at an Executive
meeting.
4. Schedule and Number of Games
The schedule will be composed of two halves.
Each team will meet the other eleven teams in each half.
Each meeting will consist of three games.
The home team will be at bat last in the first and third games and
the visiting team will bat last in the second game.
The schedule will be reversed for the second half in regard to home
games and away games. To
eliminate playing the same team at the same time each year, a rotation
schedule will be used. The teams
that play each other on the first week of the season will play each other
again the last week of the following season.
All other games are to be moved ahead one week.
All games are scheduled for Monday nights at
8:00 PM. If a team
does not have at least seven of their regular players ready to play at that
time, they shall forfeit the first game.
If they do not have at least seven or more players at
8:30 PM
they shall forfeit all three games.
The home team shall have their practice prior to 7:45 PM, at which time the visiting team shall be given the
floor for practice. No player
shall have practice other than their allotted time or after the games have
started.
(a)
Postponement of a game shall be before 6:00 PM by the home team on
the playing date due to extraordinary circumstances.
In case of a postponement, the two managers involved must set another
night to play the delayed game.
All postponed games are to be made up before the end of each half.
Postponed games are to be rescheduled within seven (7) days and
managers are to notify the League secretary with that date.
In case the postponed game is the last game of the half or season,
that game is to be made up within three days after the end of that half or
season. If neither team can set
a future date to make up a postponed game, the Executive Board will set a night and time for that game to be played.
If a team fails to show on that night without just cause, those games
will be forfeited.
(b)
In case the visiting team believes a board or darts to be in bad
condition or the pitching line is not visible as required in (9), they will
have the right to play the games under protest.
The protest is to be made by the manager before the games start.
The protest will be carried to the Executive Board, who, in turn,
will meet and decide the case.
If the Executive Board finds the home team's darts or board to be in bad
condition, they may, at their discretion, cause the home team to forfeit
three games to the visiting team.
(c)
Any team that forfeits 9 games during any season shall be removed
from the league immediately after the 9th forfeited game.
The team can only be reinstated the following season after reasonable
assurance of a solid roster, and by a vote of the league managers.
5. Dues Designated Each Year
Each team is required to post dues as specified at the
first Executive Board meeting prior to the start of the season and are
payable to the League Treasurer. Failure to pay dues will result in that
teams' second half games being forfeited until dues are paid.
The League Treasurer will be responsible to provide each team a
receipt for dues paid. The
league will, as funds allow, provide one dozen new darts to each team every
other year beginning in the 2004-2005 season upon payment of dues.
The league will present each team darts at the league managers
meeting immediately following the first half of the season when the team
pays the league’s dues in full.
If a team fails to fully pay their dues on time, their darts shall be
withheld until dues are fully paid.
6. Boards and Darts
(a) Boards
All boards must be of regulation size and color. (See diagram on front
cover) The board, when in playing position, shall measure fifty-four (54)
inches from the floor to the center of the board.
The pitching distance shall be twenty-five (25) feet from the board
to the pitching line. All boards
shall be wired with 18-gauge steel wire with the exception of the long
single which is not to be wired.
All boards are to be in good condition during the playing season.
(b) Score Boards
Each team shall furnish a score board that will list
the line-ups and the three games played each evening.
(c) Darts
Four feathered professional darts only will be classed
as official darts. All teams are
required to have two dozen darts in good condition at all times during the
playing season. Teams involved
in the play-offs will supply one dozen playable darts each.
The league will provide darts for the championship series.
The league treasure will store and will be in charge of the post
season darts each season.
7. Playing Surface
(a) Singles
A dart entering the white area of the extreme right
square will be a single and all runners, if any, shall advance one base.
If the dart should stick in the 1.5 in. square in the center of the
single square, it shall be called a long single and all base runners, if
any, shall advance two bases. If
any part of the dart is touching the blue area of the long single, it shall
be ruled a long single.
(b) Doubles
A dart entering the white area of the square at the
extreme top of the board shall be called a double.
The player throwing the same will be on second base and all other
base runners, if any, will advance two bases.
(c)
Triples
A dart entering the white area of the square at the
extreme left of the board shall be called a triple.
The player throwing the same will be on third base and all other
runners, if any, will advance three bases.
(d) Home runs
A dart entering the white area of the square at the
center of the board will be called a home run.
The player throwing the same and all runners, if any, will score.
(e) Ball
A dart entering the blue area of the square at the
bottom of the board shall be called a ball.
Any player throwing four balls before he makes an out shall take
first base and all other runners, if any, shall remain on their respective
bases unless forced to move.
This is not considered a time at bat.
(f) Error
A dart entering the small 2 in. square between third
and home shall be called an error.
The player throwing the same goes to first base and all runners, if
any, will advance one base. An
error shall not be considered as a single, but it is a time at bat.
Any runners that score shall be considered an RBI for the batter.
(g) Sacrifice
A dart entering the small 2 in. square at the upper
comer of the ball square shall be called a sacrifice.
A dart entering this square with no runners on base or when two men
are out shall be called a "no dart".
If there are runners on base with no outs or one man out, the player
throwing the same shall be called out and all runners will advance one base.
A sacrifice is not considered a time at bat.
(h) Double Play
A dart entering the small 2 in. square between home and
first base shall be called a double play.
The player throwing the same is out and, if there are runners on
base, the most advanced runner is also out.
No other runner will advance.
If there are no runners on base or two outs it will be considered a
"no dart".
(i) Strikes and Foul Balls
A dart entering any of the four yellow squares shall be
called a strike. A dart entering
the foul ball area, the white area around the squares, shall be called a
strike on all throws except the third strike, (as in baseball), this being
ruled a "no dart". The player
throwing three strikes is out.
(j) Outs
1.
Dart entering any red space on the board.
2.
Three darts entering strike area.
3.
Dart entering double play square with runners on base with less than
two outs.
4.
Dart entering sacrifice square with runners on base with less than
two outs.
5.
Dart missing board completely.
6.
Dart entering outside the six (6") inch foul area.
7.
Dart touching any objects other than the ceiling before reaching the
board.
8.
Dart hitting the wood frame of the board as defined in rule 6 (a)
shall be out if the dart sticks or not.
9.
Dart hitting the leg standards or base indicators shall be out,
whether or not the dart sticks.
10.
Dart glancing off the board and passing
beyond the board.
11.
Any player(s) missing a turn at bat.
(k) "No Dart"
1.
Dart that sticks in another dart.
2.
Dart that strikes the cork area of the board
but does not stick and falls in front of the board.
a.
The leg standards and base indicators are not
part of said board.
3.
Dart entering the sacrifice area without runners on base or with two
men out.
4.
Dart stuck in the wire on the playing surface of the board.
5.
Dart entering the double play area without runners on base or with
two men out.
8. Players Batting Out of Order
(c)
Any player batting out of order is out, not
to exceed three outs in that inning per occurrence.
(d)
Any player skipped shall be considered out,
not to exceed three outs in that inning per occurrence.
(e)
Only those batters charged with an out as
described in 8 (a) and 8 (b) shall be charged with an At Bat.
All others who were skipped or batted out of order shall be
considered as not batting.
(f)
The next player to bat will be the player
following the last person who batted out of order.
(g)
This rule is only to be used when the first
batter bats out of order. If the
opposing team does not challenge the order of the batters at that time, the
game shall proceed from that point without any penalty.
(h)
All players will remain in the game and the
lineup shall remain unchanged.
9. Umpires
Each team will furnish one suitable umpire per game.
The umpire is to be an adult of at least eighteen (18) years of age.
Both umpires will serve at the same time and their decisions will be
final. NO player shall be
permitted to aid in any decision!
Umpires shall not be permitted to pull a dart from the board until
all decisions are made. Any time
the umpires are in doubt as to a decision, they should give the benefit of
the doubt to the batter. Umpires
shall stand at least five feet from the playing board while the batter is
throwing their darts. An umpire
can call a man out if his foot extends
beyond the throwing line.
The home team provides the scorekeeper to be overseen by the umpires.
The pitching line shall be clearly distinguishable from the umpire’s
vantage point. If a visiting
team feels that the line is not visible as required, they may play the game
in protest as provided under section 4(b).
(a) Interference
No spectators or players are permitted within five feet
of the center of the throwing line.
No movement of the limbs of any player, spectator, or umpire will be
permitted that would exceed the five foot playing area.
No player, spectator, or umpire will be permitted to interfere with
the batter at any time. No
mechanical sounds of any kind will be permitted by any player, spectator or
umpire. No sharp or sudden
noises are to be made as a player releases a dart.
In cases of any violation of these rules by the opposing team, the
umpire may award the batter a single and advance all runners one base if
there are any runners on base at that time.
10. Play-offs and Trophies
(a)
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
The team winning the most games in the first half of
the season will be declared the winner of the first half.
The team winning the most games in the second half will be declared
the winner of the second half.
The winner of the first half and the winner of the second half will play a
seven game Championship series on one Monday evening.
The team winning four games will be declared the champions and
receive a trophy. The team
losing four games will be declared the runner-up and receive a trophy.
These two teams will be eliminated from any further play-offs that
season. In the event one team
wins both halves of the season they will be declared the champion of the
league. The team with the next
highest win total for both halves will be declared the league runner-up.
In the event of a tie, see the tie breaker rules in 10(c) below.
The Championship Series will be played at the site of the team with
the best overall regular season record.
If there is a tie to between the two teams' regular season record to
determine the site of the championship series, please see the tie breaker
rules in 10(c) below.
(b)
SHAUGHNESSY SERIES
The next four highest teams with the most wins for the
regular season will play an elimination series (Shaughnessy's) for a trophy.
The league champion and runner-up will not be considered eligible to
participate in this series. This
elimination series shall consist of two best-of-three games series the first
Monday after the regular season, with the two winners playing the following
Monday in a best-of-five games
series. The winner of this
elimination series will receive a trophy.
Ties will be broken with the tie breaker rules in 10(c) below.
(c)
TIE BREAKER RULES
The following tie breaker rules are to be applied as follows:
for any Championship Series tiebreaker, “overall” shall be defined as
the half in question. For any
other tiebreaker, “overall” shall be defined as the entire season.
1)
The first tiebreaker will be overall head to head.
2)
The second tiebreaker will be overall total runs scored between the
tied teams.
3)
The third tiebreaker will be overall total hits between the tied
teams.
4)
The fourth tiebreaker will be a coin toss.
(d)
All play-off games will be conducted by the Executive Board who will
schedule the dates and places of the play-off games.
The Executive Board shall meet immediately prior to the league
meeting at the end of the season to prepare for the playoffs and determine
umpires. For the first round of
the Shaughnessy series, the home team will provide the darts for the game
and refreshments. The league
shall provide darts for the elimination and championship rounds.
All teams in the playoffs must have rosters turned into the Executive
Board during the meeting immediately prior to the playoffs commencing.
All rosters must be finalized by the Executive Board.
Any team playing a player who is not on the approved playoff roster
will forfeit all games in which that player played as provided in 3(c)
above.
(e)
The Christmas Tournament will consist of all twelve (12) teams and
will be a single elimination tournament.
It will be played between the first and second halves of the season.
This tournament will be
conducted be the Executive Board.
(f)
The team trophies awarded will be as follows:
1.
League Champion
2.
League Runner-up
3.
Winner of the Elimination (Shaughnessy's) Series
4.
Christmas Tournament
(g)
The individual trophies awarded will be for highest and runner-up
totals in these categories with all trophies engraved at League expense:
1.
Average --- Player must have played in at least 42 games.
2.
Runs Batted In
3.
Singles
4.
Doubles
5.
Triples
6.
Home Runs
7.
Walks (minimum of 25; no runner up will be
awarded a trophy)
(h)
A special Manager’s Choice award will be awarded by the Rotating
League Manager each year at the season ending banquet to someone of his
choice.