Mon-Yough Church Dartball League
2007-2008 Official Rules
(M-Y-C-D-L) Ratified August 24, 2007
1. Opening Rules The name of the League is the Mon-Yough Church Dartball
League. An opening Prayer is to be given before the games start. All rules
shall be enforced by team Captains.
2. Playing Board The official board, approved by the
M.Y.C.D.L. officials, shall be used. All playing boards made after the start of
the season must comply with "Playing Board Regulations" (published
separately) as to size, shape, color scheme, etc. Sufficient board lighting
(spotlight) is required. Board and playing conditions may be checked and
approved by League officials upon request from a team Captain. If three
different complaints are received by the League President regarding the same
board, the Captain of that team will be notified and has one month to correct
the situation.
3. Darts Darts may or may not be painted. If painted, the darts should be
painted with at least one coat of varnish or paint (Enamel, Latex). No other
material can be added to the paint or put on the dart prior to/or during the
painting. Only regulation M. Y. C. D. L. approved darts may be used. The
purchasing of board/or darts can be done through League Treasurer.
4. Long Single A one (1) inch diamond will be painted
black and outlined with wire in the middle of the single. When a dart lands in
the black area any player on base will move up two bases. This means players on
second and third will score. A player on first will go to third. A player must be
on first and/or second for another player's hit to register as a long single.
The player hitting the black diamond is given credit for RBI's if any and a
single.
5. Pitching Distance Twenty-five (25) feet from the pitching
line to the board. A player who throws with a stepping motion must stand far
enough behind the line as to not step on or over the line when throwing the
dart. A player who sets himself up at the line must not place his foot on the
line at all. If at any time a player begins to touch the line the player must
reset himself back behind the line as to not touch the line when throwing.
Stepping on/over the line is an infraction. A player committing the infraction
of stepping on/over the line will be given 2 warnings by the opposing
team captain. The opposing team captain must see and call this infraction of
his own accord. If it happens a third time - then an out will be called. This
will be per NIGHT not game. All this is under both teams captains discretion.
All warning and final out calls will be agreed on by both team captains. The
team captains or designee's are responsible for the umpiring of the line. 2
The pitching
line must be 4 feet to the left from the center of the board and 4 feet to the
right from the center of the board. A batter must position himself/herself so
that at least one foot is behind the line when throwing and not outside (to the
left or right) the eight-foot line. A player refusing to position himself
within the batter box will get one warning; if after a warning is given the
player still refuses to reset himself inside the 8 foot line will be called
out.
6. Games and Forfeit Times Game time is 7:30 P.M. with 8:00
P.M. being forfeit deadline.
7. Free Practice Darts Any player who did not play in the
previous game, may throw (5) five darts when that player comes up to
bat; even if that player took his/her pre-game practice darts. If a player
misses his/her team’s allotted practice time before the game they are NOT
permitted to throw five practice darts before their first time at bat in the
first game.
8. Cancellations Cancellations are to be avoided, if at all possible. If
they must occur, the canceling team must notify their opponent at least 24
hours ahead of game time unless the reason is due to inclement weather. The
canceling team must also notify the League Secretary and President by normal
game time. The League President/Vice-President has the authority to cancel all
games due to inclement weather. Rescheduling of missed game is to be done
within one week. Games must be made up within 30 days of the cancellation or on
the designated day on the schedule (if the schedule has one). Note: if
the league officers’ have to schedule a makeup
game on the days reserved for makeups, it will have
priority. The other makeup game between the 2 teams will have to be
rescheduled.
9. Umpires Umpire duties are to call balls, strikes,
and outs. They will refrain from all movement and unnecessary noise. The
Umpire will stand an arm's length away from the board, at least 2 feet. If a
call of a dart was not made or understood or if the call of the dart was wrong
the umpires cannot change that call or make a call of a dart after another dart
has been thrown. All calls should be agreed with by both umpires before the
next dart is thrown.
10. Shouting Behind the Line There will be no heckling or unnecessary
noise of any kind on or from behind the throwing line. There will be no walking
around and/or abrupt movements with the intention to distract a player who is
ready to through a dart, from players and or spectators in front of the
throwing line. (No exceptions) Please use courtesy at
all times and enforce this rule.
11. Number of Players A playing team shall consist of a maximum
of nine and a minimum of seven players. No games will be played
if a team does not have the minimum 7 players. The seventh player must be John
Doe. (an automatic out). If less than nine players
are present for a team, the 3
opposing
team has the choice of playing an equal number. The number may only be changed,
after the game starts, if the original short-handed team increased its number
of players. All team members present at start or during game must be used to
make a nine member team. If it is necessary for a nine person team to remove a
player and no pinch hitters are available, the person removed must leave the
playing area. If game continues, the missing player is not considered an out at
his time-of-bat.
12. Dart Hitting Obstruction, Off Board or
Sticking into Another If
thrown dart sticks into the ceiling, ceiling beam or object attached to the
ceiling or deflects from such but does not stick into the playing board the
batter is out. Any dart hitting the ceiling, ceiling beam or objects
attached to ceiling which deflect from ceiling and sticks
into the playing board is in play. One dart sticking into another dart
is the same as the dart, which has been struck. The board playing area is
defined as any part of the board between the outside wires. Any dart hitting
within board playing area and dropping off is considered 'no dart'.
Hitting outside playing area and falling off is considered an out. Any dart
sticking in the wire and making that call difficult, the call that will be made
will benefit the batter. (REMEMBER) The Umpires’ decision is final.
13. Physical Contact with Batter Physical contact with batter by opposing
team member is prohibited. Batter who is contacted with will be given one base
for interference or his dart, whichever he chooses. Runners do not advance
unless forced.
14. Batting out of Turn Batting out of turn, the scheduled batter
is out and the next scheduled batter takes his/her turn.
15. Error On an error all runners advance one base
and the batter is credited with a single.
16. Sacrifice A sacrifice is an OUT when NO runners
are on base and/or when there are two outs. Otherwise, the batter is out and
all runners advance one base.
17. Double Play When dart hits double play with less than
two outs and with one or more runners on base, runner nearest home and batter
are both out (two outs). Any runners left on base do not advance. When
double play is hit with two outs or with no runners on base, the batter is out (one
out).
18. Walk On a walk the batter is awarded first
base. Runners only advance if forced.
18 a. Intentional Walk A captain may intentionally walk an
opposing player before he/she begins to throw. 4
Each team may
use the intentional walk once per game. The intentional walk will be considered
a hit and an at bat.
19. Player - Playoff Eligibility Players can not switch teams once the
season starts. Practices before the season first game do not count. A player
must throw a dart for a team in a regular game to count as playing for that
team. If a team disperses during the season and some players want to join
another team it will have to be approved by the league officers and team
captains at a special meeting. A player must play in at least 21 regular
league games to be eligible to play in playoff competition. Captains are
responsible for keeping accurate team statistics.
20. Weekly Results The home team is responsible for calling
the game results to Corresponding Secretary the night of the game.
21. Season Length and Playoffs The season will be played from September
till April with a Holiday Break in December. There will be no halves.
There will be a League Championship and Shaughnessy series. The League Championship series will
consist of the top three finishing teams. The remaining teams will play for the
Shaughnessey championship.
League Championship Format: A: The team finishing first will be the Number 1 seed. The second
finishing team, seed 2 and third finishing team seed 3.
B. Round 1: Seed 1 will have a bye. Seed 2
will host Seed 3 in a best of five series.
C. Championship Series: It is a best of
seven games. The series will consist of 2 nights, four games the first night,
three the second night. The first night the games will be played at Seed
1’s home field. The second night (if needed) will be played at the other
team’s (seed 2 or 3) home field. In the Championship Series only, this is
the way home team will be determined- Games 1 and 2, seed one is home team.
Games 3, 4, and 5 lower seed (2 or 3) is home. Games 5 and 6, seed one is home
team.
Shaughnessy Championship Series
The remaining six teams will be seeded
according to winning record. The two highest seeded teams have a bye for the
first round of the playoffs. 5
A. The
first two rounds of the playoffs will be a best of three series. The parings of
the first round of the remaining six teams are; seed 6 at seed 3, and seed 5 at
seed 4.
B. Round
2: The team seeded 1 will host the lowest seeded team left among the seed 3-6.
The team seeded 2 will host the second lowest seeded team left among seeds 3-6.
C. Round 3
or championship game: The highest seeded team will host the lowest reaming seed
in a best of 5 played during two consecutive nights.
TIE BREAKERS: First: Head to head winning
%
22. Final Season Statistics Within two weeks after the end of the
regular season (excluding the playoffs) each team must submit their season team
statistics as well as any High RBI, and High Average to the league President.
Failure to do so will result in a $5.00 fine, which must be paid before the
start of the next season. To qualify for Rookie of the Year, a player must have
played a minimum of 36 games with M.Y.C.D.L. The statistics of the year that
they reach the 36th game will be used for their
Rookie of the Year candidacy.
23. Homeless Teams Teams playing without home churches, when
designated as home team, must pay host church $5.00 per night. The team
must also provide refreshments and clean up the playing area (as designated by
host church) after completion of games.
24. League Voting Each team is permitted two votes (either
by Officer, Captain and/or Team Representative) at League meetings.
Representatives must be present to cast a vote. League President can represent
his team, but can only cast 1 vote.
25. Rule changes No league rules will be changed during the
season except by a ¾ majority vote of team representatives present
during a special meeting called by the president. All league rules will be
reviewed prior to season beginning so all rules are understood and clear.
26. Individual Trophies
Individual trophies will be awarded in
these categories.
A. Highest
Average
B. Most
Hits
C. Most
RBIs
6
D. Most
Singles
E. Most
Doubles
F. Most
Triples
G. Most HRs
H. Most DPs
I. League
Championship MVP
J. Shaughnessey Championship MVP
To be eligible for Individual Trophies
A-H, a player must have 235 at bats in the season.
27. Hall of Fame Eligibility
A person is ELIGIBLE for the Hall
of Fame if they have played in the league 15 years and has the most impressive
career statistics.
28.All-Star
Nominations.
Each team may
select up to three persons to represent them in the annual All-Star vs. Hall of
Fame game during the Holiday Break. The captain should inform the league
secretary of his picks one week prior to the All-Star game. Only those players
will be eligible to play in the All- Star game.
