Village Inn 6pm practice 7pm start. Monday October 13th

$10 entry BCA rules. Open to all!

Wednesday’s local St Helens City League starts tonight!
Go here for Schedule and Rule updates:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1287385258816424/

—

Welcome back, we start Wednesday 10/8/25. Here’s the schedule and I updated the rules with the latest.

Rule changes\reminders:

— Do not touch a moving ball. This includes ball-in-hand, you

must wait till it stops, and do not catch in the pocket.

— Do not mark the table, at all. This includes, chalk, felt dents,

etc.

Thanks! Let me know if you have questions.

Kelly

https://www.facebook.com/download/1549757312860918/2025.2026%20League%20Rules.docx?av=785444296&eav=AfYFRHuIJSgfnK-PwEqg-Qoe6gd1zdN0Rt57s-i5KRvaKeexP50pcJdxtxaiK7nag-Y&paipv=0&ext=1760551876&hash=AcuZEVBlui9CTkwoRCo&__cft__[0]=AZVB6tdtG3l_cA78yevPX_A7rz8ClAuPpLD-0I6IcSMrWOCJbrHIsMQmlT2FVov0kjA5QUMmfoOk75Jn0-WMdRF5W7h0-bXJRjO1ZqbxA0l7YMSeME02RoYa1XdUFduFyHHiuOv29034NGbchXLBidYsxOHMu34QXrk1l4KWUY7LUub7uChqw9ylPw1rMyeI6e3bFq7dVfIoqYifyOYbJEXw&__tn__=H-R

Rules (See link above for formatted ms word doc on FB):

Every team member should read and become familiar with these rules. Each team Captain should bring a copy of the rules to each match. By participating in the League, every member agrees to abide by the rules set forth in this Team Manual.

The Saint Helens/Scappoose Pool League is a partner pool league playing call pocket straight 8 ball with ball in hand rules. First and foremost, the people involved in this league are here to have fun and a bit of good and fair competition. There is not league President. All decisions and changes are made by the captains of the teams in a democratic vote format; majority rules. Our league has its own modified set of, and agreed upon, rules as laid out below but based on ball in hand rules from both APA and BCA. We do not use APA or BCA rules otherwise.

Player Eligibility

Players must be at least 21 years of age and live or work in Columbia County, Oregon. If you are currently 86’d from any sponsor location you are not eligible to participate in the League as a team player or a sub. If you become 86’d from any sponsor location during a current season you can no longer be on the league and your team must replace you. Per Oregon state law pertaining to DUII, a person convicted of a DUII is typically penalized by not being allowed into bars and taverns. “Typically” being penalized is completely up to the judge who tries your case. If you receive a DUII and the judge says you can’t go into bars and taverns for a certain amount of time as part of your punishment, you should notify your team Captain so a replacement can be found as soon as possible. http://www.oregonduii.com

Sponsors

Sponsors have the final say for how many teams they will sponsor. A sponsor’s involvement in the league begins and ends with providing a fee of $40.00 per team sponsored to play in a current season, making sure that all pool tables are open and available for team practice by 6 p.m. on each match night, and providing a location to play at and pool tables in good working order to play on. A sponsor cannot decide who will Captain a team or which players will be on any team.  That is up to the Captains and other team members to decide.

The sponsor fee for each team sponsored must be turned in to the league secretary with the stats and team dues for the first match from each team sponsored. Sponsors must provider that fee to the team Captains prior to the first match. Cash only, please. This is a one-time fee per team sponsored. Due to scheduling conflicts, a sponsor is limited to a number of teams not exceeding double the number of pool tables available at their location for matches. Example:  If the sponsor has one table, they can sponsor up to 2 teams, if they have two tables at their location, they can have up to 4 teams sponsored.

Teams

Each team consists of 6 players subdivided into 3 sets of partners. Each team must designate a Captain, Co-captain and a team Secretary; three different people. At least one of these three people must have an active email address, computer, printer and reliable Internet access so they can receive and distribute weekly stats and other communications to be passed on to the rest of their team.

This is a team sport. The team fee is $30.00 each week regardless if there are only 5 players who show up for a team at a scheduled match. At least 5 players per team must show up to a match. If only 5 players show up to a match, see the paragraph about 5 Player Rotation for instructions on what to do and how it works.

All players must remain at a sponsor location for a match and be prepared to play until all of their games are completed. Either the Captain or Co-captain must stay all the way to the end of the match to sign for the other team’s stat score card.

League Officers, Team Officers and their Responsibilities

League Secretary – The league Secretary is responsible for maintaining the current copy of our league rules and making changes to those rules, calling for and planning regularly scheduled meetings and for special meetings requested by any team Captain, moderating meetings to keep them moving and taking notes during those meeting. The league Secretary is also responsible for maintaining all league forms, providing copies of forms to team Captains/Secretaries, creating and distributing league match schedules, receiving, entering in and distributing all weekly stats per week via email, and collecting and depositing weekly team fees and any other fees into a league bank account. The league Secretary is the only League Officer currently and has no power to make decisions for the league. All decisions for the league must be made by a voting consortium of at least 75% of all captains. This position receives no monetary compensation for performing these duties. It is a volunteer position. All funds collected remain in the league, to operate and purchase everything necessary to run it and to ensure a fair payout to every team no matter what place they take. Last Place can expect approximately $30 per team member no matter how many teams we have.

Team Captain – A team Captain is responsible for making sure all of the team’s players and/or replacement subs show up to scheduled matches on time, ready and available to play their games take their turns. The team Captain is also responsible for turning in weekly team dues and scorecards if the team secretary is not available to do so. During matches, team Captains are responsible for keeping the peace, working with the opposing team Captain to mitigate discrepancies about shots and mediating arguments or disagreements amongst players, and making sure that all league rules and regulations are following during each match.After a match is finished, a team Captain is responsible for making sure that both theirs and the opposing team’s score cards match on all game win/loss tallies and are completely filled out for their own team stats, including reporting of subs or any other changes. Once both Captains agree that all information on their score cards is complete and correct, their score cards must each then be signed by the opposing team Captain to accept the tallies. Making sure their score card is up to date for each game during a match is ultimately the responsible of their team Captain but this responsibility can be shared amongst all players on a team during a match.

Co-Captain and Responsibilities – The Co-Captain is responsible for everything that a Captain would be in the event that their Captain is either unavailable at the time or is replaced by a sub on any given match week.

Team Secretary – Each Team Secretary is responsible to confirm that all play sets on their team pay their share of the weekly team fee and for working with the opposing team Secretary to ensure that at least one of them will be turning in all team fees and weekly match scorecards to the designated location for both teams of any scheduled match. The Team Secretaries at a match can decide that just one of them will turn in both team’s score cards and fees for that match. In this case, the Secretaries will use the Chain of Custody form provided with the initial form handouts to each team. This is your proof that someone else received the team fee and was responsible to turn it in for you. An entry should be made on both team Secretary chain-of-customer forms to reflect that one for hem received funds from or released funds to the opposing team Secretary. The receiving Secretary is then responsible for tuning in both score cards and team fees at the designated location by no later than midnight on the Saturday after a match. A team Secretary is responsible for making sure that ll new weekly stats are posted at their sponsor location prior to the next upcoming match night. Stats will be sent by the league Secretary via email by 10 pm on the Monday following a match.

Designation Location\Weekly Score Cards and Dues

The sponsor location of the league secretary is the designated location where teams will turn in their weekly score cards and fees. Score cards and the full $30.00 team fees for the current week must be turned in at the designated location, Pastime Tavern, by no later than midnight on the Saturday after a match. If they are not turned in by this time it will be considered a forfeit of the match and your team will receive no points but will still be responsible for turning in their full team fee. If the full $30.00 is not turned in by midnight on the Saturday after the match, you team will not be allowed to play the next week and will forfeit the match.  In either case, the opposing team will receive an average of their previous 3 match results for the match in question. All fees are the responsibility of the team.

Subs

Sub eligibility follows player eligibility. See the paragraph about Player Eligibility. Each sponsored team can have up to 4 subs. Subs do not pay when they sub for a team at a scheduled match. The player being subbed for is responsible for their share in the team fee even though they will not be there. The other team players must make up the difference during the week there is a sub and collect it back from the player being subbed for on the following week. $30.00 must be turned in per team for each match regardless. IOUs will not be accepted and will cause the team to forfeit a match.

Subs can play for any sponsor location. Subs can be added or removed from the league at any time throughout the season but cannot exceed the number allotted per team. Only a sub can be promoted to be a permanent team player. The team Captain must fill out and turn in to the league secretary a Player Add/Drop form to document this change.

Up to 3 subs can play for their team on any given match night and can participate in Round Robin rotation if there are only 5 players total. In the case when a team doesn’t have enough roster subs available to play for them, they may choose no more than one willing person, not on the league but from the match location, as a sub for that match night to bring the number of team players up to at least 5. As long as the opposing team captain agrees to allow the non-league sub and signs the Substitute Player form, the non-league sub can play. The sub form must be filled out on the back of the score card and turned in to the league secretary along with the match scorecard and team dues in order to document all sub players each match night.

Subs are not eligible to play in the All-Stars tournament at the end of the season.

Un-sportsman Like Conduct/Heckling

Outside of normal conversation, everyone should be quiet when a player is in the middle of taking their shot. There should be absolutely zero talking about what the player up should do or how they should shoot a shot, AKA “sideline coaching”. See the paragraph about shot advice. Players not currently shooting should stay 4+ feet away from the table, as permitted.

If a member of your own team or a spectator is found to be sideline coaching the player who is currently “up”, the opposing Captain should provide a verbal warning to the team up Captain. The team up Captain is then responsible to ask for all sideline coaching to stop. Each time it happens again, the player up who is being sideline coached by their own team will lose their turn, regardless of which team is up. If the sideline coach is a spectator and continues to sideline coach even after being asked not to, either Captain can ask the bar tender to kick that spectator out of the bar for the reminder of the match.

Players and spectators are advised to make sure they do not heckle or otherwise try to cause a player to miss a shot by saying/yelling something to the shooting layer or doing anything else to try to distract the shouting player during their shot or while their shot is in play. The shot will be considered to be in play the moment a players gets into position to shoot.

If a member of the opposite team or a spectator is found to be heckling while a player’s shot is in play, the Captain of the player shooting will provide a verbal warning to the opposing team Captain. The opposing team Captain is then responsible to ask the heckler to not do it again. If it happens a second time at any time during the match then the current game will be forfeit and the opposing team of the player shooting when being heckled will automatically lose the game. If the heckler is a spectator and continues to heckle even after being asked not to, either Captain can ask the bar tender to kick that spectator out of the bar for the remainder of the match.

Inclement Weather

If there is snow or ice on the ground, or forecasted to snow or ice on match night, the captains will vote to decide if we will play or not.  It will be a majority vote, and if the majority votes to postpone the match, all teams will postpone and we’ll schedule the make-up match for the end of the season. If the captains vote to still play and a team feels unsafe to get to or from the match due to the weather, the other captain is expected to reschedule, and those matches need to be made-up before the end of the season.  We need to look out for our pool league family as they would for us.

Season Schedule and Weekly Stats Disbursement

The season match schedule and weekly stats will be posted at sponsor locations at least four days prior to the first match. Weekly match stats will be provided to teams at least two days prior to the next match, but only FB Messenger. See Team Secretary Responsibilities. The new stats must be posted at sponsor locations by the start of the next match. See Team Secretary Responsibilities. If you are the home team at your upcoming match, your team should post the new stats at your sponsor location on the night of the match.

The Match

Table(s) will open at 6:00 p.m. for team practice at host team locations. The host team will practice from 6:00 to 6:30 and the visiting team will practice from 6:30 to 7:00. Match start time is 7:00 p.m. *NOT BAR TIME*. Matches consist of 13 games. Score sheets must be ready with player lineup per game at that time. The opposing team may call forfeit if a team cannot field at least five players. Teams may play with five players with the sixth slot filled using the 5 player round-robin rotation. If at the beginning of the match a player has advised their Captain or Co-captain that they will be late, a rotation player will be allowed to play that player’s games until he/she arrives, at which time they will be added back into the score card in their play slot.

The average time that a match ends is at about 10:00 p.m. However, there are times when a match will not end until close to midnight. Though this doesn’t happen often, all players should be prepared to stay late waiting for a scheduled match to end. If you are not able to do this then you should probably reconsider the idea of you being on this league. In order to limit how long each game takes, each player should take no more than 2 minutes to figure out and attempt each shot. It is up to the opposing team to time this and call for the warning. Do NOT complain about a match taking too long. It’s up to each of you to make sure you all get done at a reasonable time.

Bonus Round

The 13^th game will consist of two players the team chooses to play against two players from the other team. The players are not required to be normal partners. Teams are encouraged to rotate which players on their team will play in the bonus round each week so that all team players have the opportunity.

All games of a match are to be played on the same table only.

Call Pocket

You must make it known to your opponent which ball of your suite you are calling and which pocket you intend for that ball to go into. The player is required to voice their intended shot aloud and should also make a gesture toward the intended pocket. Your shot must be a legal shot as defined in these rules. “Slop” is allowed on every shot but is considered a combination shot. Combination rules apply. The eight ball can be used in a combination shot as long as it is the not the first ball hit. This means that once you make a legal shot, the intended ball could hit every other ball on the table as long as it ends up going into the called pocket, it is counted as good and the player continues with their turn.

Shot Advice

Help with a shot is allowed but only if the current shooting player verbally asks for it. During a game, the player who is up for their turn has the option to ask their partner, and/or any of the other active players on their team for help with how to play a shot or get advice otherwise. Other than the partner, only one person from the team can provide advice per turn. Players are allowed to ask for help 2 times during a game.  Each player should take no more than 2 minutes to figure out and attempt each shot, including advice.  The player giving the advice can touch the table, but not disturb the balls, and then must move away so the player can take the shot. No marking the table. Players not currently shooting should stay 4+ feet away from the table.  Other players from either team around the pool table are not to communicate what they would do in a way that is loud enough for the player who is up, their partner or the advising player to hear. Keep your own thoughts on how to shoot a shot to yourself until after the player shots. A spectator, who is not an active player for the team during that match cannot be used for or offer advice at all, period. If a spectator continues to offer advice even after being asked not to, either Captain can ask the bar tender to kick that spectator out of the bar for the remainder of the match.

PLEASE NOTE: 

• NO Marking the table at all.  This includes chalk\object positioning on the rail, felt marks, etc.
• Do Not touch a moving ball at all.

Player Rotation

The partners of the breaking team chose which of them will break at the beginning of a new game. The partners of the opposing team choose which of them will rack. The racking partner is not allowed to follow the breaker in the rotation and is expected to play last after the breaker’s partner. Partners are encouraged to rotate which of them will break or rack between games.

Racking

The person racking should make every effort to provide a solid, tight, lined up rack to the breaker. All balls should be frozen (touching) as tightly as possible. Balls are racked with the front ball on the foot spot and the 8-ball in the center. The breaking player may request and receive a re-rack.

Breaking

To be a legal break, players must break from behind the head string. The head ball or second ball must be struck first and at least four object balls must be driven to the rails or a ball must be pocketed. The cue ball may not be shot into a rail before the rack. If the break does not qualify as legal, the balls are re-racked and re-broken by the same player. If the break does not qualify as legal and results in a scratch, the balls are re-racked and broken by the opposite player.

After the break

Various circumstances can occur upon completion of the break. They are:

1. A foul (scratch) on a legal break results in ball-in-hand for the opposing team from behind the head string and the incoming player may shoot any ball outside the head string. A ball that’s dead center or “out” is playable. If it is “in”, the ball is not playable. It is up to the opponent to call the cue ball “in” before it is shot.
2. No balls are pocketed and it’s the other player’s turn.
3. The 8-ball is pocketed. This is a win, unless the player scratches or the cue ball leaves the table, in which case he loses.
4. One ball is pocketed; it is still the breaker’s turn but chooses which suite they want to continue shooting. They are not required to take the suite pocketed on the break. If he misses or fouls on his second shot, his opponent has an “open table”. “Open table” means a player can shoot a combination involving a stripe and a solid and whichever he makes, without committing a foul, would be his suit.
5. One ball of each suite is pocketed. The breaker has his choice of balls. He may shoot any ball, except the 8-ball (which would be a foul), and each pocketed ball counts. If he makes one of each suite on his second shot, he still has an “open table”. If he misses or fouls on his second shot, his opponent has an “open table”.
6. If two balls of one suite and one ball of the other suit are pocketed, it is the shooter’s choice just as in “e” above.

Wrong Suit Shot

Occasionally it occurs that a player mistakenly starts shouting the wrong category of balls. Although it is sportsmanlike for the sitting player to remind the shooting player that he is about to foul by shooting the wrong category of balls, it is not a requirement for him to do so. Once the shooter has hit the wrong category of balls, the foul has occurred whether the ball is pocketed or not. If the ball is pocketed, it is permissible, though not recommended, that the sitting player allow the shooting player to continue shooting the wrong balls in until he feels inclined to call the foul. The shooting player can escape penalty by quietly realizing his error and returning to shoot the correct category of balls and legally contacting one of them before his opponent calls foul, or by finishing off the wrong category of balls and legally contacting the 8-ball prior to his opponent calling a foul. In other words, the sitting player must call the foul before the shooter returns to the correct category and legally contacts one or before the shooter pockets the remaining balls of the wrong category and legally contacts the 8-ball. Once a player makes legal contact with the 8-ball, the player assumes control of the category of wrongly pocketed balls and can win the game by pocketing the 8-ball. In addition, if the sitting player does not call a foul before his opponent’s turn ends, and subsequently contacts the wrong category himself, both players will assume the new category of balls for the remainder of the game. Before any foul has occurred, the shooter also may avoid penalty by asking the sitting player which category of balls he has. The sitting player must tell home the truth.

Eight Ball Break

If during a legal break, the 8-ball goes into a pocket it is a legal break and the game is won by the team sinking the 8-ball. However, if on the break the 8-ball goes into a pocket and the cue ball goes into a pocket OR leaves the table, the game is lost.

If on the break an object ball leaves the table it is to be re-spotted and the player will lose his/her turn.

On and open table, any combination of object balls can be used to make a shot.

If a shooter scratches on the 8-ball it is a loss.

Legal Stroke

You must use a legal stroke. A legal stroke is defined as the forward motion of the cue stick resulting in the cue tip striking the cue ball for the momentary time customarily associated with a normal shot. What are not legal strokes are any lifting, side-ways or brushing motion of the cue stick such that the force that propels the cue ball does not primarily result from a forward motion of the cue stick is a foul.

Legal Shot

A shot is legal if:

1. A legal stroke is used.
2. The first ball contacted by the cue ball is a legal object ball (if the player is stripes, they hit a stripe first, if they are solids, they hit a solid first).
3. After that contact, either an object ball is pocketed, or the cue ball or any other object ball on the table makes contact with a cushion. Cushion contact does not include hitting a cushion prior to hitting your object ball. You could hit every cushion on the table first and then hit one of your object balls immediately after BUT if the cue ball or any object ball doesn’t contact a cushion after, it’s ball in hand.

If any of the above requirements are not met, it is a foul.

Illegal Shots

JUMP SHOTS – forcing the cue ball to leave the table before striking the object ball. PUSH SHOTS – cue stick remains in contact with the cue ball after it strikes the object ball. MASSE’ SHOTS – cue stick is in position above the shoulder.

Object Ball Frozen to a Cushion

If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is frozen to a cushion, then after the cue ball makes contact with the frozen object ball:

1. Any object ball must be pocketed, or;
2. The cue ball must contact a cushion, or;
3. The frozen ball must contact a cushion attached to a separate rail, or;
4. Another object ball must contact a cushion.

***Any ball, including the cue ball, which is frozen to a cushion at the start of a shot and then is forced into a cushion attached to the same rail is not considered to have contacted that cushion unless it leaves the cushion, contacts another ball, and then contacts the cushion again.

Cue Ball Frozen to Object Ball or Cushion

1. If the cue ball is frozen to a legal object ball, it is legal to shoot toward the object ball provided you use an otherwise legal stroke and no other foul is committed.
2. If the cue ball is frozen to a cushion, it is legal to shoot the cue ball into the cushion provided you use an otherwise legal stroke and no other foul is committed.
3. While the initial cue tip to cue ball contact of a stroke in the situations described in (a) and (b) above is always legal, the presence of one or more object balls nearby may create the possibility fo a violation of a double hit during the same stroke, but after the initial cue tip to cue ball contact.
4. Shooting the cue ball way from an object ball that is frozen to the cue ball does not constitute contact with that object ball.

Combination Shots

Combination shots are legal, but striking a ball from your own suit first is required except in an “open table” situation. Any ball of the opposite suit may be used in a combination shot as long as a ball from your suit is struck by the que ball first A player is credited with all balls he legally pockets when a player does not pocket one of his balls but pockets an opponent’s ball, he loses his turn. The opponent gets credit for the pocketed ball. No pocketed ball is ever spotted.

Balls Leaving the Table

If the 8-ball is knocked on the floor, it is loss of game. Object balls knocked on the floor are spotted. If the spot is taken the ball is placed on a line directly behind the spot as close as possible. Knocking a ball other than the cue ball onto the floor is not a foul. It might occur that a player pockets his ball while simultaneously knocking another ball onto the floor. In this situation, it is still his turn and the ball is not spotted until he misses. If the ball on the floor is one of the shooter’s balls, it is spotted when the shooter has pocketed all of his other balls or misses.

Pocketed Balls

Balls must remain in a pocket to be legal. If a ball goes in a pocket, but bounces back onto the playing surface, it is not considered pocketed. If it is the 8-ball, it is not considered either a win or loss. If it is the cue ball, it is not considered a scratch.

One Foot on the Floor

While shooting, at least one foot must be on the floor at all times if a bridge is available. There is no foul-simply stop the shooter and hand him the bridge. League Management cannot guarantee the presence of bridges and some Host Locations may not have them. Exception: Players shooting from a wheelchair must remain seated in their wheelchair while shooting.

Possible Bad Hit

If there is the possibility that a player will make a bad hit, hitting an opponent ball first instead of their own, the player should call it to their Captain’s attention. At this point, both Captains should be closely watching the shot and, being as impartial as possible, agree on if it was a good or bad hit. A bad hit will follow the ball in hand rules for fouls.

Ball in Hand

Ball-in-hand means you’re allowed to place the cue ball anywhere on the table (with the exception of a scratch on the break which results in ball-in-hand behind the head string) and shoot any of your balls (or the 8, if all of your balls have been pocketed). Even after having addressed the cue ball, a player may, if not satisfied with the placement, make further adjustments with the hand, cue stick or any other reasonable piece of equipment. A foul may be called only if the player fouls while actually stroking at the cue ball, meaning a double hit of the cue ball. The ball-in-hand rule penalizes a player for an error. Without this rule, a player could benefit by accidentally or purposely scratching or otherwise fouling.

Please Note:  Do not touch or pick up a moving ball at any time.  Wait for the ball to stop moving before picking up if ball-in hand.

Recognized fouls resulting in Ball in Hand

If any of the following fouls are committed, the penalty is ball-in-hand for the incoming player. Make certain you have ball-in-hand before you touch the cue ball by confirming with your opponent. Picking up, or touching the cue ball when you do not have ball-in-hand, will result in loss of your turn and ball-in-hand for the other team.

• The shooter fails to strike one of their own object balls (or the 8 ball, if all of said object balls are already pocketed) with the cue ball, before other balls (if any) are contacted by the cue ball. NOTE:  This does not include “split” shots, where the cue ball strikes one of the shooter’s and one of the opponent’s object balls simultaneously. A split shot must be called.
• DOUBLE HIT – cue strikes the cue ball more than once during a shot.
• The cue ball is pocketed, or “scratched” (with the exception of a scratch on the break which results in ball-in-hand behind the head string)
• The shooter does not have at least one foot on the floor (this requirement may be waived if the shooter is disabled in a relevant way, or the venue has not provided a mechanical bridge).
• The cue ball is shot before all balls have come to a complete stop from the previous shot.
• The cue ball is jumped entirely or partially over an obstructing ball with an illegal jump shot.
• The cue ball is clearly pushed (shoved slowly, rather than struck) with the cue tip remaining in contact with it more than momentarily.
• The shooter touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the cue during the shot.
• The shooter knocks the cue ball of the table.
• The shooter has shot out-of-turn or shot the wrong suit and the foul is called by the opposing team.
• The shooter accidently touches the 8-ball with their hands, shirt, side of the cue, hair, etc., and it stays on the table (not pocketed).
• Picking up, or touching the cue ball when you do not have ball-in-hand.

If a player accidentally touches a ball other than the 8-ball or cue ball with their hands, shirt, side of the cue, hair, etc. it is not a foul unless it was done with obvious intention. The opposing team has the option of moving it back to the original position or leaving it where it lies. Do not touch any ball in question unless the opposing teams wants it put back to its original location. If the player moves it back without permission from the other team, it will be end of turn and ball-in-hand for the other team. If the 8-ball is accidentally touched\moved with their hands, shirt, side of the cue, hair, etc. and is pocketed, it is a loss of game.

PLEASE NOTE:  It is permissible for the shooter to bank the cue ball off a rail before contacting his object ball. However, after contact with his object ball, an object ball must be pocketed, or the cue ball or any numbered ball must contact a rail. Failure to meet these requirements is a foul.

Fouls Not Called

Any foul not called before the next stroke is taken in considered to have not occurred. The failure to call a foul on any previous shot does not restrict the ability to call a similar foul on any future shot.

Safety Shot

For tactical reasons, a player may choose to attempt to pocket an obvious, or easy to pocket object ball and also discontinue his turn at the table by declaring safety in advance. A safety shot is a completely legal shot. If the shooting player intends to play safe by attempting to pocket an obvious object ball, then prior to the shot, he must declare a safety to his opponent. If this is NOT done, and one of the shooter’s object balls is pocketed, the shooter will be required to shoot again. Any ball pocketed on a safety shot remains pocketed. If the safety is called but no ball is made, there is no penalty. Generally, a safety shot, for which you intend to pocket a ball, is used when a player decides they are unable to make another (second)shot and could possibly give the other team ball in hand. It can be thought of as a legal opportunity to pocket one of your own balls while also creating a difficult leave for the opposing team rather than always going for that next shot and possibly leaving the opposing team with an advantage.

Player Drops/Replacements

Players can be dropped and replaced only if there is a truly valid reason for doing so. Valid reasons would include:

• If a player becomes “86’d” from a sponsor location (This is an automatic drop)
• A hardship of some kind that would cause the player to be unable to play (The player need only to notify the captain of their team)
• A problem being caused by the player such as consistently becoming too drunk to play or consistent un-sportsman like conduct during scheduled matches. Another team’s captain can request for a player to be dropped from another team for un-sportsman like conduct but must request a Captain meeting be called for a vote.

A player dropped due to being 86’d, un-sportsman-like conduct or tactics detrimental to the league forfeits the right to all prize money and/or any other awards and is ineligible to play in the All-Stars tournament. All fees the player has paid into the league to the point of the drop are forfeited by the 86’d player. A player who is dropped and replaced due to a hardship of some kind will be eligible to receive a portion of their team’s end of league payout in proportion to the amount of time they player was on the team. The captain of that team is responsible for making sure the dropped player receives their portion of payout.

If a team player must drop out of the league or if the team has decided to replace a player, a substitute from the team’s roster should be moved to a player position on the roster if suitable subs are available. An add/drop slip must be completed and turned in with the team’s paperwork on the date the change is made. If a team has no subs to choose from at the time a player needs to be replaced, they must first recruit a new sub. The new sub must be approved for play by a committee of all team captains. Captains can email their vote to the league Secretary. If the sub is approved, they may then be added to the team as a team member. The new sub can be used as a sub for up to 3 matches prior to committee approval but must still be approved for play by opposing team captains during match nights. It is the responsibility of the captain of the team introducing a new sub to the league to call for the captain’s committee to meet for approval of the new sub. The scheduled captain’s committee must consist of at least two thirds of all captains on the league. The vote for the new sub will be accomplished with a majority vote.

If a captain’s committee is necessary, then the league Secretary should be notified as soon as possible so all other captains can be contacted. The committee will be scheduled to convene within 2 weekends of the date the league Secretary is notified.

If a team plays an illegal player, they forfeit all of their points for that match. A player is considered illegal if they have not been added to the team’s roster by October 1^st. The opposing team captain has the right to allow or disallow a sub that is not listed on the official sub roster. A sub form must be turned in for the night of play. If the sub is not on the official roster, the opposing team captain must sign the sub form.

If an entire team drops from the league, all dues paid will be forfeited and will remain within the league account.

5 Player Rotation

A team may play with no less than 5 players. If playing with a 5 player team, use the Round Robin player rotation. If a team knows in advance they will not have a minimum of five players for a match, they may contact the opposing team to request for the match to be scheduled later in the week. The opposing team captain must agree to reschedule. If the opposing team captain doesn’t agree to reschedule then the match will be forfeited. Opposing teams are encouraged to allow the change if at all possible. The match must be before the last season match and must be played at the same location as where it had been originally scheduled. Team secretaries will be responsible for dropping off their scores and fees to the designated location as normal no later than midnight on Saturday following the regularly scheduled match. The league secretary will then retrieve them on Sunday afternoon.

Match Forfeiture

If a team forfeits a match, the opposing team’s score will be their average of games won for the previous three match weeks, or the following 3 matches if early in the season. A team may forfeit two weeks in a row, but if they forfeit three weeks in a row the team will be removed from the league. All dues must still be paid if a team forfeits any match. If a team is dropped from the league, already scheduled matches with that team will become a BYE week for any team scheduled to play them for the remainder of the season. If a team forfeits 3 times in one season, they are kicked off the league for the remainder of the season. All other teams will have a BYE week on dates they would have played the removed team.

All-Star Qualification

The All-Stars tournament is a partner pool, round robin double elimination competition using the same rules as regular league. Two players from each team are chosen to represent their team.

Teams are encouraged to run any version of play off they choose between their own team members to determine who will represent their team during the tournament. A player who previously dropped out of the league due to a hardship can be included in the team member playoff as long as they have played in at least 25% of the season matches for that team but must win the position per team playoff procedures.

How End of League Payouts are Earned

The place a team finishes at the end of the season is based on the total number of games won throughout the season. All teams will receive a payout regardless of their finishing place. Per team payouts are to be distributed evenly amongst each team’s players. Payouts will be disbursed during the All-Stars tournament.

• 85% if all fees will go to team placing payouts. The actual payout per team placing is on a sliding scale based on the number of teams on the current season league. Example for a ten-team league:
  • 1^st           21%
  • 2^nd          17%
  • 3^rd           13%
  • 4^th           10%
  • 5^th           9%
  • 6^th           8%
  • 7^th           7%
  • 8^th           6%
  • 9^th           5%
  • 10^th         4%
• 10% of all fees will go to the All-Stars tournament
  • 44% to 1^st place
  • 33% to 2^nd place
  • 22% to 3^rd place
• 5% of all fees will go to League Operations. This pays for all league related necessities.

Official Dates

• Signup sheets should be posted at each participating sponsored locations by the end of August.
• There will be no scheduled Captain Meetings. If any Captain wants to, they can call for a Captain meeting to be scheduled to discuss concerns or other topics. If a team captain is unable to attend this meeting, then the co-captain must be there to represent the team instead. The designated meeting place will be the sponsor location for the league secretary.
• Signup will always end as of September 30^th.
• Official team roster must be completed and turned in to the league secretary with their sponsor fee and first match team fees.
• Official league play will always begin on the 2^nd Wednesday of October.
• Weekly Stats and Dues are to be turned into Pastime Tavern no later than midnight on the Saturday following the match.
• Changes to the roster will be allowed through November 30^th but must be communicated to the league secretary using the appropriate form.
• The All-Stars tournament will take place on the 2^nd Sunday after the last match of the season. This date is unknown without first knowing the number of teams for a given season.

Partner and Player Stat Participation – If you document it, I will track it and report it.

Only team stats are required to be tracked on the score sheet during a match. However, if you would like to participate in competing with other partner sets on the league, you must keep the same partner throughout the duration of the league for the stats to be at all meaningful. My program is good but cannot account for changing out partners. If you change out partners, it will be like starting over.

If you want to participate in tracking how well you are doing against other players on the league, make sure to fill in everything on the score sheet each time you have a turn at the table.

These stats are both only for additional friendly competition and bragging rights. There are no payouts for any partner or individual player category. Participation is highly encouraged to add to the fun of participating on the league.