Illegal, Ineligible Players

Mar Opening Week of Season

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Out-of-Division Match Outcome

Reversed from 13-6 to 12 - (-12)

Somebody usually makes a bonehead move in the early weeks of the Season, but this is the first time we've seen it like this. As luck would have it this Season, however, no real damage is done to either team except for the embarrassment of being used as an example of "how not to do it" here on Page 1.

Maximum Tonnage went on the road and, to look at the score sheet, whupped up on O.H.S.H.I.T., but a closer look at the roster shows two illegal players for Max and one ineligible player for O.H.S.H.I.T.

How Do We Penalize Thee?

Let Us Count the Ways...

The Match Reports (above) detail the sad decline of Maximum Tonnage from winners to (really big) losers. In the first report, taken directly from the score sheet, shows an even Match through the singles legs; a sweep of 601 gave Max a comfortable lead going into doubles Cricket. They got their (apparent) Match Dart in that leg and went on to take the 701 for an (apparent) final score of 13-6.

Ah, but wait a minute here... it seems that Max has listed two illegal players on the roster and O.H.S.H.I.T. has an ineligible player listed in 701. (An illegal player is one who is neither paid for nor approved for League play; an ineligible player is one who, in this case, did not play in the singles legs and therefore may not play in the doubles or team legs.)

Yow! This is gonna change things pretty radically!

Max's illegal players, Bryan Parker and Reese Jamison, were both listed in all legs of the Match. Penalties are assessed thusly: Every game played by an illegal and won is awarded to the opposing team. In addition, win or lose, the illegal player(s)'s team is penalized the point value of the game(s) played by the illegal player(s).

In 301, Parker and Jamison both won, so we subtract four (4) points from Max's original score (one each for the win - credited to O.H.S.H.I.T. and one each for them just playing). This makes 301 a 4-0 sweep for O.H.S.H.I.T.. Score now 4 - (-2).

In Cricket, both illegals played, but only Parker won. Max's other Cricket win was claimed by Captain Frank Lin. This gives O.H.S.H.I.T. a 3-1 win of the leg and Max gets an additional two penalty points. Score through singles 7 - (-3).

In 601, Jamison and Parker were paired with Lin and Ray White (another legal, if odd player), respectively and both pairings won. Max's four point gain now becomes a net loss of four points. Score now O.H.S.H.I.T. 11, Maximum Tonnage (-7).

And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'

Coming now into doubles Cricket, Parker and Jamison were paired and "won." The score sheet indicates Jamison hit Match Dart, but sadly, this ain't quite the happenin' thang. Give those two points to O.H.S.H.I.T. and hit up Max for another two points. Score through doubles 15 - (-9).

When in Rome...

Now we come to 701, wherein both teams were over the edge. We still have Max's illegals listed and now comes O.H.S.H.I.T. with an ineligible player, Bob Rankl. No points are awarded for the game to either team and both teams take a three-point penalty, making the final score O.H.S.H.I.T. 12, Maximum Tonnage (-12)

The Proverbial Bottom Line

If this had been a "real" Match (i.e., a Match that counted in Divisional standings), Maximum Tonnage would be coming into this week with a negative 12 point record, effectively taking one full week of Season play from them and flushing it down the loo. As it happens, the way this Season is designed, nothing other than Hot Shots and Perfect Throws count, so both teams come into tonight's play (along with A Good B Team, which had a BYE last week) the same way we all did last week - zero points all around.

We really hate to assess penalties for public stupidity, brain farts and other early signs of senility, but we guarantee we will be chewing through the score sheets like a cocaine-crazed wombat. ferreting out aliens and other undesirables.

What They Should Have Done

Captain Lin of Maximum Tonnage apologized on the back of last week's score sheet for "not being able to get in touch with" the Executive Board regarding the addition of Parker and Jamison to his team. As of presstime (earlier today), he had not contacted our beloved (or is that befuddled?) Treasurer, Sam Lamson, to get the approval ball rolling.

Some Rules and Definitions

To be eligible to play in the Bull City Dart League, a player must be listed on their team's roster and paid for at the pre-Season Registration Meeting. Divisional assignments are based on these rosters. To add a player after that point, some very important things have to happen: the League Treasurer must be contacted; the Executive Board (notified by the Treasurer) must approve addition of the new player(s); and the new player(s) must have been paid for. All of this must occur prior to listing the player(s) on a team roster.

As you have seen earlier in this article, penalties can be severe for failing to follow the drill.

Illegal Player: A player who has not been rostered before the Season; a player who, after the start of the Season, has not been approved by the Executive Board and has been paid for prior to throwing their first dart in Match play. An illegal is also a player who has been ejected from the League for cause or who has played for one team and transfers to another in the same Season.

Ineligible Player: A player who participates in the doubles or team legs without first having played in at least one singles leg.