WPHPA Rules
Robert Matthews:Contact Email
Western Pennsylvania Horseshoe Pitching Association
Welcomes All
Constitution and
By-Laws
Constitution and By-Laws of the
Horseshoe Pitchers’ Association, Inc.
Preamble
In as much
as the sport of horseshoe pitching affords the opportunity to promote a
concentrated and direct effort from which all participants can obtain a
healthier environment leading to a competitive sport suitable to all persons,
we, the horseshoe pitchers of Pennsylvania, in order to promote and foster this
sport, and to assist and help conduct events of a state wide interest, do
hereby establish the following Constitution and By-Laws for the Western
Pennsylvania Horseshoe Pitchers’ Association, Inc.
Constitution
Article I – Name
The name of
the Association shall be the “Western Pennsylvania Horseshoe
Pitchers’ Association, Inc.”, hereinafter referred to as “The
Association”.
Article II – Purpose
The purpose
of this Association shall be to promote and foster the sport of horseshoe
pitching throughout the state of
Article III – Membership
The
requirements of membership shall be set out in the By-Laws.
Article IV – Affiliation
Section 1
This
association operates under a charter assigned by the National Horseshoe
Pitchers’ Association, referred to as the N.H.P.A.
Section 2
The rules
of the N.H.P.A. will govern all matters not specified in the constitution and
By-Laws of this association.
Article V – Officers
Section 1
The officers
of the Association shall consist of President, Vice-President and
Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 2
These
officers are to be elected bi-annually by a majority ballot vote of all voting
members and shall hold office until and including the regular annual meeting of
the Association held on odd numbered years.
Section 3
The method
of nomination, election, and related details shall be set out in the By-Laws.
Article VI – Representatives
Section 1
Representatives
shall be elected from the membership to serve on the Executive Council
(explained in Article IX).
Section 2
They shall
be elected bi-annually by a majority ballot vote of all voting members and
shall hold office until and including the regular annual meeting of the
Association held on the next even numbered year.
Section 3
The number
of Representatives, method of nomination, election, and other related details
shall be set out in the By-Laws
Article VII – Duties of the Officers
President –
The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings and to
administer the business of the Association, to pass on any obligations, and to
handle other duties that may come to his attention in promoting the best
interest of the Association, and to co-sign all warrants.
Vice-President – The
Vice President shall have the same duties as the President, but shall assume
them only in the absence of the President.
Specific details of duties shall be set out in the By-Laws.
Secretary-Treasurer –
The duties for the Secretary-Treasurer shall be to keep accurate minutes, act
as custodian of all funds of the Association, co-sign all warrants for
Association expenditures, keep financial records of Association funds, and
attend to correspondence and any other duties which may come to his attention as
necessary to promote the best interests of the Association. Specific details of duties shall be set
out in the By-Laws.
Article VIII – Duties of the Representatives
These
Representatives shall serve on the Executive Council and shall represent various
geographic sections throughout the state.
They shall serve and assist the officers of the Association in such
matters as to promote the best interest of the Association.
Article IX – Executive Council
The elected
officers and representatives shall constitute the Executive Council. It shall act on behalf of the
Association as specified in the Constitution and By-Laws.
Article X – Committees
The
President shall appoint committees as he decides they are necessary.
Article XI – By-Laws
Section 1
The
Association may adopt By-Laws when approved by a majority of the members in
good standing present at the regular annual meeting.
Section 2
The
requirements to amend and/or adopt will be set up in the By-Laws
Article XII – Meetings
Section 1
The regular
annual meeting of the Association members shall be held at the site of the
State Tournament. The President
will notify members of the time and place of the regular annual meeting when
the State Tournament is held in the East.
Meeting should be away from pitching times. President and State Tournament committee
should choose the time the meeting is to be held. The meeting will last until all
Association business is concluded.
Section 2
The President
may call other meetings by notifying all members in good standing of the time,
place, and purpose of the meeting at least two weeks before the meeting.
Section 3
No changes
in the Constitution and/or By-Laws will be considered unless a minimum of 10
members are present and voting.
Section 4
“Roberts
Rules of Order”, revised and reading as follows, will govern the order of
conduct of all meetings:
1.
Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting
2.
Approval, addition, or correction of the minutes
3.
Reading of the financial report
4.
Report for officer, boards, and standing committees.
5.
Report of special committees.
6.
Memorandum of the President
7.
Unfinished business
8.
New business
9.
Report of good and welfare work
10.
Report results of Election and Installation of new
Officers
11.
Adjournment
Article XIII – Amendments
Section 1
This
Constitution may be amended by a minimum of two-thirds affirmative vote by all
voting members present at the regular annual meeting.
Section 2
Any
proposed Constitutional amendment can only be considered as stated in Article
XXI
End of Constitution
By-Laws
Article XIV –
Membership
Section 1
Any
reputable person, regardless of race, sex, creed, color or pitching ability
that has his/her principal residence in Pennsylvania may become a member of the
Western Pennsylvania Horseshoe Pitchers Association, Inc., upon payment of the
dues of the Association plus those of the National Pitchers’ Association
(hereafter referred to as N.H.P.A.).
Section 2
The
Association dues may be ratified or changed at the regular annual
meetings. If no such action is
taken, the dues shall remain the same as the preceding year.
Section 3
Annual
Association dues are $20.00 for adult tournament players, $15 for adult
non-tournament players and $8 for juniors
Section 4
Each member
in good standing shall be entitled to one vote in the affairs of the
Association at any meeting of the members.
Junior members may vote but are not permitted to hold office in the
Association.
Section 5
A member in
good standing must be accorded all rights and privileges extended by affiliated
clubs and Associations.
Section 6
A member
may be suspended for:
a.
Non-payment of dues or fees
b.
Willfully violating the Constitution or By-Laws of the
Association
c.
By participating in the tournament under an assumed
name, being guilty of fraud, fixing games, or conduct unbecoming a member.
d.
For directly or indirectly betting on a contestant or
self, when entered in the competition.
e.
For consistently violating the rules and standards set
up by the N.H.P.A. and the Association.
For all but the first violation (a), a member may be suspended for a period of
one year. Members suspended for
non-payment of dues and fees shall be reinstated upon such payment of dues and
fees. No members shall be suspended
until given a fair trial before the Executive Council.
Article XV –
Representatives
Section 1
The general
membership shall be represented on the Executive Council by one representative
nominated by each of the charter’s recognized clubs and also one
representative at large for the members not belonging to a recognized club in
the charter. The size of the
council depends on the number of recognized clubs holding sanctioned
tournaments within the association’s geographical boundaries of
Section 2
The female
membership shall be represented on council by a minimum of one member of that
sex.
Section 3
If for some
reason the required representatives cannot be nominated by the charter clubs,
the President shall appoint other members to represent those clubs in order to
meet the requirements of the by-laws.
Article XVI – Executive
Council
Section 1
The
Executive Council is an administrative – judicial body empowered to act
on all matters not specified in the Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 2
The
President shall act as chairman.
All necessary meetings shall be called by the President.
Section 3
More than
half of the Council’s members present shall be necessary for quorum.
Section 4
Each member
of the Council shall have one vote, and the majority shall rule. Ties will be
broken by the President’s decision.
Section 5
In matters
that the President shall decide are urgent enough for immediate action, the
President shall poll the Council by mail or phone without having a formal
meeting. In this situation, all
members of the Council must be notified.
Section 6
The Executive
Council shall also be the judicial body and shall define and interpret the
Constitution and By-Laws. Technical
points shall be submitted in writing for decisions, and the ruling declared
official.
Section 7
Should any
member of the Council (with the exception of the President) not be able to
fulfill his responsibilities due to death, resignation, suspension, or movement
to out the state residence, his position shall be filled by an appointee
(preferably nominated by the club they represent) for the duration of the term
by the President.
Section 8
Minutes
shall be kept of all meeting by the Secretary-Treasurer and are to be made
available upon demand by any member of the Association.
Section 9
Any member
in good standing that wished to have their name placed on the ballot for any of
the state offices, must have submitted their name to the Secretary Treasurer in
writing for the office they wish to run for prior to the start of the annual
state meeting in which the election is to be held. This shall include all incumbent
officers and club reps. Offices
include: President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Club
Representatives from each of the charter’s recognized clubs and also one
Representative at Large (for members not belonging to a recognized club).
Article XVII – Sanctioned
Tournaments
Section 1
– General Rules
a.
Requests for State and NHPA sanctions shall be made
through the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association. The usual requirements shall be that all
members of sanctioned classes belong to the State and NHPA Associations and
that the event adheres to the requirements set up by the State and NHPA.
b.
NHPA rules will govern all events that are sanctioned
by the Association, with the exception of those stated in the Constitution and
By-Laws of the Association.
c.
All tournaments conducted in the State shall collect
via the tournament director, a tax payable to the Secretary-Treasurer of the
Association for the purpose of providing support for the State Tournament and
promoting the Association. This tax
shall be $2.00 per person per tournament and shall remain in effect until
changed at the regular annual meeting.
The tax does not apply for Junior members
entering at a reduced entry fee.
d.
All Contestants in any sanctioned event shall be
members in good standing of the Association or another state Association.
e.
Pitchers must have shirts with their name and hometown
neatly displayed on the back.
f.
Contestants must enter with an average of their three
highest ringer percentages in all sanctioned tournament they pitched in the
preceding 12 months of entry deadline. Alternately an NHPA Sanctioned Club or
League Average may be used if it covers 400 or more shoes pitched.
g.
First place will be determined by a ladder type singe
game play-off. All other positions
shall be determined by ringer percentage.
h.
A minimum $10.00 entry fee for adult players (no
minimum for juniors) and a $1.00 score-keeping fee from each contestant per
game is required.
i.
As
a courtesy, all members are allowed to drop-out of one sanctioned tournament
per year without penalty because of health problems and still receive credit
for the tournament as long as half of the scheduled games have been
completed. A legitimate reason must
be provided to the tournament director and the final decision to give credit
for the tournament will be made by the tournament director of that event. No other credits for incomplete
tournaments will be awarded once a member has used up this one-time annual
allowance.
i.
Any rule changes shall be approved at the annual state meeting.
Section 2
– State Championship Tournament
a.
The site of the State Horseshoe Tournament shall be
decided by the members at the regular annual meeting from sealed-monetary bids
submitted to the Association. To
host the State Tournament, a club must have a minimum of 13-lighted
courts. The facilities and staff
will be adequate.
b.
A minimum of $50.00 can only be accepted from any
bidders. If said bidder does not
receive the bid to host the State Tournament, the bid money will be returned to
losing bidder or bidders. Bidder
who received bid to host the State Tournament – bid money goes to
Association. No bids will be
considered unless the following conditions are met:
1. The facilities
and staff will be adequate
2.
Guarantee a minimum of $1500.00 cash prize fund plus awards
c.
The President will have the responsibility of placing
the tournament, if no such bids are presented.
d.
The tournament committee will consist of the executive
council of the Association, along with no more than 6 members of the Host
Club. The President of the
Association shall represent the Association by being responsible for the
conduct and administration of the State Tournament.
e.
The tournament committee shall submit to the President
a detailed tournament program in writing listing anticipated prize money
distribution, conduct of classes, awards distribution, and anticipated general
costs of the tournament. These
records shall be made public at the annual meeting.
f.
Adult contestants must reside in
g.
The championship men’s class shall consist of
the top 16 entries in that division, playing a 16 player round robin over two
days. The class size for all other
division’s championship classes will be determined by the tournament
director, advised by the tournament committee as needed, and will be based on
the number of entries per division, with the intention and obligation of making
those divisions as fair as possible for all participants. Players in
all other lower classes in each division shall be seeded by their previously
established ringer percentage. The
tournament will be conducted in a round robin fashion, with each contestant
required to compete with every other contestant in their class. Subsequent classes shall be added to
each division to accommodate all entries.
h.
Games won and lost shall determine the position of the
players. The winner of this
division shall be crowned the “Pennsylvania Horseshoe Pitching
Champion” and the association shall recognize no other player as said
Champion.
Section 3 –
Indoor State Tournament
a.
We will also hold an Indoor Championship at one of the
indoor clubs yearly. All classes will be
mixed and the tournament will have one championship class. The
winner of this class will be the PA Indoor State Champion. (The outdoor
state champions are considered State Champions, and the indoor champion will be
recognized as simply Indoor State Champion.)
b. Adult
contestants must reside in
Article XVIII – Specific Duties
of the Vice President
Section 1
He shall
coordinate all tournament directors of the charter clubs.
Section 2
Hold
Tournament Directors meeting yearly to formulate next years schedule, etc.
Article XIX – Specific Duties
of the Secretary-Treasurer
Section 1
He shall
handle all business associated with the NHPA including NHPA cards for new
members, annual membership renewals, tournament sanction certificates, awards
and jackets for future State champions and the administration of the annual Ed
Blum Award.
Section 2
Expose events through the Association Newsletter and the NHPA. The Pitcher’s Pulse will be
the official newsletter of the Association. There will be a minimum of two issues of
The Pitcher’s Pulse annually, to be printed and dispersed in
approximately early April and early September prior to the start of the next
season. Each club is to submit an
article about their club for print in The Pitcher’s Pulse.
Section 3
He shall handle,
or direct, all statewide newspaper publicity for the State.
Section 4
He shall
submit a written financial report of the fiscal year (October 1 thru September
30) to all Association clubs and Executive council members.
Section 5
He shall
have the authority to designate agents such that the above responsibilities are
faithfully discharged.
Article XX - Specific Duties of
State Statistician
Section 1
State
Statistician shall keep all records of all reports from each tournament held in
the Association, and report same to Nat Stats (NHPA). He shall also keep accurate records of
State Point Challenge and Ed Blum Memorial Awards programs in the Association,
so that the awards can be presented at the State Meeting.
Article XXI – Annual
Stipends
Section 1
The
President shall receive $75.00, the Vice-President shall receive $75.00, the
Secretary-Treasurer shall receive $2.00 per member, and the State Statistician
shall receive $75.00. All executive
council members shall receive mileage to and from the site of the state
tournament. Mileage
to be paid at the IRS rate for the current year.
Section 2
The
stipends can only be changed by the members at a regular annual meeting.
Article XXII – Amendment
Procedure
Section 1
Constitutional
and/or By-Law amendments.
a.
Any member in good standing may propose additions or
changes either in writing or at the annual membership meeting.
b.
Proposed changes must be seconded and passed by a
majority of voting members at the meeting.
c.
Amendments may be made to a proposed change when approved
by the membership prior to the vote on the original proposed change.
End of By-Laws
Last
updated 6/24/06