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Bowling Tournaments
of The americas
Association
1830 N. University Drive

#208
Plantation, FL 33322 USA
Phone:  954-577-9948
Fax: 954-688-2045

 

 

 

 

 

 
Tournament of The Americas
Rules

Lee Evans Tournament of The Americas

Rules and General Information 2020

1. The 58th  Annual Lee Evans Bowling Tournament of the Americas officially begins Sunday, July 26, 2020 with Registration, Official Practice, pictures and Opening Ceremonies. Competition begins Monday, July 27, 2020 and ends Friday, July 31, 2020. This tournament will be sanctioned by USBC.

2. All competition will be on a scratch basis.

3.  An unlimited number of teams in each divisions may be entered for any represented country.  Teams may be of mixed countries if needed.  In the case of more than one team representing a country, once a team roster has been entered at registration time there will be no change in the members of a team after Sunday evening, except where substitutions are allowed by rule 24.

4. Adult division representation shall consist of 4 team members of any gender for each designated nation and territory participating .

       4S. Senior division representation shall consist 4 team members of any gender for each designated nation

             and territory participating in each age division.  The Senior Division will have two age divisions.   

              a. Senior division team members must be at least 50 years of age before the first day of the tournament.

              b. SuperSenior division team members must be at least 60 years of age before the first day of the

                  tournament.

        4J.  Junior division representation shall consist of 4 team members of any gender for each designated

               nation or territory or mixed country team participating in each age division.  The Junior Division will

               have three age divisions.

             a.  Juniors in  “A” Division  (U20)should be at least sixteen (16) years of age as of January 1 of the year

                  of competition and must be no older than nineteen (19) and 364 days (under 20) on January 1 of the

                  year of the competition.

             b.  Juniors in “B” Division (U16) should be at least twelve (12) years of age as of January 1 of the year

                  of competition and must be no older than fifteen (15) and 364 days on January 1 (under 16) of the

                  year of the competition.

            c.   Juniors in “C” Division (U12) must be no older than eleven and 364 days on January 1 (under 12) of

                  the year of the competition.

            d.  Junior conduct is the responsibility of each delegate if present. Delegates are required to enforce rules

                  for their junior bowlers. Any delegate who cannot control their junior representatives subjects their

                  bowlers to disqualification from the competition.  

            e.  Smoking and drinking during the competition or any activities of the tournament is prohibited

                  for all juniors.

Note: If a country does not have a complete team in any division, they may field an incomplete team or combine it with bowlers of other represented countries.  These bowlers will participate in all scheduled events in order to be eligible for awards in Singles, Individual All Events and the appropriate Team, or Doubles event. 

5. The Bowling Tournaments of The Americas Association reserves the right to refuse any entry  or extend an invitation to bowl to any bowling entity or individual.

 NOTE: Qualification for representation shall be determined by the invited organizations  given responsibility by the Bowling Tournaments of The Americas Association for organizing participating bowlers or the Bowling Tournaments of The Americas Association itself.   Entries are open to all bowlers without entry by their country's Federation by acceptance of the Bowling Tournament of The Americas Association.

NOTE: United States citizens permanently residing in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are eligible to represent the commonwealth or territory of their residence but may not represent the 50 states, other than in teams made up of mixed countries.

6.  Upon submitting an entry, participants agree that the  BTAA, or portions there of, may be photographed, broadcast, recorded, televised, or otherwise exhibited to the public and they hereby consent and agree there to and to the use and the license to others to use their respective names, voice, sketch, photo, rebroadcast, or other exhibition or reproduction of the tournament or reproduction of the tournament or any part there of and in any advertisement, publicity or promotion thereof to release all rights, title and interest they or any of them may have hereafter, waving forever and claim or right to compensation or other consideration on account of such use, exhibition or reproduction.

7. Entry fees will be $275.00 (U.S.) for Adult, Senior and Junior bowlers to compete in official tournament events. These fees will cover all practice and official competition bowling, one official shirt, one welcome party and gift bag and one Award Banquet ticket.  Regular lane fees will apply during any unscheduled practice sessions. Delegate/Coach will be $100.00 (U.S.) - does not include a shirt: Guests fee will be $65 per guest and includes all except bowling and an official shirt. All entry fees should be paid prior to Official Practice and Opening Ceremonies. Fees will be accepted in cash or major credit card.  No checks for entry fees will be accepted unless received 2 weeks prior to tournament or special acceptance by the tournament director.

8. Winners in Team, doubles, singles, and all events shall be determined by total pin fall. This rule applies to Adult, Senior, Super Senior and all Junior bowlers.

            a. The term "all events" shall include a total of all 26 games bowled in competition - Team

                 (8), doubles (6) and singles (12); Adult, Senior, Super Senior and all Junior divisions.

NOTE: Bowlers who cannot compete in an event due to their team's incomplete representation will bowl at the same time the regular event is rolled. Every bowler will be assigned a lane so his or her score will count toward the number of games required for all events. For equal representation on the lanes, pacers may be provided.

9. In the event of a tie for medal position in first place in team, doubles, singles and all events, two first place medals will be awarded with a third place medal awarded but no second place award.  Second and third place ties will be awarded appropriately - a tie in second place will result in each team/bowler receiving identical second place medals and no third place will then be awarded, a tie in third place will result in each team/bowler receiving identical third place medals.

10. Medals will be awarded in each division to those full teams finishing among the first three placed in Doubles or Team event. Duplicate medals will be awarded to all members of doubles and teams finishing among the top three only if a full team is in competition.

11. Hi score awards will be given for men and women - Adult, Senior, Super Senior and all Junior divisions - for highest set and highest game score bowled during the tournament. Scores for awards given by USBC to its members will be filed by the Tournament office if following conditions are met: bowlers/delegates must make tournament office aware of USBC eligible award scores bowled immediately following game set in which award scores were bowled. Bowlers must complete and return required application forms to be eligible for these awards. Should any event be conducted in sets of more than three games, only the first or second set of three games for each day of competition will count toward high set honors. Where 6 games per day are bowled it will be considered to be two sets of three games. Where 4 games are bowled in a day, only games 1,2,3 will be eligible for the award.

12. Bowling balls will be checked, or certified by the teams official coach or delegate, for compliance with weight and balance regulations and must be on the "approved ABC" ball list within time limits as set forth by the WTBA and may be called for checking at any time during the tournament at the discretion of tournament officials. Bowling balls found not in compliance at any time during the competition will be disqualified for use in competition play and scores bowled that day will be counted at zero. Altering the surface of the bowling ball is allowed in a designated area during the official practice session, during the practice session, immediately preceding a competition round, and between competition rounds. A player may not alter the surface of the bowling ball during a game.

13. Participants shall report to Lanes in time to start competition promptly. A bowler arriving late will be permitted to bowl with his or her score beginning with the frame being bowled when he or she is ready to bowl. Bowlers will NOT be permitted to make up missed frames or games and will receive a "0" score for each frame missed.

14. Slow bowling (in accordance with WTBA rules) - Players preparing to step on the approach and deliver a ball shall have the right to claim right of way only over a player moving to the approach or preparing to bowl on the lane immediately to their left; they shall yield to a player on their right. Players shall be ready to bowl when it is their turn. If a player does not observe the procedures, it may be construed as slow bowling. A player failing to observe these procedures shall be warned by an authorized tournament official as follows:

      a. A white card for the first offense (no penalty).
      b. A yellow card for the second offense (no penalty).
      c. A red card for the third and each succeeding offense in any block of games (six games for singles,

           doubles, mixed doubles or team). The penalty shall be zero pin fall for the frame.

For interpretation of the enforcement of this rule, the Lane Marshal shall specifically monitor any player or team that gets more than four frames behind the leader in singles, doubles or mixed doubles or more than two frames behind in team. Whenever there is any question concerning the enforcement of this rule, or lack thereof, the final decision shall be made by the Tournament Director or her designee, notwithstanding the reference to the Lane Marshal in WTBA Rule 4.21.

15. DELEGATES: Each country may appoint an official Delegate, who will be deemed by the tournament to represent the interests of the entered country's team, in all matters. Their responsibilities will include registering their team, insuring that all fees due from each team are paid before tournament competition, insuring the entered team is aware of and follows all tournament rules, attending meetings, seeing that score sheets are signed by their bowlers, any paperwork required and score sheets are completed and turned in promptly, and requesting substitution of players. Delegates shall wear official tournament uniform. This rule will apply to any Team Captains appointed, in the absence of a Coach or Delegate, to represent a team or teams.

16. No food or drinks will be allowed in the bowlers' circle during participation in tournament competition. No smoking or drinking of alcoholic beverages will be allowed by any participant when competition is in progress.  Smoking and/or the consumption of alcoholic beverages by anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited by Florida law at any time.

17. Official tournament uniforms must be worn during tournament competition and for Opening Ceremonies. The "Official shirt" is that which has been designated by the Tournament Director.  Allowed badges, pins, ribbons and patches must not obscure names on tournament shirts. Badges, patches, or pins must be authorized by the tournament officials. In general, only Tournament of The Americas or our sponsors' logos will be allowed on shirts.   If a full team is sponsored by another entity, permission must be granted by the Tournament Director before any patch is permitted to be placed on shirt or displayed in any way.  

Men/Boys are to wear black trousers or black athletic pants.   Men/Boys will not be permitted to wear shorts.  Women/Girls are to wear black skirts, black dress shorts, or  black "split skirts" to match tournament shirts. Women/Girls will not be permitted to wear slacks.   In the case of Women's/Junior Women's/Senior or Super Senior Women’s divisions, all members of a team must be dressed in like garments on any given day in doubles or team - that is, if one women wears shorts, both must wear shorts on that day except in Singles event, however, each division may be different or same by their choice.

18. Adult, Senior, Super Senior, all and Junior bowlers will move one pair of lanes to the right after each game of a six game block. 

Note: An Effort will be made to vary pairs of lanes for different days as much as possible

19.  A bowler shall not be eligible to participate in the tournament if:

           1.  He or she does not qualify under Rule 17.
           2.  He or she is a junior not qualifying under Rule 3J.
           3.   He or she is entered as a senior not qualifying under Rule 3S.
           4.   His or her conduct is detrimental to the best interest of the Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas.

      Rule 19-4. also applies to Delegates and Coaches.

20. Starting lanes in each event for bowlers will be determined by draw by the tournament officials.  Beginning with the second day of competition in any event, bowlers will be grouped, when possible, according to standings through the previous day of that event of the competition.

21. Each bowler in singles, or team captain in doubles and team events, will be given a score sheet at the beginning of each squad for the event scheduled during that squad.

     a. Official scorekeepers, or if not available then bowlers or Delegates, may fill in appropriate results and

           totals on score sheets.

     b. Bowlers are responsible to see that scores are correct on the overhead scoreboard and score sheets are

          filled in properly, completely and accurately. Do not leave your assigned lanes before completely

          checking your score sheet. It will be the responsibility of each delegate to see that their bowlers sign their

           individual score sheets and have them returned to the designated place.

     c. Game score entries will be considered correct and official once the scores are automatically entered into

           the computer.  Games score entries will not be changed other than for obvious errors in addition brought

           to the tournament officials' attention before the next day start of bowling . 

22. The Tournament of the Americas will operate in general accordance with rules and guidelines issued by the World Tenpin Bowling Association, PABCON and United States Bowling Congress, except where the Tournament of The Americas has made a specific rule.

     a. Penalties for rule violations, when the rule does not specify a penalty, are governed as follows:

          1. A player failing to observe a rule(s) shall be warned by an authorized tournament official with a yellow

              card for first offense (no penalty).
          2. For a second offense in the tournament, the player will be disqualified from the tournament.
          3. All red card offenses shall be reported by the Tournament Director to PABCON.

    b. Problems and questions of rule interpretation should be brought to the immediate attention of the

         tournament director as they occur.

    c. The tournament director reserves the right to rule interpretation and their decisions shall be final unless an

         appeal is made USBC in accordance with applicable rules.

23. Only competing bowlers, official scorekeepers, delegates, official coaches (in uniform) and official tournament personnel are permitted in bowler's seating area during competition. When competition begins, coaches will be permitted in the bowler seating area but not on the lanes. In no case, is bowling to be held up because of coaching.

24. Substitution of entered players unable to bowl by reason of accident or illness will be allowed during competition. Substitutes may not be members of another entered team. The official Delegate, or in the absence of such, a coach or Team Captain, must make a request for substitution to the Tournament Director or Coordinator. All required forms must be in order and submitted by the delegate to the Tournament Office before a substitute may bowl. A substitute bowler’s scores will not be added to the originally entered player's scores during any event being bowled when the substitution occurs or for individual All Events. Once a substitute player is entered on a team, the original entrant may not return for the balance of the competition.

25. The Tournament of The Americas reserves the right to extend an invitation to enter players to bowling entities other than a country's Federation to represent a county or to individuals to represent their country (in accordance with rule 5) in the Tournament for any of  the divisions or teams not filled by a participating Federation.

National Acceptance form for invited Federations/Associations is due by April 15, 2020.  Names of team members from Federations are due June 15, 2020 unless granted an extension by the Bowling Tournaments of The Americas Association Tournament Director.   All other forms should follow promptly or as required by dates designated on forms unless granted an extension .  In general, all forms should be submitted by July 1, 2020.

26.  If any discrepancy occurs due to translation or omissions in rules in another language, the rules in English will take precedence.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paulette Watson, President & Tournament Director  @bowlingamericas.com

en espanol:  David LaConcha, Vice President & Tournament Coordinator:  [email protected]