(Rewritten and adopted on September 2, 2000)

(Revised on September 2, 2011)


MISSOURI HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

a unit of

The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America


The Missouri Horseshoe Pitchers Association (hereinafter referred to as the MOHPA, a division of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America hereinafter referred to as the NHPA) was reorganized on Sunday, May 21, 1950 at Municipal Park in Carthage, Missouri.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS


The MOHPA has agreed to conduct its activities according to the constitution and By-laws of the NHPA.

State Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, State Statistician and four Zone Directors. Length of terms shall be two years. The President, State Statistician, Zone 1 Director and Zone 4 Director will be elected in even numbered years. The Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Zone 2 Director and Zone 3 Director will be elected in odd numbered years. Officers shall begin their term of office on November 1 of the year they are elected.

The state shall be divided into four zones by a straight line drawn from U.S. Highway 65 at the Iowa state line to U.S. Highway 63 at the Arkansas state line and a straight line drawn from Missouri Highway 52 at the Kansas state line to the junction of U.S. Highway 67 and Interstate Highway 55. The zones and Zone Directors shall be designated as follows: Northwest - Zone 1; Northeast - Zone 2; Southwest - Zone 3; Southeast - Zone 4.

Officers who must travel away from home to attend the Missouri State Championship Tournament, shall be reimbursed a maximum of $60.00 per night by the MOHPA for lodging while they are in attendance. Officers and our NHPA Regional Director shall have the cost of their NHPA/MOHPA dues and NHPA magazine paid for by the MOHPA. The Secretary/Treasurer shall receive annually 50 cents per member as compensation for fulfilling his/her duties. The Statistician shall receive 20 cents per entry, to be paid annually, as compensation for fulfilling his/her duties.

The MOHPA shall conduct an annual state business meeting. The MOHPA officers will determine the time and the place, with the preferred time being during the weekend of the Missouri State Championship Tournament.

In the event the State Officers do not reach a majority vote on any business, the Missouri NHPA Regional Director may cast a deciding vote.

The State Newsletter Editor shall receive an honorarium each time a newsletter is published.

The President shall appoint members to our State Hall of Fame Committee. This committee shall be empowered to induct persons into our Hall of Fame during our annual meeting. A vote of our state membership is not required.

The Constitution and By-Laws or Rules shall be changed only:

a. When a majority of the State Officers agree to change the wording without any change in the effectiveness. Such changes will be publicized by posting them at the Missouri State Championship Tournament or publishing them in Shoe Biz.

b. When a proposal is approved by a majority vote of MOHPA members present at the annual state business meeting.

c. When a request is received for a mail in vote on a proposal and the proposal is approved for mailing by a majority of the MOHPA Officers. Upon the officer's approval a ballot will be furnished to the MOHPA Membership via Shoe Biz or the U.S. Mail setting a voting deadline. All eligible votes must be received no later than 7 days after the deadline. A majority vote for the proposal must be received in order to effect a change.


RULES

1. Each entrant in a tournament conducted by the MOHPA must hold a combined state and national membership card, which may be obtained from the State Secretary/Treasurer. State dues are $11.00 per year for adults. Juniors are free. The cost of the NHPA card shall be determined each year by adding NHPA and MOHPA dues, plus the cost of NHPA insurance.

2. Bidding for the Missouri State Championship Tournament:

a. No bid for less than $500.00 shall be accepted. The cash bid will be treated as a deposit and will be refunded to the host when all obligations have been met.

b. Bids shall be received in writing and voted on during the annual state business meeting of the year preceding the tournament.

c. If no bids are presented at the annual meeting, the State President shall determine a mail in deadline for bidding from all areas of the state. When mail in bids are received the State Officers shall meet and determine the site for the next tournament. In the event that no mail in bids are received, the State Officers shall be empowered to find a site willing to host the tournament and the tournament will be funded from entry fees received.

3. Arrangements for all tournaments conducted by the MOHPA must be made at least 90 days in advance. All bid money shall be deposited with the MOHPA at least 90 days prior to the tournament.

4. Qualifying for the Missouri State Championship Tournament shall be as follows:

a. Adult pitchers will be placed into the tournament according to their NatStats average at the close of the 12 month entry window. Their NatStats record must show participation in at least three sanctioned events during this period. A sanctioned league average of 400 shoes or more is considered an event. Junior pitchers require only one sanctioned average during the same period. Pitchers not able to meet entry requirements because of health reasons will have their situations reviewed on a case by case basis by the State Officers.

b. Pitchers who have been MOHPA and NHPA members for a total of two years or less, and who have not previously participated in a state tournament, may enter by one of the following methods if unable to complete three sanctioned events by the entry deadline.

(1) One or two sanctioned tournament averages.

(2) A sanctioned league average based on 400 shoes or more.

(3) They submit with their entry form a score sheet with 200 consecutive shoes pitched (100 for juniors). The score sheet must be witnessed and signed by two NHPA members.

5. Eligibility requirements for all other sanctioned tournaments shall be determined by the tournament director. Entering averages shall be determined by using NHPA By-laws Article XII, Section 3. (NOTE This information can be found in the blue NHPA By-laws booklet).

6. An entry fee of $5.00 or more shall be charged for all sanctioned tournaments.

7. Each tournament director wanting to apply for a sanction must contact our NHPA Regional Director for a sanction number and patches.

8. NHPA rules shall prevail at all sanctioned tournaments conducted by the MOHPA.

9. Any member in good standing is eligible to hold a sanctioned tournament and will receive all the help the officers of the MOHPA can conveniently give.

10. Breaking Ties:

a. In case of a two-way tie for first place in any class at the Missouri State Championship Tournament, one playoff game will decide the winner. First place ties of three persons will be decided by a ladder type playoff, with the two lower average pitchers meeting in the first match and the winner playing the high average pitcher for the title. First place ties of four pitchers will be settled by using the ringer percentage from round robin play and having the highest percentage pitcher play the lowest percentage pitcher, while the second and third highest play each other. The winners of those two games will then play one game for the class championship. Third and fourth place will be determined by final ringer percentage for the event. In case of five or more persons tied for first place, there will not be a pitch off. Places will be determined by ringer percentage achieved during round robin play. The highest ringer percentage will be awarded first place in the class, with the other places awarded in descending order of their ringer percentages. In the case of identical ringer percentages, who beat whom will serve as the second tie breaker.

b. In sanctioned tournaments other than the Missouri State Championship Tournament, all ties shall be settled by who beat whom, ringer percentage, playoff or other methods. The tournament director or committee shall decide how ties are to be broken and announce the method before play begins.

11. Allowances:

a. Scorekeepers at all sanctioned tournaments shall be paid at least 50 cents per game. Each player must pay before the game starts unless they have prepaid their score keeping fees as part of their entry fee.

b. Computer operators and judges at the Missouri State Championship Tournament shall be entitled to $10.00 per shift worked. Elected MOHPA officers are excluded from payment for these services.

12. All pitchers participating in the Missouri State Fair Open and the Missouri State Championship Tournament must wear a shirt with their name neatly lettered on the back. Otherwise, the pitcher will be asked to leave the courts.

13. The MOHPA will pay for engraving plates on all Missouri State Championship Tournament traveling trophies.

14. The MOHPA will pay for the pages of stats, pictures and records that are included in the Missouri State Championship Tournament Souvenir Program Book.

15. The MOHPA will donate $3.00 for every adult member that is on our membership list as of September 1st of the current year to the host of the State Championship Tournament. The host may use this money to defray expenses or in any other manner they choose. Note: The condition of any borrowed MOHPA owned courts or equipment will be assessed before payment is made. The cost of repairing or replacing items will be deducted from our payment.