Article I: Name

The name of this association shall be "Antiques Baseball Club", herafter call the Club.

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the Club is to provide an organization of volunteers who develop and promote opportunities for like-minded individuals to play baseball in a spirit of friendly competition. We respect the game of baseball, our opponents, our teammates, our supporters, umpires and other officials, and those who organize the leagues and tournaments in which we participate. We endeavor to play as well as we can, but understand that wining or losing is not as important as playing.

The Club organizes and fields teams in a variety of regular-season leagues and in local, regional, and national tournaments.

Article III: Membership

III.1 Definitions

The Club defines members in the following categories:

• Playing members are individuals who belong to the roster of one or more teams in the Club.
• Associate members are individuals who choose to affiliate with the Club, but are not on the regular roster of any team.
• Volunteer members are individuals who are designated as such by the Executive Committee based on contribution of time and effort to Club functions as specified in Article ***.
• Honorary members are individuals who are designated as such by an election as specified in Article ***.

A member in any category is Current if he or she has met all duties of membership as specified in Article III.2 Duties.

A member is Suspended when the Executive Committee votes to suspend the membership for failure to meet the duties of membership in a timely fashion.

A Suspended member can be expelled from the Club by vote of the Club membership.

III.2 Duties

1. Each Club member must pay all Approved Fees associated with his or her membership category and participation on individual teams in the Club per the Approved Payment Schedule. (See Article ***.)
2. Each Playing member with at least one year of membership must participate in at least one committee of the Club or be excused from this duty by the Executive Committee.
3. Each Club member shall vote in the annual election of the Executive Committee. (See Article VI.2.B)
4. Each Club member shall behave at all times in a manner that conforms to the ideals espoused by the Club. Members will observe league and tournament rules and codes of conduct. It is the responsibility of each Club member to become informed about such rules or codes.
5. Each Club member shall keep his or her Team Managers informed about availability for each game. If a member is unable to make a game, the Team Manager should be given as much notice as practical.

III.3 Privileges

1. Playing, Volunteer, and Honorary members who are Current (hereafter Voting Members) are eligible to vote on any matter requiring a vote of the Club Members. Associate members and any member who is not Current are not eligible to vote on any matter.
2. Voting Members are eligible to hold management positions in the Club. Associate members and any member who is not Current are not eligible to hold management positions in the Club.
3. Current Playing members are eligible to play in games of a team on which they are properly rostered.
4. A Current Playing member on any Club team is eligible to play in one or more games of another Club team if requested to do so by that team's Manager.

III.4 Liability

No member of the Club shall be liable to its creditors for any indebtedness or liability and any and all creditors shall look only to its assets for payments.

Article IV Club Organization and Management

IV.1 Definitions

The governing body of the Club shall be known as the Executive Committee.

The members of the Exective Committee are Executive Officers of the Club.

The Team Managers of approved Teams in the Club are Managers of the Club.

Committee leaders of standing or ad hoc committees are Managers of the Club.

IV.2 Eligibility

All Executive Officers and Managers of the Club must be members of the Club.

IV.3 Members of the Executive Comittee

The Executive Committee of the Club shall consist of no less than five (5) and no more than seven (7) members. These members are identified as:

• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Sergeant at Arms
• Prior President (optional)
• At large member (optional, elected by a vote of Club members)

IV.4 Duties of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall have general charge and control of the affairs, funds and property of the association which shall include but is not limited to the following powers:

• To draft the governing policies of the association
• To direct the President to set up such committees as may be needed to conduct the business of the association
• To conduct, manage and control the affairs and business of the association and make such rules and regulations that are not inconsistent with the law and Bylaws, as they deem best
• To draft the yearly Club budget
• To approve for membership in the Club applicants who apply as Playing members or Associate members who meet requirements set forth by the Club
• To designate Volunteer Members for membership in the Club according to Article ***
• To nominate Honorary Members for membership in the Club according to Article ***
• To appoint leaders of standing committees
• To create ad hoc committees and appoint leaders

All of the above powers are limited to those which in no way conflict with the Bylaws.

IV.4 Duties of the Executive Officers of the Club

IV.4.A Duties of the President

The President shall:

• Have general supervision, direction, and control of the business of the Club
• Supervise the efforts of the other Executive Officers of the Club
• In consultation with other Executive Officers, establish all committees
• Be an ex-officio member of all committees
• Have general powers and duties as prescribed in these Bylaws

IV.4.B Duties of the Vice President

The Vice President shall:

• Perform all presidential duties in the absence of the President
• Have powers and perform duties as delegated by the President
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Entertainment Committee

IV.4.C Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall:

• Keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct accounts of the properties of and business transactions of the Club, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts and disbursements. The book of accounts shall be at all times open to inspection by any member.
• Deposit or cause to be deposited all monies and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Club with such depositories as may be designated by the Club
• Disburse, or cause to have disbursed, the monies and other valuables of the Club as may be ordered by the Executive Committee
• Render an account of all transactions and the financial condition of the Club
• Work with Standing Committees and Teams to establish budgets for Club activities
• Publish a consolidated budget of the Club in a form designated by the Executive Committee
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Fund Raising Committee
• Have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Club membership and the Bylaws

IV.4.D Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall:

• Keep, or cause to be kept, a book of minutes of all Meetings of the Executive Committee and the Club membership
• Manage, or cause to be managed, any election required by these Bylaws or otherwise requested by the Executive Committee
• Be responsible for communication within the Club, and for communication of the Club with outside parties
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Communications Committee
• Perform other such duties as may be assigned by the President

IV.4.E Duties of the Sergeant at Arms

The Sergeant at Arms shall:

• Assist the Secretary as requested with elections
• Assist the Treasurer with collection of fees
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Equipment Committee

IV.4.F Duties of the Prior President

The Prior President shall:

• Advise the President and other members of the Executive Committee on matters of Club policy
• Assist the Executive Committee with special projects
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Awards Committee
• Participate as an ex-officio member of any Committee or Committees so chosen

IV.4.G Duties of the At Large Member of the Executive Committee

The At Large Member shall:

• Assist other members of the Executive Committee with their duties
• Assist the Executive Committee with special projects
• Participate as an ex-officio member of the Logistics Committee
• Prepare to assume one or more Executive Offices in future years

IV.5 Standing Committees

The following shall be Standing Committees of the Club:

• Fund Raising Committee (Treasurer ex-officio)
• Equipment Committee (Sergeant at Arms ex-officio)
• Logistics Committee (At Large ex-officio)
• Entertainment Committee (Vice President ex-officio)
• Norcal Committee (President ex-officio)
• Communications Committee (Secretary ex-officio)
• Awards Committee (Prior President ex-officio)

Each Committee shall be composed of a leader, appointed by the Executive Committee, and committee members chosen by the leader.

IV.5.A Duties of the Fund Raising Committee

The Fund Raising Committee shall:

• Establish and manage all fund raising activities other than collection of dues
• Solicit sponsorship from appropriate sources

IV.5.B Duties of the Equipment Committee

Club Equipment shall be defined to be uniforms, caps, jackets, t-shirts, helmets, bats, balls, catchers' equipment, and other equipment designated by the Executive Committee.

The Equipment Committee shall:

• Prepare an annual budget for Club Equipment and obtain approval from the Treasurer
• Purchase, or cause to be purchased, Club Equipment within the budget established by the Treasurer, or by special approval of the Treasurer
• Design, or cause to be designed, Club Equipment that conforms to standards established by the Executive Committee

IV.5.C Logistics Committee

Club Logistics shall be defined to be activities associated with fields and umpires.

The Logistics Committee shall:

• Prepare an annual budget for Club Logistics and obtain approval from the Treasurer
• Purchase, or cause to be purchased, liability insurance required by Teams
• Secure fields for practices and games as requested by Team Managers
• Secure umpires for games as requested by Team Managers
• Communicate with umpires to ensure their attendance
• Prepare, or cause to be prepared, fields for games
• Pay, or cause to be paid, all bills associated with Club Logistics within the budget established by the Treasurer, or by special approval of the Treasurer

IV.5.D Entertainment Committee

Club Entertainment shall be defined to be activities associated with social functions of the Club, especially the required Norcal post-game feeds.

The Entertainment Committee shall:

• Prepare an annual budget for Club Entertainment and obtain approval from the Treasurer
• Secure appropriate venues for social activities
• Organize and manage social activities
• Purchase, or cause to be purchased, supplies and equipment required for social activities
• Pay, or cause to be paid, all bills associated with Club Entertainment within the budget established by the Treasurer, or by special approval of the Treasurer
• Do, or cause to be done, whatever cooking, hosting and other activity-specific tasks are required

IV.5.E Norcal Committee

The Norcal Committee shall:

• Attend Norcal League meetings and represent the interests of the Club, and specifically the Norcal Team, in those meetings
• Negotiate the Norcal schedule in accordance with League rules
• Communicate changes affecting the Club to Club Members

The General Manager of the Team in the Norcal League shall be the lead for this Committee.

IV.5.F Communications Committee

Club Communications shall be defined to be activities associated with maintaining communications among Club members and preserving an historical record of Club activities.

The Communications Committee shall:

• Prepare an annual budget for Club Communications and obtain approval from the Treasurer
• Establish and manage mechanisms for communication among Club members. Examples include phone lists, email lists, mailings, and web sites.
• Establish and maintain newsletters, game statistics, and other historical records associated with Club activities.

IV.5.G Awards Committee

Club Awards shall include the Bones Newman Spirit of the Game Award, and other award programs established and approved by Club Executives.

The Awards Committee shall:

• Prepare an annual budget for Awards and obtain approval from the Treasurer
• Create rules and guidelines for all Awards
• Purchase, or cause to be purchased, trophies, plaques, or other symbols of the Awards to be given
• Manage nominations and voting for Award recipients

IV.6 Ad hoc Committees

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to create new committees for such purpose as required to properly and efficiently conduct the business and affairs of the Club.

Article V Team Organization and Management

V.1 Definitions

A Team affiliated with the Club is a group of Playing members designated to play in one or more leagues or tournaments, hereafter called Events.

The General Manager of a Team is responsible for all communications with the Club and with the Events in which they plan to participate.

The Field Manager of a Team is responsible for all game-time decisions, including but not limited to, lineups, substitutions, and strategic decisions of a game.

The General Manager and Field Manager of a Team may be the same individual. Either or both are referred to as Team Manager in other sections of these Bylaws.

V.2 Creation of a Team

Any Current Member of the Club may submit an application to the Executive Committee to form a Team, naming himself or herself General Manager of the Team.

The application shall contain the following information:

• Name of the General Manager
• Name of the Field Manager (or stipulation that the Field Manager will be selected at a future time)
• Name of the league or tournament being entered, along with contact information of the primary contact
• Playing dates of the league or tournament
• Estimated cost associated with the Team (as specified by the Treasurer)
• Method of paying the costs (normally a participation fee paid by each Playing member on the Team)
• Date fees are due to the league or tournament; Date for submission of fees to our Treasurer
• Proposed composition of the Team (Examples: "limited to existing Playing members of the Club", "existing Playing members of the Club augmented with outsiders as needed to field a Team", or "open recruiting of members and non-members of the Club")
• Proposed level of competitiveness (Examples: "As competitive as we can be", "Balance of competitiveness and equitable playing time", "Fun, everybody plays about equally")

The Executive Committee shall approve or disapprove the application within two calendar weeks of receiving the application. Because the Club's purpose is to create playing opportunities, approval will normally be given. Reasons for disapproval include conflict caused by more than one application for the same Event, insufficient time to organize the Team and collect fees, or substandard performance of the General Manager leading prior Teams.

All Club Teams will comply with all rules of the Events in which we participate. We will be exemplars of sportsmanship and cooperation.

V.3 Duties of the General Manager

The duties of the General Manager include:

• Communicating with the Executive Committee regarding Team affairs
• Communicating with directors of the Event regarding Team affairs, including preparing and submitting required paperwork
• Publicizing the existence of the Team to Club members and outsiders if appropriate
• Recruiting eligible players to form the Team
• Ensuring that the team contains only eligible players as defined by the Event organizers (Examples: age requirements, professional player restrictions, national association membership)
• Working with the Club Treasurer to establish and collect playing fees, and observing the "pay before you play" rules
• Working with the Equipment Committee to make sure the team has uniforms appropriate for the Event
• Selecting, or causing to be selected, the Field Manager
• (Jointly with the Field Manager) Understanding and communicating to all Team members any special rules or codes of conduct for the Event
• (Jointly with the Field Manager) Ensuring that sufficient players are available for each game (If necessary, and legal for the Event, any Current Club member may be invited to play on a Team that is short players.)
  

V.4 Duties of the Field Manager

The duties of the Field Manager include:

• Organizing and running practices if appropriate
• Establishing offensive and defensive signs and other tactical conventions
• Making lineups and substitutions, following playing guidelines established by the General Manager in the Team application
• Enlisting assistant coaches as desired
• (Jointly with the General Manager) Understanding and communicating to all Team members any special rules or codes of conduct for the Event
• (Jointly with the General Manager) Ensuring that sufficient players are available for each game (If necessary, and legal for the Event, any Current Club member may be invited to play on a Team that is short players.)

Article VI Meetings, Elections, and Voting

VI.1 Meetings

The membership of the Club is geographically dispersed, making it inconvenient to meet regularly in one physical location. Therefore, it is the policy of the Club to conduct its business, as much as possible, by telephone, electronic mail, web communications, and other technological means.

A Virtual Meeting shall be defined to be a meeting conducted by exchange of information among Club members using any, or a combination of, technologies. A Virtual Meeting might require several days to complete the exchange among the required parties.

Committees, including Executive, Standing, and Ad hoc Committees, are permitted and encouraged to conduct business via Virtual Meetings.

VI.2 Voting

A vote of the general membership is required for each of the following actions:

• Annual election of officers
• Modification of these bylaws
• Annual election of the winner of the Bones Newman Spirit of the Game Award

The Executive Committee may also present any issue or issues of its choosing to the general membership for a vote.

All other business of the Club can be ...

VI.3 Elections

VI.3.A Nominations for the Executive Committee

Any Voting Member may nominate any Voting Member, including himself or herself, for any office of the Executive Committee other than Prior President. Any Voting Member may nominate any prior president of the club for the office of Prior President.

Any nominated Member may accept or decline the nomination.

Nominations shall be communicated to the current Club Secretary during the period from October 1 through December 10. The Secretary shall notify any member as to a nomination, to allow acceptance or declination of the nomination.

The Secretary shall communicate all accepted nominations to Voting Members on or before January 15.

VI.3.B Election of the Executive Committee

Each Voting Member shall submit to the Secretary, on or before January 31, his or her votes for each office.

After the voting closes, the Secretary shall total the votes for each office. The Secretary shall keep individual votes confidential, and release only total number of votes for each office.

Fifty percent (50%) of the Voting membership constitutes a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the Secretary shall attempt to contact members who have not voted until a quorum is reached. The Secretary has the authority to contact members by whatever means thought to be effective, in whatever order he or she chooses. The Secretary has the authority to recommend suspension of any member who does not fulfill his or her voting duties.

VI.3.C Term of service for the Executive Committee

Officers shall serve a term of one year, from March 1 through the last day of February.

No officer shall serve more that three (3) consecutive terms in the same office and shall not be eligible for re-election to that office until one (1) year after expiration of this person's third consecutive term. The member may serve in another capacity on the Executive Committee if elected.

VI.3.D Election of the Bones Newman Spirit of the Game Award winner

Any Voting Member may nominate any person for the Award. Nominees are normally current or past Club Members, but that is not required. Nominations shall be done on the same schedule as nominations for the Executive Committee.

The Secretary shall include nominees for the Award with the nominees for Executive Offices.

Voting Members shall vote on the Award, if desired, as part of their Executive Committee voting. Voting for the Award is optional; failure to vote for the Award is not grounds for suspension.

BONEPILE & NOTES

Make sure Manager responsibilities include guidelines for asking a cross-over player to play. Need, eligibility, etc. Manager guidelines re playing time.