A.     This organization shall be incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey and be non-profit making, non-political and non-partisan.

B.     This organization shall be known as the Merrill Park Baseball League, Inc.” hereinafter referred to as the League.

A. The objective of the League shall be to implant firmly in youth of this community the ideals of good sportsmanship as they grow up to be adults of good character. This objective will be achieved by providing supervised competitive baseball games. The supervisor will bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill, or the winning of games, is secondary to the objectives cited in this paragraph.

ARTICLE III - GOVERNMENT

A.     The Government of the League shall be under the direct supervision of the Executive Committee.

B.     The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members (all elected officers): President, Vice-Presidents (one of whom shall be President of the Ladies Auxiliary), Treasurer, Secretary, League Director, Four (4) General Managers, Basketball General Manager, Umpire-in-Chief, Three (3) Trustees, and Equipment Director.

C.     At the Annual meeting in September, the Voting Members of the League shall elect a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, League Director, Four (4) General Managers, Basketball General Manager, Umpire-in-Chief, Three (3) Trustees, and Equipment Director. The aforementioned shall serve for one year. Any Officer is eligible for re-election. No elected Officer shall simultaneously hold more than one elective office.

D.     All matters concerning the policy and procedures of the League shall be decided by a majority vote of a quorum of the Executive Committee and be binding upon the League.

E.      A majority vote of the regular members present at a regular meeting may petition the Executive Committee to review a decision. A full report of said review is to be presented to the body at the first regular meeting following the Executive Committee’s meeting.

F.      A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of nine (9) members. In the event of a deadlock on a motion at a regular, special, or Executive Committee meeting, the President shall have the power to cast the deciding vote.

G.     To be eligible for an office on the Executive Committee, a candidate must have been a regular member for a period of not less than six (6) months.

H.     Any vacancy in the President’s office shall be filled by the Vice-President. Vacancies in other offices shall be filled by election by the regular members at the next meeting.

I.       No member of the Executive Committee shall sit in or rule on matters pertaining to the league that he/she may be managing in, coaching in or affiliated with.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

A.     The Annual Meeting of the League shall be conducted on the last regular meeting held on the second Monday in September of each year for the reading of reports and the election of Officers.

B.     Special meetings may be called by the President or upon written request to the Executive Committee from at least three (3) regular members.

C.     Twenty-five (25) percent of the eligible voting meetings shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special meeting, and a majority vote of the voting members present and voting shall govern, except where otherwise especially provided.

D.     Regular meetings shall be conducted on the first Monday of each month. The Executive Committee shall hold monthly meetings as deemed necessary by the President.

E.      Roberts Rules of Parliamentary Procedure (revised) shall govern the proceedings of all meetings, except where it conflicts with this Constitution.

F.      Order of Business at Regular Meetings:

1.      Roll Call

2.      Reading of Minutes

3.      Treasurer’s Report

4.      Committee Reports

5.      Old Business

6.      New Business

7.      Adjournment

ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP

A.     A regular member shall be an adult with the minimum age of 18 years, who has attended two (2) consecutive regular meetings.

B.     If an officer or regular member is absent from two (2) successive regular meetings without due cause his voting privileges as a member of the League shall automatically be suspended and he/she will no longer be in good standing. A member’s voting privileges may only be restored by his attendance at two (2) of three (3) successive meetings.

C.     If an officer or regular member is absent for more than five (5) regular meetings during the period from September to August without good cause, said member will not be eligible to run for, nor hold any elective office, nor nominate anyone for office, nor shall said member be eligible to vote for elective officers.

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

A.     The following standing Committees shall be active during each year:

1.      Sponsor Committee

2.      Publicity Committee

3.      Special Events Committee

4.      Fund Raising Committee

B.     All Committees shall consist of as many members as may be deemed necessary by the President. The duties of the Committees shall be:

1.      Sponsor Committee – Obtain sponsors for the League at the fees established by the Executive Committee.

2.      Publicity Committee – Responsible for bringing all League activities and functions to the attention of the community.

3.      Special Events Committee – Responsible for bringing to a satisfactory conclusion all Special Events desired by the League using such funds as may be provided for in the annual budget.

4.      Fund Raising Committee – Responsible for bringing to a satisfactory conclusion all Fund Raising activities desired by the League.

ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

A.     President

1. The President shall preside over all regular and special meetings of the League and the Executive Committee meetings.
2. The President shall have general control of the business of the League, subject to the direction of the Executive Committee.
3. The President shall appoint special committees, as he/she deems necessary for the welfare of the League.
4. The President or his appointed representative shall report back to the membership any verbal commitments made by him or to the League at any meeting of another organization or governing body.
5. The President shall enforce this Constitution and perform the entire duties incidental to the position and office that are required by law.
6. The President shall act as the League Representative at all meetings of the Woodbridge Township Youth Recreation Committee. The President shall appoint three other members.

B.     Vice-President

During the absence and/or inability of the President to render and perform his duties or exercise his powers, as set forth herein, or in the acts under which this League is organized, the same shall be performed and exercised by the Vice-President. When so acting, he/she shall have the powers and be subject to all responsibilities hereby given to or imposed upon such President.

C.     Treasurer

1. He/she shall have the care and custody of, and be responsible for all funds and securities of the League in such banks as the Executive Committee may designate.
2. He/she shall make and endorse in the name of the League, all checks for the payment of money, and pay out and dispose of same and receipt thereafter. All checks shall be cosigned by the President or Secretary.
3. He/she shall render a statement of the conditions of the finances of the League at each regular meeting, and at such other times as shall be required of him. He/she shall make a full financial report at the Annual Meeting.

D.     Secretary

He/she shall keep the minutes of all meetings and serve all notices of the League.

E.      League Director

1. He/she shall be responsible for the entire baseball program to see that it is conducted in accordance with the playing rules and regulations adopted by the League.
2. He/she shall register each year all the youths for the League.
3. He/she shall head the Arbitration Committee, which will consist of the League Director and the four (4) General Managers.

F.      General Managers

1. They shall conduct the entire baseball program in accordance with the playing rules and regulations set forth by the League.
2.  They shall distribute in an equitable manner, maintain, and account for any and all equipment as may be provided for in the Annual Budget.
3. They shall administer the Draft Selection System that will provide to the best of his ability an equal distribution of talent to all teams within their leagues.

G.     Basketball General Manager

1. He/she shall conduct the entire basketball program in accordance with playing rules and regulations set by the League.
2. He/she shall administer the Draft Selection System that will provide to the best of his ability an equal distribution of talent to all teams within their leagues.

H.     Umpire-in-Chief

1. He/she is responsible for the hiring and training of umpires and the assignment of same to League games.
2. He/she will keep his umpires current on all League rules.

I.       Trustees

1. The three (3) Trustees shall be active members of the Executive Committee.
2. They shall assist the officers in the formation of procedures, policy and operation of the League.
3. They shall supervise the Annual Audit of the Treasurer’s accounts and records.
4. They shall be responsible and attend to matters of dissolution as outlined in Article IX.

J.       Equipment Director

He/she shall purchase new equipment for each league. It shall be his/her duty, with the assistance of each General Manager, to distribute, in an equitable manner, maintain, and account for any and all equipment as may be provided for in the Annual Budget.

ARTICLE VIII – RULES

A.     Playing rules and regulations, which have been established, will be set forth in the Baseball Bylaws.

B.     Each team manager shall have been supplied with the copy of the playing rules and regulations of the League in which he/she is to participate before the playing season starts.

C.     A manager shall have the authority to suspend any member of his team whose conduct, in his opinion, is detrimental to the best interest of the League. All suspensions will be reported to the Executive Committee within three (3) days.

D.     The Executive Committee shall be authorized to advance a youth to the next higher division, which he/she is eligible for the next succeeding year. The following conditions apply;

1.      Unanimous approval of the Executive Committee.

2.      Consent of the youth and his parents/guardian.

E.      The League shall uniform, equip and supervise a team to compete in the Woodbridge Township Youth Recreation Committee Baseball League. Manager and coaches will be assigned by the Executive Committee.

A.     Upon dissolution of the League, any and all land owned by the league shall be deeded to the Township of Woodbridge.

B.     Any improvements and fixtures installed as tenant shall become property of the lessor.

C.     All legal debts and obligations incurred by this League shall first be satisfied and moneys remaining in the League shall be given to the Recreation Department of the Township of Woodbridge after 180 days following the effective date of dissolution.

D.     All permanent records of this League shall be assembled, identified and forwarded to the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office for retention and disposition as contained in Title 15 of the Revised Statues of N.J.S.A.

Permanent records are:

1.      Certificate of Incorporation

2.      Constitution and Amendments

3.      Minutes of Meetings

4.      Final Financial Statement of Account

A.     No part of this Constitution shall be repealed, annulled, altered, suspended or amended, unless a proposition to that affect be made in writing by at least five (5) regular members of this League to the Executive Committee. A general notice to that Constitutional Amendment(s) have been proposed shall be mailed to each League member by the Secretary at least ten (10) days prior to the meetings at which time such proposed changes shall be submitted to a vote. A two-thirds majority vote of the membership present at any authorized meeting is required for adoption of any amendment.

B.     All former Constitutions, bylaws or resolutions not contained in the foregoing are hereby repealed and annulled.

A.     The aforementioned Articles of the Constitution of the Merrill Park Baseball League, Inc are accepted this 5^th Day of January in the Year 1987.

A.     The League will be comprised of youths who have attained the age of 5 years before August 1^st and who will not attain the age of 16 before August 1^st of the year in question.

B.     The League will divided into divisions by the following age brackets:

1.      Cub and T-Ball League – ages 5 through 8 years

2.      Minor League – ages 8 through 10 years

3.      Major League – ages 10 through 12 years

4.      Junior League – ages 13 through 15 years

C.     Each of the above leagues will have a General Manager who is elected by the Body. The General Manager will have the total responsibility for supervising his league in accordance with the Baseball Bylaws as adopted by this Organization.

A.     If a team loses any of its players during the season for any reason or a youth misses two consecutive games, it will be reported to the General Manager, and a player from the waiting list will be assigned. If there are insufficient players for a game, the managers of the Minor and Major league teams may select from a predetermined slate of Cub and Minor league players, respectively, sufficient youths to bring up to fill his roster for that game. The slate of players will be drawn up, under the direction of the General Manager, in such a way that an equal number of qualified players will be available for each team. A youth can be brought up only if it does not conflict with his regular team’s game.

B.     The number of players for each team roster will be determined by the Executive Committee with a maximum of fifteen (15) youths per team.

A.     Each candidate must be prepared to present acceptable proof of age at the time he/she registers.

B.     Each candidate must have a registration form completed by a parent or guardian before being accepted into the League.

C.     Any youth failing to attend the pre-season practices shall be dismissed unless he/she can present an excuse that is acceptable to the manager.

A.     A draft shall be held by the General Managers of each league under the direction of the League Director. Rating sheets will be made available to all managers in the draft.

B.     A total draft will be conducted each season. Assuming a six team league, the order of the selection will follow this pattern:

Team 1 – 1^st choice, 12^th choice, 13^th choice, 24^th choice, 25^th choice etc

Team 2 – 2^nd choice, 11^th choice, 14^th choice, 23^rd choice, 26^th choice etc

Team 3 – 3^rd choice, 10^th choice, 15^th choice, 22^nd choice, 27^th choice etc

Team 4 – 4^th choice, 9^th choice, 16^th choice, 21^st choice, 28^th choice etc

Team 5 – 5^th choice, 8^th choice, 17^th choice, 20^th choice, 29^th choice etc

Team 6 – 6^th choice, 7^th choice, 18^th choice, 19^th choice, 30 choice etc

Each team’s roster will try to have the same number of youths in each age bracket.

C.     Each youth will be assigned to only one league team. They can only move up under the provisions of Article II, Section A. All youths must play with the team to which they are assigned or they will be dismissed from the League.

D.     The General Manager will assign youths that register late or are on the waiting list to a team. The General Manager will assign youths so that there will be an equal balance of talent and number of players throughout the League.

E.      At the conclusion of the draft, no team in any system will have more than (1) additional player than any other team in that system. If that does happen, the General Manager and the League Director will balance the roster.

A.     Pitchers can only pitch six (6) innings (seven (7) in the Junior League) in two (2) consecutive games. In addition, no pitcher can pitch more than three (3) innings in a game in the Minor and Major leagues. Delivery of a single pitch shall constitute one (1) inning.

B.     A player removed as a pitcher shall not pitch again in that game.

C.     Innings pitched in a rain shortened game shall count on the pitchers record. A forfeited game is considered a game played.

A.     Players must be attired in uniform supplied by the League. Uniforms consist of a hat, shirt, pants and socks. All male players must wear protective cup, during practice and games.

B.     When behind the plate in practice or during a game, the catcher must have on a mask, with throat guard, chest protector, shin guards, cup support and protective headgear.

C.     Batters and base runners must wear protective helmets.

D.     Sneakers and molded cleated shoes are the only approved footwear allowed. Metal spikes will be allowed in the Junior League only.

E.      Only equipment issued by the League shall be used with the exception of fielder’s gloves, and approved bats, unless approved by the Equipment Director. Ultra lite bats will be allowed in the Junior League.

F.      Each team will be issued a first aid kit and ice packs.

A.     The actions of players, managers, coaches, umpires and league officials must be above reproach. Each is subject to suspension and/or termination at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

B.     Only uniformed players, managers, coaches and umpires shall be permitted on the playing field during games. Except for the batter, baserunners, the player “on deck”, and the coaches at first and third bases, all players shall be on their benches when the team is at bat. When the team is in the field, all reserve players shall be on the bench.

C.     Only a manager or acting manager may question an umpire’s decision.

D.     Any player or manager ejected from a game or any protests shall be reported in writing to the General Manager within 24 hours.

E.      Any player using bad language, throwing a helmet or bat, or questioning an umpire’s decision shall be ejected from the game. Umpires should issue a warning if possible.

F.      No food or drink, except water will be allowed by any player while the game is being played.

A.     General

1.      All youths that arrive at the ball field by 6:00 p.m. shall be entered into the game no later than the start of the fourth inning and must play three innings in the field.

2.      There will be free substitution in all leagues. A full roster batting order will prevail.

3.      A team may play with eight youths but the ninth position will be recorded as an out for the catcher. If a youth comes late, he will be inserted in the ninth position and must play three innings.

4.      Game time shall be 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Forfeiture time will be 6:15 p.m. on weekdays or 15 minutes after scheduled starting time.

5.      In the event of rained out games, the managers are responsible to contact their General Manager to reschedule games. All rescheduled games will be played on weekdays if a field is available, or on Saturdays or Sundays if necessary.

ARTICLE VIII – PLAYING RULES (continued)

A.