Dirty Summer Madness League Prize Fund Update

BOWLING HOOD is learning more details regarding the charge of a prize fund shortage in the Derrty Summer Madness league at AMF Strike and Spare Lanes. 

A league captain who was at the meeting after bowling on the last night says the prize fund is short $4,300 and that calls to league secretary Maurice Gray have not been returned. The captain estimates each team was shortchanged about $120.

There is a report that Gray has been unavailable to deal with the issue due to a death in the family. But the source tells Bowling Hood that an employee of AMF who was active in league planning knew of the issues throughout the summer that have been reported and did nothing to resolve the matter. Sources said calls to the league president also have not been returned to them.

No league meeting was conducted Thursday as earlier reported. However, the USBC rules require them to be notified within 15 days that their rules may have been broken. A league captain requested an officers meeting Thursday which was within the 15 day time period. He has notified the USBC and St. Louis USBC such a meeting regarding his complaint wasn't conducted at his request.

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and the St. Louis USBC have not yet investigated the matter because the rules require league officers to meet if requested. Under the USBC chapter Losses and Claims, league members made the required notification within 15 days. Sources said the league did not obtain a free bond from the USBC to cover the prize fund. Even if they had, it appears the USBC timelines were not met and that only half of the missing funds would be covered if such an insurance policy existed.

USBC rule 115b requires leagues to hold a meeting to charge individuals with failure to pay league fees. USBC rule 117a requires the league's prize fund be approved by the league's board before the 5th week. And USBC rule 102c requires the league president to verify each month and must report to the USBC national office the amount of prize fund shortages.

So far, the best information we have obtained regarding the President of the league is identified only as "B.J.".

The league was named Derrty Summer Madness for its connection to rap artist Nelly's company Derrty Entertainment. Some who bowled in the league are connected to the company which promised $1,500 in added money to be used for a league tournament. Sources said the the tournament was not conducted. No word if the $1,500 added money was paid to the league for the name rights.

The earlier report that Jeff Carter and Johnny Petraglia bowled as substitutes was incorrect. The two were in attendance one league night while Bowl Expo was being held at Strike and Spare.

To summarize, a high prize fund league shorted league bowlers. It's apparent a lot of USBC rules and regulations were broken. And calls to league officers to resolve the matter are being ignored. 

As they say in the reporting business, this story has legs.