SOUTH HILL OLD BOYS: RULES & REGULATIONS
PLAYING RULES & REGULATIONS:
ELIGIBILITY…
Players
must be 45 years of age by December 31st of the applicable playing
year. Each team will be allowed a maximum of 5 players between the age of 40 – 45.
TEAM ROSTERS…
1. Each team will submit a preliminary roster to
the league by the First League game. Only players appearing on the team roster
and having played at least one-third of the league games will be eligible to
play in the Black & Blue wind up tournament.
2. There is no
limit to the number of players on a team roster. Insurance?
PLAYING RULES…
1. It will be
the responsibility of each team manager/representative to inform his players of
all team and playing rules of the South Hill Old Boys’ Slo-Pitch League.
2. All play will
be governed by the Canadian Amateur
Softball Association (C.A.S.A.)
and Slo-Pitch National Softball Inc.
(SPN), Official Slo-Pitch Softball
Rules, with the following exceptions:
a)
A minimum of eight
(8) players is required to start a game.
A ninth (9th) or tenth
(10th) player from another team can be picked up at the
park. If a late player(s) from the
short-handed team arrives, the pick-up player(s) is dropped. The
pick-up player(s) may play any position except pitcher and must bat last and
second last.
b)
Minimum uniform requirements are a baseball shirt with a
matching hat. No cut-offs and no jeans.
c)
Baseball shoes: no
metal spikes allowed.
d) Game time is
forfeit time.
e) Each team
must keep proper records in a regular softball score book for league tournament and/or playoff
eligibility.
f) An umpire who
understands the game and who is willing to take an active part to get into
position to make the proper call, will be supplied from a non-playing team for
each league game (as per the printed schedule).
No abuse of umpires will be
tolerated. Any abuse should be
reported to the league executive and the board of governors.
g) One new ball
& one reasonable back-up ball will supplied by the league for each new
game.
h) A mat, two
(2) feet by three (3) feet will be used to call strikes and balls. The top
portion of the mat to be positioned over, and in line with, the front of home
plate. The measurement for the
pitching rubber will be fifty (50) feet from the rear corner of home plate to
the front edge of the pitching rubber.
However, in accordance with SPN rules, the pitcher will be allowed to
pitch a ball, either from the pitching rubber or anywhere from within a two (2)
foot wide zone located between the pitching rubber
from 50 to 65 feet from the rear
corner of home plate.
i) There are no
substitution limitations… A team may bat
as many players as it wishes. However, a
team’s batting order must be followed throughout the game, unless a substitute
replaces a player. When this occurs, the
substitute must take the turn at bat of the player he replaces in the original
batting order.
j) Each batter
starts his turn at bat with a one (1)
ball and one (1) strike count.
k) A Double-Base
will be used at first base with the white portion securely fastened in fair territory
and the orange portion securely fastened in foul territory. The following rules apply to the use of the
Double Base: A batted ball hitting any part of the white portion is a fair
ball. If it hits completely on the
orange portion, it is a foul ball. If a
play is being made at first base on a ball hit to the infield, the
batter/baserunner’s first attempt at touching first base must be to the orange
portion of the base, otherwise he will be called “out”.
A defensive player shall only use the
white portion of first base at all times. Once a baserunner has attained first
base he must them use the white portion of the base. This includes after over-running first base;
after rounding first base; when tagging up; and, when returning to first base
as a result of a pick-off attempt.
Effect – if the baserunner uses the orange portion at any time after his
first attempt at first base and is not in contact with the white portion, then
he is considered to be out if tagged or leading off.
l) Force Plays… baserunners
must not intentionally interfere with the play. Specifically, in double
play situations, where it is most likely that the lead baserunner will be
forced out, it is the lead baserunner’s
responsibility to make an honest attempt to get out of the way so not as to
impede the continuation of the double play.
Should interference arise, in the opinion of the umpire, the double play
will be deemed to have been completed.
However, in the event that the baserunner “gives himself
up” on what appears to be a most likely force play and an error is committed
nullifying the force, the baserunner will be deemed “safe” and awarded the
base. On close plays, baserunners do
have the option of sliding to the base, but may not intentionally slide into a
defensive player.
m) No Stealing,
No Lead-Offs. If a baserunner fails to
keep contact with the base to which he is entitled until a pitched ball has
bounced in front of, reached or passed home plate or is batted, the ball is
immediately dead, “No Pitch” is called and the baserunner is declared out. Baserunners who have left the base legally
(after a pitched ball has bounced in front of, reached or passed home plate)
but the ball has not been hit, are not declared out, but must immediately
return to their base and the ball is dead.
n) Home Plate Rule… All
plays at home plate are force outs.
A baserunner who has stepped over and touched the ground on or past the
commitment line between third base and home plate (twenty (20) feet up the
third base line from the closest corner of home plate) must continue on towards
home plate. The catcher cannot tag the runner out once he has passed the commitment
line, but must be in control of the ball with some portion of himself or
the ball touching the home plate mat prior to the runner stepping down on or
past the imaginary scoring line that extends out from the plate in line with
first base. If the baserunner makes contact with the catcher while the catcher
is in contact with the home plate mat, the baserunner will be called “out”. If there is clear intent by the baserunner to
make contact with the catcher, the baserunner is “out”,
he will be ejected from the game and will be subject to a suspension. The baserunner must never touch the home
plate mat under any circumstances. The
baserunner is “out” if he touches the home plate mat even after a home
run.
o) When a ground
rule double occurs a baserunner will advance two (2) bases from the base that
he was on when the ball was pitched.
p)
Courtesy
Runners…In
the case of an injury to a baserunner, a courtesy runner is eligible to run in
his place. Courtesy runners may not be
used to run for an injured player
from home plate to first base. Courtesy runners may be used for a runner
at first base or second base. If an injury occurs during baserunning, the player may be substituted at any
base. The last available player in the
batting order may be used as a courtesy runner or any player on the roster not
currently in the batting order; however, the same player may only be used once
per inning.
q)
There will be a maximum
of five (5) runs per inning per team with the exception of the last inning,
which is open.
r) Games are
scheduled for seven (7) innings with a
one hour and ten minute time limit per game. An inning must be completed before a game is
ended by the time limit. No new inning
will be started if there is less than 10 minutes of playing time
remaining. League games that end in a
tie will be finalized as a tie. Warm-ups
and infields will not be allowed after the first inning. A continuing pitcher will be allowed a
maximum of 3 practice throws after the first inning.
s) A minimum of
five (5) innings constitutes an official game.
t) Every effort
will be made to play all games. The rescheduling of rainouts is the
responsibility of the teams affected.
The determination of an official rainout is the responsibility of the
manager of league operations.
Rescheduling of league games must be done in concert with league
operations and scheduling.
u) Any team
failing to field a team for two (2) weekends during the season will be
automatically fined and may be subject to expulsion from the league.
v) Unsportsmanlike conduct from a team, team member or
fans will be reviewed and acted upon by the league executive and the board of
governors.
w) Fighting will result in automatic expulsion from the league.
x) Home Run Rule… Consistent with SPN rules, each player is
allowed an unlimited number of homeruns per game provided that, at the time he
hits the ball out of the park his team is less
than 2 homeruns ahead of its opposition.
A team can be a maximum of 2 homeruns ahead of its opposition at any
time. Any ball hit over the fence by a player, which does not comply with the
foregoing, shall be deemed a strike.
Inside-the-park homeruns are exempt from this rule. In the event that there is a runner(s) on
base, representing the fifth run in a non-open inning, and the ball is hit out
of the park, the following applies: the batter will be credited with a strike
if his team is ahead by 2 homeruns or, if his team is not ahead by 2 homeruns,
the hit will be counted as a home run for the Home Run Rule purposes, even
though the batter for scoring purposes will only be credited with the
appropriate base hit that would force in the 5th run. A team may not
score more than 5 runs per non-open inning (see rule 2Q). It is the
responsibility of both teams playing to keep the umpire informed of the homerun
status of the game.
3.
VIOLATIONS…
a) Not providing
an umpire when it is your team’s turn as per the schedule.
b) Where
applicable, not setting up or taking down the field equipment when it is your
team’s responsibility.
c) Not having a
team representative at a league meeting and on the board of governors.
d) Not having
enough players (minimum 8) to start a game.
4.
FINES…
Every violation is subject to a fine of
$25.00 that will be drawn from a teams $150
performance bond. The first violation is
not charged. After 3 fines the team in violation will be asked to replenish its
performance bond to the $150 level. This
must be done within forty-eight (48) hours of the 3rd violation with
payment being delivered to the league’s secretary-treasurer.
5. BAT ELIGIBILITY…
All
composite bats and SPN banned bats plus the Worth PST are banned from use. This will be on the honour system and umpires
are requested to remind teams of this league decision. If a team is uncomfortable with a bat being
used by the other team, it will be removed from that game upon request. If a team feels the bat is legal, the team
must request a ruling from the league executive. Please do not hold up games for the use of a
particular bat. Remember this rule is in
place to protect the safety of all players.
6. League Dispute Committee. Each year three
representatives from different teams will be chosen (elected) to deal with any
disputes arising during the season.
Representatives are: Tom Lewis Buzz
(no change from 2007)
Frank Price Rowdies
Terry Kehoe
Have
a Great Season!
Board
of Governors (revised
MARCH, 2008)
