2006 Softball League
Bylaws and General Rules
(Effective Date: April 1, 2006)
1.0
Objective: The objective of the SSC Softball League is to provide a means for
employees to participate in the sport of softball in an organized fashion, and
promote friendly competition and exercise.
2.0
Governing documents:
·
SSC Softball League Bylaws and General Rules.
·
American Softball Association (ASA) Rule Book.
·
Approved Minutes from League meetings that occur after
the effective date of these Bylaws.
3.0
League:
3.1
Eligibility - Any person whose job is located at the
3.1
Officers - The SSC Softball League shall have the following officers:
·
President
·
Vice President
·
Secretary/Treasurer
Note:
All officers are members of the League's Advisory Committee on Code of Conduct,
Rules, and Protest.
New
officers will be elected/approved before each season by team representatives at
a League meeting. Each team represented gets one vote.
3.2
Responsibility of Officers
3.2.1 President
·
Take overall responsibility for seeing that the League
is run smoothly and fairly.
·
Ensure that the playing fields are prepared and ready
for play by the beginning of the season.
·
Call and chair League meetings as necessary.
·
Ensure that a schedule is prepared and distributed to
all teams prior to the start of the season.
·
Coordinate and organize special League activities
(picnic, tournament, etc.).
·
Submit yearly budgets to the SSC Recreation Association.
3.2.2 Vice-President
·
Assume the responsibilities of President in his absence.
·
Keep an inventory of all the League's equipment, and ensure
that there is enough equipment (balls, bases, scorebooks, etc.) for the entire
season.
3.2.3 Secretary/Treasurer
·
Take responsibility for all League financial matters,
which include the following:
·
collect team entry fees,
·
pay umpires, and
·
maintain the League's bank account.
·
Record and distribute the Minutes from League meetings.
·
Support the President and Vice-President with League
functions as necessary.
·
With the assistance of a League Scheduler/WebMaster:
·
Update the League schedule as necessary, and ensure that
all teams know when games are being rescheduled.
·
Inform umpires of rain-outs and dates of rescheduled
games.
·
Maintain won-lost records for all teams in the League,
and update the League standings at least every 2 weeks.
·
Keep a record of forfeits charged to each team.
·
Maintain an official roster for each team.
3.3
Advisory Committee
Will
meet as necessary and make rulings on official protests, questions of
misconduct, rule interpretations, or other special situations that arise during
the season. Each Officer shall have one vote except for the President, who
shall only vote in the case of ties.
3.4
Teams - The League will consist of teams made up of men and women who meet the
eligibility requirements. Each team will have one vote at League meetings.
3.5
Season/Schedule - The season will typically start in early April and run
through July or August. Games will generally be scheduled for Tuesday and
Thursday evenings to start at 5:00pm. Mondays and Wednesdays will be reserved
for make-up games.
3.6
Tournament/Playoffs - A tournament will be held at the completion of the
regular season. The tournament format will be approved by team representatives
at a League meeting. To be eligible to play with a team in the tournament, a
person must have played in at least 2 games with that team during the regular
season.
3.7
Entry Fees - Each team must pay a League entry fee prior to playing their first
game of the season. Failure of a team to pay the fee on time could result in
their expulsion from the League. The amount of the fee will be approved by team
representatives at a League meeting prior to the start of the season.
3.8
Rosters - Each team must submit a roster to the Secretary prior to their first
game of the season. Once a roster has been submitted to the Secretary, it is
"official". Team managers may update official rosters up until 75% of
the season is over (a cutoff date will be designated at a League meeting). In
order to play for a team, an eligible man or woman must be on that team's
official roster. Anyone desiring to be added to a team roster after the cutoff
date (e.g., new hires, transferred military personnel, ship riders) must be
cleared by the Advisory Committee. A person may only play on one team during
the season (that is, no person may be on 2 different official rosters). The
only exception is that if a team folds before the season is 75% over, then
players from that team may be added to other teams' rosters.
3.9
Expulsion - Any team that accumulates 3 forfeits (by failing to show up for
games) will be expelled from the League. Entry fees will not be refunded. A
team may appeal an expulsion. If a team is expelled, the Advisory Committee
will meet to determine if the League schedule and standings should be adjusted
accordingly.
3.10
Team Responsibilities:
3.10.1 League Meetings - Each team shall have at least
one representative at all League meetings.
3.10.2
Manager - Each team shall have at least one person designated on their roster
as manager. The manager shall be responsible for the following:
·
Ensure that his/her team will have enough players for
each game. If a manager knows his team will be short of players and will have
to forfeit a game, he/she should contact the opposing team's manager or a
League officer so that the other players and umpires can be notified.
·
Provide his/her team's batting order to the official
scorer (home team) and opposing manager (if applicable) prior to the start of
the game. Notify the official scorer and opposing manager of player
substitutions during the game.
·
Provide game ball, per Rule 3.11.13.
·
Ensure the actions of all players on his/her team
support League objectives. A manager shall encourage good sportsmanship, and
not tolerate any conduct that is detrimental to the game.
·
The manager of the home team shall ensure that the final
score of the game and the names of the umpires are reported to the
Secretary/Webmaster. See
http://www.sscsoftball.com/cgi-bin/report.cgi
·
Managers shall ensure that all players on their team are
familiar with the League's Bylaws and General Rules.
·
The manager may question an umpire about a rule
interpretation during a game, but no other player on the team should be
involved. The manager may not argue with an umpire about a judgment call. If an
official protest is required to settle a rule interpretation, then the manager
shall inform the Plate Umpire that the game is being played under protest, and
ensure that the official scorer records the game situation. The manager must then
submit a written protest to a League Officer within 48 hours after the
completion of the game.
3.10.3
Official Scorer - The home team at each game will provide a person to keep the
official score and maintain the batting orders for both teams. If a game is
suspended or protested, the official scorer shall record the game situation at
the time of the suspension or protest, including the score, number of outs,
count on the batter, and the position of base runners.
3.10.4
Players
All
players must play within the rules and maintain good sportsmanship. Any player
who engages in fighting, argues with umpires, intentionally tries to hurt
another player, uses excessive profanity, or engages in any other conduct
detrimental to the League, may face suspension or expulsion from the League.
Players
shall ensure that no trash is left on the field, benches, or bleachers
following a game.
3.11
Rules of Play:
All
games will follow the rules given in the most recent edition of the ASA
Official Softball Playing Rules for Slow Pitch, Co-Ed Leagues with the
following additions and exceptions:
3.11.1 Pitching - SSC Recreation Association Softball
League will play a modified version of softball which requires the calling of
balls and strikes. A pad will be placed behind home plate; any legal pitch
striking the pad will be called a strike. Any pitch missing the pad will be
called a ball. All batters begin with a count of 1 ball and 1 strike (the
batter will be called out after 3 strikes or walked after 4 balls). A legal pitch must have an arc of at least 6
feet but no more than 12 feet. If a man batter is issued a walk and the next
batter is a woman, the woman batter has the option to take a walk or continue
her at bat. For foul balls exception, see Rule 2.
3.11.2
Foul Balls - A batter is not declared out when he/she hits the first foul ball
on the second strike. A batter is declared out when he/she hits a second foul
ball on the second strike.
3.11.3
Man/Woman Ratio - Teams will field at least 3 defensive women players at all
times. The defensive positions are all positions Teams having only 2 women will
not be required to forfeit. They may play with 2 women, but will be required to
list three women in the batting lineup. When the third woman comes up to bat,
she will be issued an out. The third woman's position in field will be vacant.
3.11.4
Defensive Positions - Teams must field a pitcher and catcher in all cases. All
defensive players MUST remain in their relative positions for the entire
defensive half of the inning, unless changed by LEGAL substitution as defined
in ASA rule book. (i.e., All outfielders must remain in the outfield and all
infielders must remain in the infield for the entire defensive half inning,
unless a LEGAL substitution is made. This rule does NOT preclude an infielder
from playing "deep" or "shifting" positions within the
infield or outfield as long as it does NOT delay the flow of play.) Switching
positions is NOT allowed within a defensive half inning (example: 2nd baseman
can NOT move to another infield position such as Shortstop or 3rd base while
the other player moves to 2nd base. Outfielders also can NOT switch positions.)
·
Exception: If a team in the field wishes to change pitchers during
an inning and the replacement pitcher is playing a defensive position, those
two players may change positions with each other. This
type of change is allowed only once per inning.
3.11.5
Batting Order - Team batting orders must be set up so that no more than 3 men
bat consecutively at any place in the order.
Starting players re-entering the game after
being substituted for must be placed in the same position in the batting order
that they were in prior to leaving the game. Only players in
the starting lineup may re-enter the game after being substituted for.
3.11.6
Extra Players - A team may use extra players (EP) in the batting order. If the
EP is a man/are men, it is permitted to bat three men consecutively in as many
places in the batting order as needed. Four or more men may never bat
consecutively in the batting order. If the EP is a woman, normal league batting
rules apply. If the EP is used, the EP must be used for the entire game, may be
substituted for in the batting order at any time, may reenter the game if
removed by substitution and started the game, and may play defense at any time.
If the EP is used and the EP is a man/are men, any seven of the men in the
batting order may play defense in any inning. The decision to use the EP must
be made before the start of the game. The number of
players in the batting lineup MUST not change. If a team starts a game with 16 players (for
example: 12 men and 4 women) in lineup, a player leaves the game and there is
no substitute player available, the next time that lineup position comes to
bat, an out with be issued.
3.11.7
Liberal Substitution - Since this is a recreational league, liberal
substitution is allowed to encourage maximum participation by all members of a
team. Defensively, any player in the
lineup may start at any position at the beginning of an inning, with
restriction described in Rule 3.11.3.
Offensively, re-entry is allowed according to ASA rule (only starters may re-enter the game, after being substituted
for, in the same place in the batting order, once).
3.11.8
Forfeits - Start time for all games is 5:00pm.
·
If, and ONLY if, either team has less than a full team
(7 men, 3 women), that team may delay the start of the game until 5:15.
·
If EITHER team has a full team (7 men, 3 women) at
5:15pm, they may request the game to start.
If the other team refuses to take the field, they forfeit the game.
·
However, if NEITHER team has a full team (7 men, 3
women), an additional 10 minute delay will be granted. The game WILL start no later than 5:25pm.
·
The game will be declared a forfeit if the legal number
of players are not present.
·
7 men, 2 women is legal
·
7 men, 1 woman is illegal
·
6 men, 2 women is legal
·
5 men, 2 women is illegal
3.11.9
15 Run Rule - If, at any time after the 5th inning, either team is ahead by 15
or more runs and the team that is behind in score has batted in that inning,
the game is officially over and the team that is ahead is declared the winner.
3.11.10
Home Run Rule - There will be a limit of 3 home runs hit per team per game. Any
additional home runs will be considered singles. All runners on base will
advance 1 base. (Example: If there are runners on 1st and 3rd and the batter
hits a home run, the batter will advance to 1st, the runner on 1st will advance
to 2nd and the runner on 3rd will advance to HOME. Note: The runner on 3rd does
not have to be in a forced position.) "In the park" home runs do NOT
count towards the 3 home run total.
3.11.11
Rain-outs - If the possibility of a rain-out exists, the Managers of each team
will be responsible for inspecting the fields and deciding if they are
playable. Fields should be checked between 3:00 and 3:15pm. Both Managers must
agree that the game is not playable to cancel the game. It is the
responsibility of the managers to notify the League Secretary or other League
official of any rain-out before 3:30pm. The umpire may declare a rain-out at
the start time of the game if conditions are unsafe.
3.11.12
Protests - The ASA Rules regarding official protests shall be followed. A
manager must submit a written protest to a League Officer within 48 hours after
the completion of the game. The Advisory Committee will meet and render a
decision on all official protests.
3.11.13
Game Ball - The home team is responsible for supplying at least one new ball to
the Plate Umpire before the start of each game. The visiting team shall provide
at least one suitable back-up ball to the Plate Umpire before the start of each
game. If the League votes to play with a
smaller ball for female batters (batter's choice), it is the responsibility of
the female batter's Manager to ensure the correct ball is provided to the
pitcher.
3.11.14
Courtesy Runners - If a player reaches base safely and asks an official for a
courtesy runner, he/she may have the teammate of the same sex who made the most
recent out run as courtesy runner. If
player who has made the most recent out is not available to run (the player is
already on base or is on deck, etc), the player who has most recently batted
and is not on base will take his/her place on the bases, and may still remain
in the game as a batter and fielder. A courtesy
runner should not be confused with a substitution.
3.11.15
Discipline - Only the designated Managers of the 2 playing teams may argue a
call or discuss a problem with the umpire. At the umpire's discretion, any team
member (not the manager) who violates this rule can be removed from the game. A
team player who does this twice (not necessarily during the same game) will be
expelled from the League. ANY FIGHTING or threats to other players or the
umpire will result in an automatic expulsion from the league. Expelled players
may NOT reenter the League.
3.11.16 Foul Language - Foul language is strongly
discouraged. First offense is a
Warning. On a second offense, the umpire
may charge an out to the team of the offending player. The team's manager is responsible for getting
the situation under control. On the
third offense, the umpire should eject the player from the game. The player MUST
leave the area. [Security may be called;
ext 3636.]
3.11.17
Outfield Inner Limit Line - This line is drawn in the outfield 160' from home
plate. For female batters, all of
the outfield players must stay beyond this line until the ball is hit.
If an outfielder crosses the line before the ball is hit the Umpire shall award
the batter first base.
3.11.18
Umpires - All teams are expected to provide umpires for scheduled games. The
umpiring schedule is contained on the master league schedule. Any team failing
to provide an umpire will be assessed 1/2 game forfeit. This forfeit will be
included in league standings and will count towards expulsion under league rule
3.9. Any team failing to provide an
umpire for 3 games will NOT be allowed to play in the post season tournament.