SOFTBALL RULES OF PLAY

Summer Season, 2010

THIS LEAGUE WAS FORMED FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL OF ITS PARTICIPANTS!

a. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on City of Henderson parks, in or out of the dugouts. Any player caught drinking during a game or at the park will be dropped from the league, and that team will forfeit that night’s games. Any player found to be intoxicated during the game will also be dropped from league play. This rule comes from the Henderson Parks Department.

b. All commissioners will vote on any rule changes and new player distribution to teams.

c. The Henderson Softball League at-large consists of five individual leagues:

i. 40+ men

1. American League

2. National League

ii. 50+ men

iii. 55+ men

iv. Co-ed, 25+ women, 35+ men

d. Each season will begin by having a draft. Prior to the draft, all managers will provide a list of needed positions to the commissioners.

e. Players who are new to the league and have paid dues, but who do not come to draft night will be placed at the bottom of the draft list to be selected as needed on a space-available basis. Placement on a team is not guaranteed for players not coming to draft night.

i. Players new to the league who signed up but have not yet paid and who do not come to the draft night meeting will not be placed on a team. If space is available after draft night, the player may still be able to join upon payment.

f. The league will provide each team with enough shirts for all players (shirts may or may not be replaced the next season), an outside first base/home base, a home plate extension mat, a scorebook, and enough clean softballs for each game of the season. It is the team manager’s responsibility to acknowledge receipt of these items.

g. If a team loses either of the base mats, the manager will be charged for replacements. It will be the manager’s responsibility to share the charge with his teammates if he chooses.

h. If a team runs out of balls or fills a scorebook, he may request replacements from the league at no extra charge.

i. If shirts are damaged or lost, replacements need to be requested from the league. It is at the discretion of the commission whether such replacements will be charged.

j. Weather cancellations are determined by the Parks Department. In the case of inclement weather, Parks will notify the league president by 3:00 PM on game day. The president will notify all commissioners and managers via email by 3:30. Generally, no communication means that games will continue as planned.

II. CODE OF CONDUCT

As part of the Henderson Sports Group Adult Softball Program, we have established the Rules and Code of Conduct to ensure all individuals and teams participate in a safe and sportsmanlike manner. Providing a quality softball program requires the cooperation of all managers, players and spectators. Any demonstrations of misconduct will result in disciplinary action, and can jeopardize your player’s and/or team’s eligibility to participate in any Henderson Sports Group program or utilize City of Henderson facilities.

a. Definitions

i. The term “individual” includes: manager, player and spectator.

ii. The term “official” includes: umpire, league director and City Staff.

iii. The manager and entire team are responsible for the conduct of its individuals.

iv. Misconduct will result in penalizing an individual or a team with respect to the Henderson Sports Group leagues, tournaments and facility access.

b. Category 1 Infractions & Penalties

i. Minimum Penalty: Warning.

ii. Maximum Penalty: Banned from Henderson Sports Group Sports Programs/Facilities.

iii. NO INDIVIDUAL SHALL:

a. Demonstrate dissent by throwing gloves, bats, balls or any other forceful action.

b. Discuss with an official, in any manner, the decision reached by an official (except the team manager.)

c. Use unnecessary rough tactics in the play of game.

d. Use abusive or intimidating language or gestures toward any official or individual on or off the playing field.

e. Use profane, obscene or vulgar language, in any manner, at any time, on or off the playing field.

f. Lay a hand upon, shove, or make unnecessary physical contact with an individual.

g. Make direct or implied threats, either verbally or physically, toward any individual or their property.

h. Appear on the field of play, at any time, in an intoxicated condition or under the influence of any other type of drug which might effect the individual’s safety or the safety of others.

i. Consume or possess beer or alcoholic beverages in any City facility parking lot.

j. Leave behind excessive trash.

k. Demonstrate unsportsmanlike conduct.

c. Category II Infractions & Penalties

i. Minimum Penalty: Forfeit of game.

ii. Maximum Penalty: Banned from Henderson Sports Group Sports Programs/Facilities.

iii. NO INDIVIDUAL SHALL:

a. Bring beer or alcohol on to a City of Henderson park or field when no permit is issued.

b. Fail to leave the park when directed to do so by an official.

c. Consume or possess beer or alcohol during an official game when a rostered player of either team. This includes any “Borrowed Players” participating in the game.

d. Category III Infractions & Penalties

i. Minimum Penalty: Ejection and Additional Suspensions (team and/or individual) and probation for one year.

ii. Maximum Penalty: Banned from Henderson Sports Group and City of Henderson leagues and facilities.

iii. NO INDIVIDUAL SHALL:

a. Lay a hand upon, shove, or make unnecessary physical contact with an official.

b. Make direct or implied threats, either verbally or physically, toward an official.

c. Strike an official or individual with any object or equipment.

d. Physically attack or strike any official or individual.

e. Damage, destroy or steal City or League property.

Multiple violations of the Code of Conduct will result in an escalation of penalties.

III. PLAYER SAFETY

a. League rules are tailored for safety and to prevent injuries. We use a double first base; the left half is for the fielders’ foot, and the right half for the base runner. Also, there is a second home plate placed half the distance between the back fence and home plate that base runners use to score. All plays at home are force outs, and there are no collisions. On the base paths, runners must make every effort to avoid collisions, or will be called out.

b. This league is for the enjoyment of all players and there is no place for players who put the safety of another player or players at risk. If a manager feels that opposing players’ actions are jeopardizing the safety of his players he must approach the opposing team’s manager and together they will discuss it with the umpire. At the umpire's discretion, the offending player(s) will be issued a warning that their action(s) are unsafe. If a warning has been issued, again, at the umpire's discretion, any subsequent unsafe act shall be ruled a dead ball out and the player(s) may be subject to ejection from the game. The attending commissioner will be the final appeal.

c. ONLY THE NEXT BATTER TO HIT WILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE DUGOUT: If any other players are outside the dugout the umpire will provide only one warning. After one warning the team will forfeit the game.

d. Players play at their own risk. The umpire has the discretion to bench a player he deems to be so injured or ill that his participation interferes with the progress of the game or that he presents a hazard to himself or other players. In this case, normal rules will apply for a player injured during the game.

IV. NEW PLAYER SELECTION

a. New players may join at the beginning of each season via the draft. A new player selection will be held approximately one week before game play four times per year.

b. New players may send in registration and payment at any time, or they may sign up at the field on draft night.

c. Draft activities will include some hitting and fielding as well as pitching by those interested. Once all participants have gone through some hitting, they will be dismissed for the night. Managers will then meet, draft players, and notify new players within 2 days of the draft.

d. New players who do not participate in Selection Night activities, but who have paid their dues, will be added to the bottom of the draft list for a blind draft.

e. For 2010, the 50+ and 55+ leagues will draft two players per round. If there is a great disparity between player skill levels at the end of 2010, the January draft will include all players. (Team parity will be defined as all teams winning at least 35% of their games.)

f. The coed league draft will be adjusted as needed in order to accommodate a fair balance of men and women on each team and to allow family members to play on the same team. Deviations from the standard one player per round system will be discussed and agreed upon by all coed managers and commissioners as needed at each draft.

g. Any player who wishes to return to the draft may do so at the end of any season. The player should notify his manager and commissioner so that his status can be updated.

h. Managers may not send players back to the draft without cause. If a manager wishes to remove a player from his team, it must be with the agreement of the commissioners.

V. PLAYERS

a. Any player assigned to a team after the draft from the waiting list may play the balance of the season with that team, but must re-enter the draft the following season. Players who opt not to re-enter the league through the draft are ineligible for the waiting list and cannot participate in the league without going through the draft.

b. If any team plays a non-league player, the game will be forfeited. This rule will be STRICTLY ENFORCED.

c. Each player must have a photo ID with him on the field at every game. ID must be presented upon request of league or Parks Department officials.

d. All teams will carry a roster of at least 12 and ideally no more than 14 players for the season.

e. All players that are present to play must be in the line-up to bat. All players in the line-up must bat. If a player can play the field but cannot bat, his spot in the lineup will be taken as an out. If a player cannot bat due to injury, his position in the lineup will be skipped with no out taken.

f. Players can request to strictly bat as a DH and not play the field. Otherwise, managers are instructed to allocate a minimum of 2 innings per game playing time in the field to all players. Players who arrive in time for the early game must be in either both games or neither.

g. If any player on a team cannot make a game he must call his manager and advise him. If the player does not call the manager 2 times during the season he will be dropped from the league (No dues will be returned).

h. Any player that drops out of the league may or may not be able return to the team he played for previously.

i. Any player who leaves the league because he was injured or reported a valid family or work conflict may rejoin the team he was on up to one calendar year from date of resignation. If a player intends to return to league play upon recovery from the injury or resolution of conflict, he must report this to the commissioners at time of resignation so that it may be noted on his registration.

ii. A player who does not report an intent to return will join the draft upon re-registration.

i. All starting players may re-enter a game at any time.

j. ALL PLAYERS MUST WEAR LEAGUE SHIRTS IN ORDER TO PLAY. (NO EXCEPTIONS)

k. A team must field a minimum of 8 players. If a team fields fewer than 9 players they may ask the opposing manager to borrow 1 or 2 players, or pick a league member from the stands to fill in. This player may play any position the manager wants, but in all men’s leagues, they cannot bat. The manager from the team loaning the extra player(s) must agree to loan players; this is only a courtesy to the team that is short. The team that is short will play with 9 or 10 players. When a 9th player arrives late he may enter the game at once. He will bat at the end of the lineup.

i. If fewer than 8 players are present the game will be forfeited but the team can still play by picking up players from the other team or players from the sidelines. The game will still count as a loss in the league standings.

ii. In the Coed league, a short team must have at least 4 men and 4 women with a total minimum of 8 players.

iii. Coed teams with fewer than 8 players may pick up additional players from within the league, maintaining an official male-to-female ratio. Games utilizing pickup players will still count as a win or loss according to the score of the game.

iv. Teams may borrow players for the end-of-season playoffs. Teams fielding fewer than 8 players at the end of the pre-game grace period (5 minutes after the posted start time of the first game or within 10 minutes of the end of the prior game ) will forfeit.

l. Coed teams may field a team with 4 women and 5 or 6 men. When 6 men are playing the field, the 6^th male player must play in the catcher position.

m. Any team fielding enough players to begin a game may not voluntarily forfeit a game. This includes partial games; a team may not refuse to complete a game. Any team that voluntarily forfeits a game will receive the loss for that game and will also lose two points from their standings score.

n. Any player that is ejected from a game by either the umpire or a commissioner will sit out the next two full games. If a player is ejected in the 1st game of a doubleheader he will sit out the rest of that game, the 2nd game and the first game the following week. If the ejection is during the 2nd game he will sit out the rest of that game and both games the next week.

o. Any player who is ejected twice in one season will sit out the balance of the season. No monies will be returned to the player.

p. Ejections only affect the league in which that player was active in at the time. If a player plays in multiple leagues, he may continue to play in those other games. However, a player who is suspended for the season may not play in any other HSG leagues for the duration of the suspension. The City of Henderson retains the right to refuse that player in other city leagues as well.

q. If there are documented irreconcilable causes for suspension or for a refusal to return to play next season, the commissioners may deny a player’s return to the league. A decision to refuse to allow a player to return to the league must be made prior to the draft date for that season. A player may be allowed to return on a probationary status, meaning that any infraction is cause for expulsion from the league.

VI. TIME LIMITS

a. All games must be at least 5 innings of play. After 5 innings have been played and 50 minutes have passed the game will be considered complete.

No new innings will start after 50 minutes of play unless 5 innings have not been played.

b. Early games start at 6:30PM.

c. Teams will be allowed a five minute grace period if they are short players at game time. Games will start no later than five minutes after posted game time or 10 minutes after the completion of the previous game if that runs past the current game’s start time. The first game of the evening will never begin later than 6:35.

d. All teams will play 2 games of a maximum of seven (7) innings each week

e. On a windy night, managers can pull the back mat and the umpire will call balls and strikes without the mat (Both managers must agree).

f. Seven innings will constitute a game. However, if the game is called because of weather conditions, 5 or more innings shall constitute a complete game.

g. If, after regulation time or seven innings and the score is tied, the winner will be determined by the number of runs scored in the first inning of the game. If the first inning had an equal number of runs by both teams, the decision will be made by the next inning, and so on. Only in the event of a tie score in every inning will the game be declared a tie. Tie scores result in 1 point per team toward the standings. No extra innings of play will be allowed.

h. All games will finish by 11:15 PM. If the lights go out the team that is ahead and has finished a full game (at least 5 innings) will be the winner.

VII. SCORING

a. To keep the games flowing, teams may score a maximum of 5 runs per inning. Each inning ends when a team gets three outs or scores 5 runs. The exception to this rule is the final inning of each game, where the inning will not end until a team accrues 3 outs. The umpire will announce the final inning at its beginning.

b. There is no “flip-flop” rule in the last inning and no run spread or slaughter rule.

c. Both team managers must keep a scorebook. The home team’s book will be considered the official record of play. Player’s last names must be used in the scorebook. If there is any disagreement concerning the score, the home book is official unless the league commissioners determines otherwise.

d. Scorecards must include all players’ last names. Completed score cards must be collected by the commissioners at the end of each game set.

e. After each day of play scores will be reported by email to the web site administrators at scores@hendersonsoftball.com. The managers of both teams in each doubleheader are responsible for reporting scores. All standings will than be posted on our website hendersonsoftball.com.

VIII. HOME RUNS OVER THE FENCE

a. A one-up rule applies to all men’s leagues. This rule does not apply to inside the park home runs. The first ball hit over the fence will count as a home run. Subsequent balls hit over the fence will count as a double. Runners on base at the time of any subsequent hit over the fence will advance two (2) bases.

b. In Coed games, any ball hit over the fence by a male batter will be considered an out. Any ball hit over the fence by a female batter will be scored as a home run.

IX. PITCHING and FIELDING

a. The game will be standard slow pitch 6 to 10 foot arc. Pitches must travel higher than six feet from the ground, but may not arc higher than 10 feet from the ground. However, the batter can swing at any pitch for a strike or hit, even though the umpire would call the pitch a ball. Pitchers will have a choice of 2 pitcher’s rubbers to pitch from, and can pitch from between the two or up to 6 feet behind the regulation 50’ rubber (to a maximum pitching distance of 56’).

b. All pitching must be done with one continuous motion. Any stop, balk, or aborted pitching motion that is not the result of a timeout being called or the batter stepping out of the batter’s box will result in a no-pitch call. The pitcher must begin the pitching motion again from the beginning.

c. We have an extended home plate. All balls must hit either the regular home plate or the extended home plate in order to be called a strike, and all balls that do not hit either plate will be called a ball.

d. Intentional walks are allowed.

e. A fielder may use any glove he wants to play the field.

f. Both teams are responsible for retrieval of all foul balls and any balls hit over the fence.

g. Any defensive player may make the play at home plate, and a borrowed catcher is expected to play defensively.

X. BATTING

a. As stated in rule V.e., all players that are present to play must be in the line-up to bat. All players in the line-up must bat. If a player can only play the field and not bat when his time comes to bat it will be an out, except in the event of an injury that occurred during that night’s game(s).

b. If the batter steps out of the batter’s box when hitting the umpire will call him out.

c. Batters will start with a 1 and 1 count.

d. A batter is allowed one foul tip on the third strike; the second foul on the third strike will be called an out.

e. In all leagues, any batter walked receives one base and the following batter must bat. There are no walk rules unique to coed play.

f. Batting lineups in the coed league must alternate male-female. In the event that there are more women than men available to play, two women may bat back-to-back. When there are more men than women, extra male batters must be placed at the end of the lineup.

i. In no case other than injury to a female player may more than three men bat consecutively. In the event more than three men would bat consecutively, the batting order must be adjusted to ensure no more than three men are adjacent in the lineup.

ii. A sample resolution to this would be to place two men, then a woman, and three men at the end of the lineup, where the first batter in the lineup is a woman.

g. HSG only allows bats approved by USSSA. A list of currently-approved bats is on the USSSA web site, with a link on the HSG web site. As a general rule, only bats with the “USSSA Approved” seal on them may be used. If a player has a question about the legality of his bat, he should ask the umpire before the game.

i. Any player caught attempting to use an illegal bat will receive one warning. A second attempt to use an illegal bat will result in an immediate 2-game suspension.

ii. Any player attempting to use a shaved, repainted, or otherwise modified bat will immediately be suspended for one year. A second attempt to use an illegally modified bat will result in lifetime removal from the league.

iii. Managers are responsible for ensuring their players comply with the bat rule and are subject to the same disciplinary action as their players using illegal bats.

XI. BASES AND BASE RUNNING

a. There will be a double base at 1st base, one in fair and the other in foul territory. It will be placed one base width from the base line. This is to prevent collisions. The runner must touch the base in foul territory whenever there is a play at 1st base. On a base hit where there is no play at 1st base the runner can touch either base. The fielder must ALWAYS touch the fair base to be given an out. On a play at first the runner must only touch the outside base, if he touches the inside base he will be called out.

b. This is a no-contact league. Runners must do everything reasonable to avoid contact with base players. This means that runners must always slide in to 2^nd or 3^rd base if a base player is present, or he must peel away from the base to avoid contact when out. In no case may a runner avoid sliding to interfere with the base player’s catching or throwing. The runner may also slide or dive when returning to first base, but may not slide in to first when running to the base on a hit.

c. All plays at home plate are force outs once the runner crosses the Commit Line. If the runner crosses back over the Commit Line it is an automatic out, no tag is necessary and the ball remains in play. The runner cannot slide into 1st or home.

d. A 2ND HOME PLATE will run parallel to the regular home plate. It will be placed half the distance between the fence and the Home Plate on the Home Plate Side of the Home Line. Any runner going home must touch the 2nd home plate before the catcher gets the ball and touches the regular home plate. There will be no sliding across the line. If the runner slides into or across the Home Plate Line, he will be called out. Note: If the runner should touch the fair home plate he will also be called out.

e. At any base, if a runner runs into the fielder by not sliding the umpire will call him out.

f. Base runners may not leave their base until the batter hits the ball or the ball passes home plate. If they leave before they will be called out.

g. Tagging up on a fly ball is allowed. On an overthrow, the runner must earn the base he is going to. The ball is live unless it goes out of play, in this case the runner will advance only one base.

h. On Home Runs hit over fence the batter must only touch first base (does not have to circle bases). All runners on base must advance to the next base.

XII. COURTESY RUNNERS:

a. In all leagues, runners may request a pinch/courtesy runner any time once he reaches base and the play is dead.

b. No substitution can be made once the umpire has called for a pitch or the pitcher makes the first pitch to next batter. If the runner is on base and it is his turn to bat he will be called out. He may remain on base as a courtesy runner.

c. Unlimited base runners will be allowed with the stipulation that no player may pinch-run more than once in an inning. Any player caught pinch-running more than once in an inning shall be called out by the umpire once the first pitch to the next batter has been thrown. A player caught pinch-running a second time in a doubleheader shall be ejected for the remainder of the evening.

d. If a runner chooses to request a courtesy runner, he may not return to the field as a courtesy runner for another player in that inning.

e. In coed, women may pinch-run for either a male or female player. Men may only run for other men.

XIII. PROTESTS

a. Judgment calls made by an umpire are not grounds for protest. Protests may only be made relative to rule infractions. League commissioners cannot overrule a judgment call made by the umpire.

b. Protests may only be made by the team manager, not by players. If a game is protested for any reason, game play will stop. Both team managers and the umpire will meet to note the game status and nature of the protest. Game play will resume as normal.

c. The formal protest must be submitted in writing to the league commissioner. The form is available on the Henderson Softball site. Forms may only be submitted by the team manager.

d. If a commissioner is playing in a game when a protest is called, he may recuse himself from any decisions relating to that protest, and request assistance from another commissioner. If commissioners are playing on both teams in a protested game, both commissioners may participate in the arbitrating process unless either team manager objects.

e. Any decisions made by the commissioners regarding the protest are final.

f. Any complaints regarding umpire calls or behavior must be submitted in writing or via email to league commissioners. This information may only be submitted by the team manager and must include game date, time, and call information.

XIV. MAKE-UP GAMES

a. If a game is not able to be played for any reason, the commissioners will reschedule make up the games at a later date if possible. All managers involved will be told when the games will be made up. In the event time does not permit a make up game each team involved will be given 1 point for a win and 1 point for a tie.

XV. PLAYOFFS

a. In most cases every team will compete in the playoffs, and are seeded by the regular season records. Each league has a separate playoff tournament at the conclusion of the regular season. In the Over 50 and Over 55 Leagues, there is one playoff. In the Over 40 league, there are two divisions and there are two playoff tournaments, one for each division.

b. Playoffs will never end in a tie. A tie score at the end of a game will result in extra innings. Additional innings will revert to the 5-run rules per side per inning.

c. Teams may borrow players for the playoffs, but normal rules regarding the start time of the game apply.

XVI. STANDINGS

a. Order will be determined first by TOTAL WINS. If there is a tie on wins, then by TOTAL POINTS and finally, if tied, it will be decided by TOTAL RUNS SCORED.

b. The 6-team tournaments will be played as follows:

i. The 1st and 2nd seeds will receive first round byes. The 4th place team will play the 5th place team and 3rd place will play the 6th place team in the first round.

ii. The winner of 4 versus 5 will play the #1 seed and the winner of 3 versus 6 will play the #2 seed in second round.

iii. The winners will play for the Championship.

4 Team Bracket 1

c. The 5 team tournaments will be played as follows:

i. The first round will consist of a play-in game between the 4^th and 5^th place teams.

ii. The second round of games will be the 1^st vs. 4^th/5^th in the 7:30 game .

iii. The third game will be 2^nd place vs 3^rd place at 8:30.

iv. The winners will play for the Championship.

5 Team Bracket 1

d. The 4 team tournaments will be played as follows:

i. The 1st and 4th place seeds will receive a first round bye. The 2nd place team will play the 3rd place team in the first round.

ii. The 1st and 4th place seeds will play each other in the second round.

iii. The winners of the first and second rounds will play each other for the Championship.

6 Team Bracket 1

e. The last place team, in SEASON STANDINGS, NOT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS, in the AL will move to the NL and first place team in the NL will move to the AL each season.

* MOST IMPORTANTLY: PLEASE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THIS LEAGUE IS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL PLAYERS.

XVII. CONTACT INFORMATION

Field and League info
Parks Dept	Lighting & Field conditions	267-5717		Main office number: 267-5700
Ernie	Head Umpire	265-7501
Score submission		scores@ hendersonsoftball.com
Management		Phone	Cell		EMail Address
Arthur Werner	President	837-0216	683-7700		mgfslp@cox.net
Paul Essayian	Vice President	656-0523	376-2474		tomorrrow4017@ yahoo.com
Bruce Gilbert	Secretary	434-1193	808-9062		bwgilbert@cox.net
John Russ	Comm. Web & Advt.	431-8778	556-8880		johnruss@cyberdelphia.net
League Commissioners		Phone	Cell		EMail Address
Lynn Baker	55 League	616-8600	376-0506		lkbaker2@cox.net
Larry Knoll	50 League		592-3110		palmseye@cox.net
Steve Rhoades	40 American League		743-5009		jusaman143@yahoo.com
Ken Warrix	40 National League		328-6685		askapm@gmail.com
Beth Pullen	Coed		513-2795		beth@ hendersonsoftball.com
Eric Hoffman	Coed	896-0531	217-0531		vegaseric@cox.net