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| About BOSL | |||
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Looking at the ball going over the
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BOSL RULES – 2010 (Last updated, March 2010) The following rules are specific to the League, if not covered here refer to Slo-Pitch Ontario Official (SPOA) Rule Book for the current year. The Burlington Old Timers Slo-Pitch League has been formed for enjoyment and participation. The purpose is to provide recreation in a setting of good sportsmanship. The theme is to have fun. Age: A player must be 35 years old within the calendar year. Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol on or around the ballpark is prohibited and may result in player ejection or suspension for the balance of the season. "Tailgate" parties on city property are not permitted. Base Running: When a single's hitter is awarded a walk he is not required to touch first base before a replacement runner is placed on the fist base bag. This rule is to speed up the play of the game. Base runners must keep in contact with the base, and may advance only when a pitched ball is batted or the umpire advances the runner. Lead off called on third strike will result in both the batter and the runner called out. Each pitch not hit becomes a dead ball. Sliding is permitted at second and third bases only. The base runner will be called out for sliding at first or home. Exception at first...it is possible to slide if the player has already obtained first and slides back in response to a throw. Collisions on the bases are to be avoided; the onus is on the runner to avoid a collision. If, in the opinion of the umpire, a collision is deliberate the player will be ejected from the game. The catcher cannot put out a runner with a tag. To record an out, the defensive player must touch home plate with the ball in his possession before the runner crosses the safe line and touches the ground behind home plate. A commitment line will be drawn 20 feet from home plate and a runner who crosses the line must advance to home plate. A player hitting more than a single can touch either first base bag. On an infield hit he must run to the orange bag. Once first base is attained, only the white base is in play (the orange base no longer exists for the purpose of base running). Batting: Intentional chopping down on the ball is not allowed; the batter will be out automatically. Bunting is not allowed. The batter must remain in the batter's box after "play ball" is called unless time is called. The infield fly rule will apply. Throwing a bat may cause a batter to be called out. If the batter fouls his third strike, he will be called out. Conduct: Only the Team Captains may question an umpire's call. Abusive language may result in player ejection. Players making phantom calls or gestures may be ejected from the game. Players are asked to address the umpires as Mr. Umpire or Ump. A player ejected from a game for a first offence will miss the remainder of the game and one more. A suspended player may be subject to further discipline depending on the situation. A second offence will result in a disciplinary hearing and may result in further suspensions. In circumstances involving extreme misconduct by a League member while an umpire is not present, Board members and Team Captains have the authority to suspend players immediately until further notice. A member of the board must be notified within 24 hours of any suspension. It will be examined by the disciplinary committee and recommend any further actions to the board. Equipment: Only S.P.O.A. approved bats (BPF of 1.20 or less) are allowed. They must be approved by the BOSL executive prior to use in our league. When they are approved they will have a sticker attached. If no sticker is attached the bat is not to be used under any circumstance until approved. Please note that we go by the ASA Standards and not the USSSA Standards. If an illegal bat is used the player is an automatic out and the result of the play is not allowed. The bat will then be confiscated by the umpire and not returned until the game is complete. If the same player uses another illegal bat in the same game he is ejected from the game and will face the Displinary Committee. If the player uses the same bat again, in a different game then he will be ejected from the game and face the Displinary Committee. Balls (restricted flight 12”, 0.40 COR) are used. Trapper gloves will be allowed at first base, catcher and pitcher positions only. Metal spiked shoes are not allowed. (Soccer or multi cleat rubber shoes are allowed). Home plate will be wooden and will be 24 inches wide by 36 inches long. A hammer for base pegs and a 65 foot rope marked for pitchers mound and bases will be provided to each team. Two regulation bases plus a safety base will be supplied to each team. The white safety base will be in fair territory, the orange base in foul territory. The Game: A game will be 9 innings or less if time or conditions allow as determined by the umpire. No inning will be started after one hour and fifteen minutes of play. A game called by the umpire, which cannot be resumed within 30 minutes, will be a regulation game if at least four (4) innings are completed or if the home team is leading after three and one half (3.5) innings. Games played on single game diamonds shall be 9 innings, if conditions permit as determined by the umpire. Games may be declared rained-out by; a) designated member(s) of the Board of Directors, b) the umpire assigned to the game in question, c) the City of Burlington Department of Parks & Recreation. Note: Team captains are not empowered to unilaterally or in consultation with other captains to call off a game. Their opinions may be requested by the umpire, but the decision to play or not play is ultimately the umpires. The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time due to rain, darkness or any other cause that puts the players peril. Three pitching warm ups in the first inning, one warmup pitch per inning thereafter. A warmup ball through the infield in the first inning only. The umpire will move the game along and players will co-operate in order to play nine innings. Four point games have been eliminated. All games will start at the scheduled time except early games where a 15 minute grace period will apply. Home plate umpire is responsible for communicating game final score to league executive. Home Run Rule: There is no limit to the number of home runs a player or team may hit during the regular season or during tournament play. Mercy Rule: Scoring eight runs or one more run than the opposition's total runs (whichever is greater) will end a turn at bat. For example, if the score is 16 to 1, the losing team can score 16 runs before the mercy rule would apply. There is no mercy rule for the visiting team in the top of the last inning. Jewellery: No jewellery is allowed to be exposed. This means wedding bands, watches, bracelets, neck chains, etc. Umpires will be required to explain the “No Jewellery” rule before the game with Captains. Any player wearing jewellery will be called out taking his place in the batter’s box. If a player is unable to remove a wedding band, it must be covered by a glove while playing the game (at bat, running bases or in the field). NO EXCEPTIONS. Players who wear medical alert bracelets or pendums are to let team Captains as well as Umpires know that they wear them. Passed Balls: For a ball thrown out of play by any fielder, the base runners are awarded two bases from the time of the throw. If the ball is caught and carried out of play, the runners advance one base. Pitching: NEW >> The pitcher's box will be 24 inches wide and located from 55 feet to 65 feet from home plate. The pitch must be delivered at a slow speed and have an arc between eight and fifteen feet on its path to the home plate. Height of the arc is to be determined at the umpire’s discretion. A pitch, which strikes the wooden plate, is a strike unless "no pitch" or "illegal pitch" is called. If a pitch exceeds a maximum arc of fifteen feet or does not obtain a minimum arc of eight feet, the pitched ball shall be called an "ILLEGAL PITCH" by the umpire in a voice loud enough for the batter and catcher to hear, and the umpires left arm extended horizontally in order to alert the fielders. The plate umpire shall then call a "ball", provided the batter does not swing at the ball. If the batter swings and misses, the result is a strike; if the batter hits a fair ball, the ball is in play. ALL BATTERS WILL BE PITCHED TO. If in the umpires' opinion the batter has been intentionally walked, the batter shall be awared 2nd base. Playing Field: Bases will be placed 65 feet apart or in case of a smaller playing field, one foot inside the grass-playing surface. Outfield boundary line will be open except where fenced. Batter box will be 3 fett wide by 7 feet long and will be identified by the umpire where not lined. Teams: Teams will consist of ten players on the field. Players may be stationed anywhere on the field within fair territory except the catcher who will remain behind home plate. The batting order will remain the same throughout the game. There must be seven roster players to field a team. (There must be seven roster players at the start of the game or the game is default.) Teams should borrow from other teams whenever possible to play the game. Borrowed players will bat at the bottomo of the order. When a team cannot field the minimum roster players, the other team will win the game by a score of one to zero. Home team will supply and set up the bases. Home team will be the second team listed on the schedule. Umpires will supply one new ball for each game. The home team will supply a back up ball. Tournaments: These league rules apply to tournaments except as noted below or if the executive sets specific rules for a tournament: Tournaments will be seven innings or six and one half if the home team is winning by more than 8 runs. If home team is winning by less than 8 runs, they must take their at-bats. No new inning will be started after one and one quarter hours of play. Pitching: Additional punitive rules may be instituted for intentional walks. Teams: Players should play at least 15 regular season games to play in the year end tournament. Substitutes: A team must have at least seven roster players for a tournament game. If a team has seven, eight, or nine roster players the opposing team will provide a catcher when batting. If the team has seven or eight roster players and the opposing team has more than ten players, the opposing captain will offer a player of his choice to play for the other team. Tie Breaking: SPOA tie breaking rules will apply. Note that the maximum plus/minus from any game is 8 (eight) runs. Substitutes: All players available at game time will be in the batting order and will play defensively. Defensive players may substitute randomly; the batting order will not change. For player who arrives late, no matter what the inning, he will be added to the bottom of the batting order. There will be no limit as to when a player may enter the game. Known players requiring a base runner will be declared to the umpire and to the opposing team captain prior to the game. Any batter having safely reached base requiring a courtesy runner shall be a declared batter for the remainder of the game. The courtesy runner will be the last OUT from the team. A declared batter cannot advance past first base regardless of where the ball is hit. The base runners will advance at their own risk. Uniforms: Players must wear grey baseball pants or grey shorts for league and tournament games. (Captains and executive are expected to enforce this rule) The executive may grant exceptions to the rule.
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