League Rules

FAIRMOUNT PARK WOMEN’S SOFTBALL LEAGUE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
2009

The League will be governed by the current official slow pitch softball rules as adopted by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), with the following exceptions.

1. Game Times
a. Games are to begin promptly at scheduled time. Forfeit time is 15 minutes after scheduled game time.
b. Game Time: Weeknights: 6:30 p.m.; Sundays: 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.; Sunday games will have a two-hour time limit.

2. Minimum Number of Players
a. According to ASA rule 4.1.c, d (slow pitch), teams may begin with 1 less than what is required to start (10-1 = 9 players).

3. Team Rosters:
Team rosters including names of all known players must be submitted to the league by June 1, 2009. No player may enter a game without being listed on and signing the team roster and release.
At the League Meeting on 6/1/09 – Group voted to extend Team Roster deadline to June 15, 2009
b. The minimum age for League participation is 18 years old.
c. All players who sign a roster will agree to the RELEASE FROM LIABILITY statement included on the form.

4. Playoff Eligibility
Team players are only eligible to participate in the League playoff tournament if they have played in a minimum of 5 regular season games (this is currently determined as 1/3 of total regular season games rounded to the nearest whole number of games); there is no minimum number of innings a player must play in a game for that game to count.
Team representatives must maintain a single score book for the entire season and may be asked to produce the score book during playoff games for the purpose of verifying a particular player’s participation in the minimum number of games.
Both visiting and home teams will have the umpire sign the scorebook at the conclusion of every game.
An individual’s playoff eligibility may be contested during the playoff tournament by way of a formal protest as outlined in item number 9 - Protest Procedures.
In the case of forfeited games, the forfeiting team players will not be credited with a game played; all players on the team that wins by forfeit will be credited with a game played.

5. Uniforms
a. Team members taking the field in a league game must wear T-shirts or jerseys of the same color with clearly visible numbers.
b. No two players may use the same number in a single game.
c. Player names are not required to be on team jerseys, but player first names, last initial, and numbers must be entered into the scorebook.

6. Umpires
a. The umpire fee is $40 per game; each team will pay one half of the fee to the umpire prior to the start of the game.
b. Teams forfeiting games after 5:00 p.m. on week nights, or 8:30 a.m. on Sundays are responsible for paying the full $40 umpire fee, and will be required to remit the umpire fee to the league immediately.
c. The umpire is paid nothing by the League or League teams for games called by the league before 5:00 p.m. on weeknights or 8:30 a.m. on weekends.
d. The umpire will be paid one-half of the game fee ($20.00) for games cancelled by the League or by the umpire after 5:00 p.m. on weeknights, or 8:30 a.m. on Sundays before the first pitch of the game, due to weather or field conditions; payment will be made by the League.
e. The umpire will be paid the full game fee ($40 - $20 per team) for games called after the first two innings; the umpire MUST sign both scorebooks.
f. If the umpire calls a game before two complete innings, the umpire will return the $40 fee to the playing teams, and the League will pay the umpire one half of the game fee ($20); payment will be made by check; the game will be continued and the umpire must sign both scorebooks.
f. Games that are continued will be rescheduled by the League, and the umpire will receive the full game fee ($40 - $20 per team) at the start of the continued game.
g. If, at the beginning of a game, and by mutual agreement of the teams and the umpire, the ability to finish two innings is questionable, the teams may defer payment of the full game umpire fee ($40) until the beginning of the third inning.

7. Game Cancellation Due to Inclement Weather
a. The League will make game cancellation decisions due to inclement weather; a determination will be made 1 ½ hours prior to game time (by 5:00 p.m. on weeknights and by 8:30 a.m. on weekends).
b. Game status information will be available on the League hotline 215 464-2503
c. Once a game has begun, it can only be called by the umpire in charge.

8. Umpires Authority
a. The umpire will have complete control of all league games, and the responsibility to make final decisions about game status, player/spectator conduct on the field, and all other matters related to playing the game.

9. Protest Procedures
a. League teams must follow the protest procedures outlined in the ASA rule book - see Rule 9
b. Umpires must be notified immediately of a protest and a brief description of the protested circumstances should be placed in the score book; the umpire must sign the score book; the game is then continued.
c. All protests submitted in writing with a $25.00 check payable to FPWSL to a League Advisory Board member within 24 hours of the protest.
d. Protest reviews and final decisions will be made by the League Advisory Board within 24 hours or less if possible.
e. Protests upheld will result in the refunding of the protesting team’s $25.00 protest payment; the league will pay the umpire to finish the game if necessary.

10. Conduct
a. Unsportsmanlike conduct is defined as, but not limited to:
i. profanity, harassment or other threats that imply harm, directed at the other team, league members or officials;
ii. assaults or physical contact beyond what is reasonable and necessary to play the game
any team, team member, and/or fan failing to comply with the umpire.

b. If any team personnel or team fans exhibit persistent, unsportsmanlike behavior, the umpire may declare a forfeit; a single warning will be given without penalty.
c. A team member charged with unsportsmanlike behavior in writing to any Advisory Board member will be investigated. Once the investigation is completed, the Advisory Board will determine disciplinary action if warranted.
d. Players exhibiting unsportsmanlike behavior risk suspension from and possible ejection from the League.
e. Players suspended from play must sit out the games listed and may then return to finish out the season.
f. Players ejected from the League may return the following year and play one year under probation; during the probationary year, if no additional valid complaints regarding the player’s conduct are received, previous infractions will be erased.

11. Thrown Bat
a. A thrown bat will result in a warning to the team whose player threw the bat; an additional thrown bat by a batter on the same team will result in an automatic out on that batter. Each team is entitled to one thrown bat warning.

12. Home Team Responsibilities
a. The designated home team will supply the following:
i. a new 12” Dudley SB-12L ball; the ball core shall not exceed .50.
ii. home plate, pitching rubber, bases, and two foul line cones
iii. one-half of the umpire fee ($20)
b. The designated visiting team will supply the following:
i. an appropriate back-up ball (used, but in good condition)
ii. one-half of the umpire fee ($20)
c. The Recreational Division will use the Yellow Dudley SB-12L ball for all games.
d. The double safety bag will be used at first base by all teams according to ASA Rule number 2.

13. Team League Participation Responsibilities
a. A team that does not attend a league meeting will be fined $25 for each meeting missed
b. A team that fails to report a game score within 48 hours of a game will be fined $10 per unreported game score.
c. Team fines must be paid in full for a team to be eligible for the League playoff tournament.

RECREATIONAL SLOW PITCH DIVISION RULES

The ASA Recreational Division will play under ASA Slow Pitch Rules with the following
1. The 1st base safety double bag is required.
2. Field Dimensions: Bases = 65 feet; Pitching = 50 feet.
3. Infield Fly Rule will be used.
4. Extra Player Rule will be used.
a. Teams may bat 11 players; any 10 of those 11 may play in the field
b. Once a game begins with the extra player in place, the extra player position must be used throughout the game.
5. Courtesy Runner: prior to the start of the game (during the ground rules conference), teams requiring a courtesy runner must identify the specific player needing one.
a. Only one courtesy runner is allowed in the line-up during each game.
b. If the player that required a courtesy runner leaves the game the team cannot have another one.
c. The courtesy runner will be any player not currently in the batting line-up, if one is available.
d. A player who served as the courtesy runner is allowed to enter the game, at which point any other player not currently in the game may become the courtesy runner.
e. If the team needing a courtesy runner does not have any players on the bench, then the courtesy runner will be the batter who has made the last out. If at the beginning of the game, and the first batter needs a courtesy runner then the tenth batter in the line up (eleventh with Extra-Player) will be the courtesy runner.

6. Open Substitution:
a. A player must play on the field before batting.
b. Players removed from the line-up must sit out one full inning prior to re-entering the game at any position. Players may re-enter the game in a different position in the batting order.

7. Third Strike Foul Exception – The Recreational Division will not use the ASA Third Strike Foul Rule. Therefore, a batter will not be declared out when she has two strikes on her and hits a foul ball.

8. No dropped third strike will be used.

9. Official Ball: the 12-inch Dudley SB-12L ball with core not exceeding .50 will be used; the yellow ball will be used for all recreational games.

10. Mercy Rule: the 5 inning, 15 run rule will be used for all games.

11. Slide or Avoid Rule
a. When a base runner is approaching a base that is covered by a defender who has possession of the ball or is about to catch a thrown ball, the base runner must make every reasonable attempt to avoid contact with the defender.
b. If, in the umpire’s judgment, contact is made that could have been avoided, the runner will be declared out and play stopped. Runners will be returned to the last base touched.
c. If the umpire believes this contact is flagrant, the offender shall be ejected; the umpire will be the final judge on whether or not the runner was trying to avoid the fielder; this rule is intended to reduce dangerous collisions between base runners and defenders.

ASA RULE 2 -- DOUBLE BASE
1. The double base is approved for use at first base. This base is 15 by 30 inches and made of canvas or other suitable material. Half the base is white (over fair territory) and half is orange (over foul territory). It should not be more than five inches (12.70cm) in thickness.

NOTE: When using the double base at first, the following rules should be enforced:
a. A batted ball hitting the white portion is declared fair and a batted ball hitting the orange portion is declared foul.
b. Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the orange portion. On extra base hits or balls hit to the outfield when there is no play being made at the double base, the runner may touch the white or orange portion.
c. The batter-runner must use the orange portion on the first attempt at first base; however, should he reach and go beyond first base, he must return to the white portion.
d. Should the batter-runner round the base on a hit to the infield or the outfield, she must return to the white portion.
e. When tagging up on a fly ball, the white portion must be used.

Revised 6/1/09