QUAKERTOWN SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL LEAGUE

OFFICIAL BY-LAWS

1. The home team will keep the official scorebook.

2 One umpire will cover the whole field. (Added 4/26/04).

3. The umpire will go by the official league rules and the ASA book. League rules supersede the ASA book.

4. There will be no drinking of alcoholic beverages during the time your team is playing or in the parking lot at any time. No exceptions.

5. Any team not present at a league meeting will be fined $25.00

6. Forfeit game fines: 1st - $0.00

2nd -$25.00

3rd - $35.00

4th - Team is dismissed from the league

7. Home team will sit on the first base side of the diamond.

8. Protests: A. Protests will only be considered if the umpire at the game signs both lineup cards at the point of protest, thereby acknowledging the protest. Umpire should indicate on the back that the game is under protest.

B. Protests will cost $25.00. The coach of the team filing the protest has to call the league President that night, informing him of the protest. Within 48 hours from the game, the coach must send a letter and a $25.00 check to the league treasurer. The letter has to have all of the details of the protest enclosed. If the team wins the protest, they get the money back.

C. The people in charge of the protested game are the Officers of the league and the Umpire-in-Chief. If one of the officers is involved, he can appoint another coach to hear the protest.

9. The umpire in charge of the game is the only one who can call off a game for any reason, once it has started.

10. Rain-outs will be decided by the officers & make-ups will be posted on the bulletin board behind Field #2 and the web site.

11. League officials should be notified to schedule umpires for rainouts.

12. Forfeit money must be paid to a league official before the next scheduled game.

13. Each team is allowed to have up to a 20-man roster. In order to play or coach you must be on the 20-man roster. (Added 4/26/04) The 20-man roster will be turned in as follows. Prior to the start of the season a 15-man roster will be due. After that a team may use players not on the roster until the final 20-man rosters are due (usually will be June 1st). At this point all teams must declare who the additional 5 “flex” players are and the rosters are then finalized. No team may use anyone who is not part of the 20-man roster after the “flex” players have been designated. (Added 3/26/07). Teams can now appoint up to 3 “emergency” players. The “emergency” players will not be eligible for your playoff roster regardless of the amount of games played. The “emergency” players will not be one of your original 15 Rostered players or 5 Flex players.

14. Each player has to have the same color TEAM SHIRT (with sponsor’s name) in order to play.

15. Umpires will check with both coaches on the ground rules before each game.

16. If, for any reason, someone is in a fistfight before, during or after a game on the field, a hearing will be held with the league officials and umpire in charge to determine disciplinary action.

17. If, during a game, an umpire throws a player out:

the 1st time - suspended for the current game and next game (player must be present to serve suspension).

2nd time - suspended for the next 3 games (player must be present to serve suspension).

3rd time - suspended for all remaining games

A team will forfeit the game and pay a $50.00 fine if a player is caught playing or coaching in a game for which he has been suspended.

18. There will be a hearing before the League Officials following the third time a player is thrown out of a game. The League Officials will make sure of the justification of the ejection before the player is suspended for the remainder of the season.

19. The coach and assistant coach are the only ones to question an umpire's decision.

20. METAL SPIKES ARE ALLOWED TO BE WORN. However, with the discretion of the umpire, if the Player wearing metal spikes attempts to use them in a way to harm another player, he will be ejected for the remainder of that game.

21. Nine (9) players can start a game. A 10th man can be added at the start of an inning, but has to be placed as the last batter in the line-up.

22. If a player is unable to continue in a game as a result of an INJURY, his spot in the line-up is an automatic "out" whenever it is his turn at bat. This applies ONLY when there are no substitutes available and the team can still field at least 9 players. Nine (9) players are required in order to finish a game. If a player is ejected and no one is available to replace him, the game will be considered a forfeit at the time of ejection.

23. (Changed 4/26/04) The strike zone will be the mat set behind home plate. Home plate will be a ball.

24. The batter's box will be imaginary lines in the absence of actual lines.

25. When there is a play on a runner at any base other then first base you must avoid contact. Sliding is not mandatory. The umpire's discretion will apply.

26. Games will be 7 innings. Five (5) full innings (4 1/2 if home team is ahead) will be official in case of rain or darkness.

27. A baserunner may leave base after the ball crosses home plate, at the umpires discretion.

28. Third strike foul, batter is out.

29. Player must touch the PLATE, not the mat, in order to be safe.

30. Pitches must be thrown in a slow pitch manner with a minimum or a 6 foot arc, and a maximum of a 12 foot arc.

31. Twelve (12) run rule after 5 full innings will apply, unless the home team is winning after 4 1/2 innings. Home team will always bat last. The 20 run rule will be in effect after 4 innings. (effective 4/21/08).

32. Only 4 homeruns over the fence are allowed for each team during a game. Any more hit over the fence will be an out with runners not advancing. The “one up” rule will be instituted if both teams hit 4 home runs.

33. A team will be fined $25.00 for each representative absent if it does not have one representative at a schedule work party. Work parties will be determined at the league meeting.

34. An officer of the league may not be an officer of the North Penn Gun Club during the time he is in office.

35. A player, in order to be eligible for the play-offs, must play in at least ½ of that team's scheduled games for that year. “Flex players” will need 1/3

36. Each team must turn in a card listing the starting line-up (FIRST AND LAST NAMES; cards are supplied) to the umpire before EACH game. Any substitutes must be reported to the umpire. The umpire must physically see all substitutes AND announce it to the other team. The umpire must sign each card also.

37. League officers are allowed to vote on issues brought up at meetings.

38. All bats must be approved by ASA and bear the “Certification”, or “Re-Certification” mark. Anyone caught using a bat not on the approved list will be ejected from the remainder of that game and the next game. Anyone caught using an “altered” bat will be suspended for 5 years. “Altered” Bats are any bats that are currently on the ASA Approved list but have been painted, shaved or otherwise modified to enhance the performance of the bat. (Modified 3/26/07).

39. There will be a grace period of no more then 10 minutes allowed for the start of games.

40. The league will use a “rabbit rule” where the team can designate a designated runner who may run no more then once an inning for a player in the batting order and may not be a position player. Once the “Rabbit” enters the batting order the team then forfeit the right for the “rabbit”.

41. Teams will be seeded for the playoffs according to record. Tiebreakers will be used in the event two or more teams have the same records. The tiebreakers are:

a. Head-to-Head record

b. Division record

c. Run Differential

d. Total Runs Scored

e. Coin Flip

42. Any team that does not turn in entrance fees or other required payments by the date indicated by the league officer’s may have their team, and players individually, suspended from league play until all funds are current. Any individual player who wants to play in the league after being a member of a suspended team must pay his “portion” of the unpaid fees. This amount will be calculated by the total owed divided by the number of players on the roster.

43. (added 4/26/04) A team may elect to use a 2^nd EH. This will allow teams to bat 12 players (10 position players and 2 EH’s). You may chose not to bat the second EH, just like you can elect to not use an EH at all.

44. (added 3/26/07) Effective only for the 2008 season, the league has elected not to allow stealing per the ASA rule change. This bylaw will be voted on annually.

45. (added 4/26/04) If a B Division team wins the championship in two consecutive years, the team will be required to move to the A Division in the next year.

46. Currently no requirements are set for an A Division team to move down to the B Division. Moving down would be decided on a case by case basis by a vote of the league coaches. Effective 4/21/08