1. This organization shall be known as the United States Over Forty Baseball League.
2. The league will operate within the framework of the U.S.O.F.B. and the U.S.O.T.B. organization. Bob Delahant serves as commissioner of that organization. The Commissioner’s office will administer and be responsible for the following: · League Fees, Schedules, Fields, Umpires, Baseballs, Insurance. And other pertinent duties associated with the operation of a baseball league. All player fees, tournament fees, fines, etc., will be forwarded directly to the Commissioner’s office.
3. Rules and Regulations shall be governed by the published, “Official Baseball Rules” as adapted annually by, “The Official Playing Rules Committee.”
4. Rule modifications and by-laws applicable to the United States Over 40 Baseball League will be established, published and reviewed annually.
5. The League governing body will consist of a President and team managers. Each Team will have the power of one vote. All decisions will be based on majority rule of the Board.
6. All games will be nine innings long. In case of double-headers, each game will be seven innings long. Home field will be home team first game; the visitors will be home team second. All midweek games will be 7 innings long.
7. In case of inclement weather, a game shall be considered complete, after the home team has batted in the fifth inning.
8. Suspended games as defined in the, “Official Baseball Rules” will be continued on the next available date on the schedule, and will continue from the exact point where it left off. If re-scheduled into a double-header, the regularly scheduled game will be played second at nine innings. All midweek games that can not be completed because of darkness or curfew will be considered complete after 5 complete innings have been played. Games that are tied when the game is suspended, will be continued from the point where the suspension was declared.
9. Rain-outs shall be determined by the commissioner’s office in conjunction with the team’s manager. A - Rain-outs will be re-scheduled on the next available date as a double-header, or on an open date. B - If rescheduled as a double-header, the regularly scheduled game will be played second at seven innings. If scheduled on an open date, the game will be played at nine innings.
10. All make-up games must have five (5) days advance notice, and must be completed prior to the end of the regular season, or on designated make-up dates.
11. Protests must be filed in writing within forty-eight hours after said occurrence. Protests will be ruled on solely by the league governing body. The league will review all protests by Friday of the week following the game. The majority rule decision will stand as final.
12. All players must wear complete uniforms while on the field of play.
13. Players may wear metal or rubber spiked shoes.
14. All players must wear protective helmet while at bat and while running the bases.
15 Players must use wooden bats. Wood composite bats are acceptable.
16. All game balls will be supplied by the commissioner and will be of the same type.
17. All team catchers will wear complete catching equipment consisting of chest protector, mask, leg guards, and catcher’s helmet.
18. No alcoholic beverages on the bench or field. No drinking of same during the game. Anyone drinking during the game will not be allowed to continue in that game. Consumption of drugs or alcohol prior to the game should be discouraged. Anyone deemed as under the influence prior to the game will be disqualified from participation in the game.
19. No family or friends on the bench or playing field during the game. (Insurance Regulation.)
20. If any team is ahead by ten or more runs at the end of the seventh inning, the team with ten or more runs will be awarded the victory. The game will be declared complete at that point. In the event of a double-header, the ten run rule will be in effect after five innings. However, this rule may be used in only one of the two games of the double-header. Managers may not dictate which games the 10 rule run will be used. If a team is ahead by fifteen runs at the end of five innings and the game has gone on for three hours, the game will be ruled final at this point, or any time there after. Any team ahead by 10 or more runs after 5 innings in all midweek games, will be declared the winner.
21. Each team will be allowed a maximum of 20 players on the active roster. If a player drops out he can be replaced. If a player drops from the team and wishes to return they must qualify for play-offs with 8 game or 32 innings from the date of his return..
22. Player eligibility: · A - Must pay league fee in full prior to being added to the roster. Players added to rosters after opening day will pay a pro-rated fee based on the number of remaining games. · B - Only rostered players will be allowed to compete in league games or tournament play. C - All players in the Sunday program must turn 38 years old by December 31, 2022 . All players in the midweek league must turn at least 32 by December 31, 2022. In addition all midweek teams may have one player that turns 37 by December 31, 2022. This player may not pitch.Please note there are no position restrictions on any players turning 38 before December 31, 2022 D - Each player must produce date of birth documentation suitable for verification prior to participation in league games and tournaments. The team and manager will be responsible for the accuracy of the information.
23. All teams must give league registration fees paid and preliminary rosters prepared no later than April 1st of each year. All players must have fees paid no later than April 15th of each year. Players that have registered with the league will be posted on the web site. All rosters will be filed with the commissioner’s office for insurance registration, and verification purposes. Team managers are responsible (not liable) for the collection of all fees and fines. Fees should go directly to the league office. Fees not turned into the league office by the manager; he will be held personally responsible for those fees he collected and was supposed to forward to the league office. Any player not meeting their financial obligation may be subject to team and league suspension. Play-off eligibility will begin the day the player registers.
24. The commissioner’s office and the opposing manager must be notified of any roster changes forty-eight hours prior to the next game.
25. To be eligible for the Play-offs, a player must participate in 8 games or 32 innings.. If a team roster drops below 12, a team may add back to the number 12. . Players in the midweek program must appear in 6 games or have played 21 innings to be eligible for play-offs. Innings for a forfeited game will only be awarded if the forfeit happens at the field. No credit for innings or game played will be given to any players on the forfeiting team.
26. Teams may add players at any time. The league must be informed of these additions. All players added to the team after the season has begun will be subject to all play-off eligibility requirements.
27. The umpires will warn both managers of an unsportsmen-like demonstration. If allowed to continue, the player or players demonstrating unsportsmen-like conduct will be ejected from the game, suspended from the next two scheduled games, or pay a $50.00 fine and take a one game suspension.
28. A team may begin and end a game with 8 players. Teams with less than 9 players may ask to borrow a defensive player from their opponent. The opponent will have the option to deny the request. In the event the total amount of players drop below 8, the game will be declared over. The team with less than 8 players will forfeit the game.
29. A team must bat a minimum of nine players. At the discretion of the manager, three EH may be used. The batting order can be expanded to twelve at any time. Once expanded, it is permanent. In the event the bench is empty and players become injured or must leave for personal business, in such cases, that spot or spots in the order takes an out for the next scheduled at bat, and then is skipped over as if it never existed for the remainder of the game. Once the automatic out is taken, the spot is dead; neither the original player nor can a latter substitute be reinserted. If a player is removed from the line-up, he is ineligible to bat again. All line-up changes must be announced to the umpire and opposing team prior to the at bat. In addition all teams may split spots in the batting order. The two players in each of these spots will take turns batting when these spots come due in the batting order. Turns must be alternated and can not be varied. Managers must declare time sharing at the beginning of the game. In the event the time sharing spot becomes vacant, 1 out must be taken. The other player in that spot will continue to bat without penalty, after the automatic out has been taken.
30A. Players may substitute freely on defense. Defensive players do not have to be offensive players.
30B Any player who is in the starting batting order may withdraw and re-enter once, provided that such player occupies the same spot in the order. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re-enter. This rule will not apply to any player that is sharing a spot in the order. Please note: Players may still substitute freely on defense.
31. If a pitcher is taken out of the game and moved to a position or DH spot, then he is eligible to return to the mound. If a pitcher is taken out of the game and the line-up, he is not eligible to return as a pitcher.
32A. A team may insert courtesy runners five times. The courtesy runner will be the last batted out (managers are not obligated to be runners.) The courtesy runner must be inserted before the next pitch is thrown. If a runner refuses a courtesy runner, he must wait until he has reached base safely in his following at bats, before he can use a courtesy runner. If he becomes injured after refusal, a substitute runner will be used. The injured player is out of the line-up and replaced by a bench player or Rule 29.
32B. The midweek league will be allowed runners for pitchers and catchers. These players may receive a courtesy anytime during the game that they reach base safely. In addition each team may use 5 additional courtesy runners per game. The courtesy runners used should be the last batted out in the order. After using the 5th courtesy runner, no additional courtesy runners will be allowed during the game for any reason (even injury). If a team can’t replace the runner with a player not currently in the lineup then the runner will be called out. If the runner in this batting order position is unable to bat the next time in the order the lineup will then be compressed with no additional outs recorded since he was already called out once previously by not running.
33. Any team or player found in violation of age and roster rules will forfeit that game and any other games in which the violations existed. See Rule 11 for due process.
34. The commissioner’s office will supply each team with a minimum of five dozen balls per season. The midweek league will receive four dozen baseballs.
35. Teams will furnish their own team equipment. This equipment will must be maintained and replaced as equipment falls into disrepair.
36. Teams will furnish at least six college or pro-quality batting helmets.
37. Baseball equipment is expensive. Destroying or throwing bats, helmets, and other equipment will be considered unsportsmen-like conduct and subject to Rule 27. The team will bear the expense to replace any equipment maliciously damaged.
38. Players must avoid collisions at all bases and on the base paths. If a player slides within a reasonable distance of a base, this will be considered avoiding the collision. If a player does not slide he must surrender himself to the defensive player. If a collision should occur, any decisions on the player being out or safe or whether he remains in the game, will be decided by the umpire at the time of the occurrence.
39. Time Limit Rules:
- 7 innings - No New Inning after 2:10
- 9 innings - No New Inning after 3:00
- "No new inning after" is defined as a time limit in which no new inning will start after the specified time has passed. Any inning starting ON or before this time should be completed. The new inning is considered to have started once the last out of the previous inning has been recorded.
- Please note that in some cases, time limits may be readjusted given circumstances such as daylight restrictions, field light curfew, town ordinance, back to back games, etc.
- Extra Innings: If the time has not expired, teams will play extra innings until it does. Regular season games can end in a tie after the time limit expires.
- You cannot protest a game over a time limit.
