0.01 Requirements for Charter/Franchise
Application for Charter/Franchise must be submitted to Babe Ruth League, Inc. Headquarters and approved. Applications must include the annual registration fee per team.
Cal Ripken - Major $18.00 13-15 Division - $18.00
Cal Ripken - Minor $13.00 13 Prep - $18.00
Cal Ripken - Rookie $13.00 16-18 Division - $23.00
Cal Ripken - T-Ball $13.00 16 Prep - $23.00
All leagues must apply for charter on or before May 15 All chartered/franchised leagues may add teams after registration merely by filing team registration fees with Babe Ruth League, Inc. Headquarters. Players, managers and coaches on teams added after June 30 are not eligible for tournament play. Leagues chartered/franchised by Babe Ruth League, Inc. shall thereby become subject to the powers and jurisdiction of District, State and Regional Commissioners within whose limits such leagues operate. State Commissioners shall approve geographical boundaries established by each league in conjunction with the District Commissioner in whose limits such leagues operate. Appropriate written descriptions, maps or specifications of boundary limitations must be certified by and filed with the State Commissioner and submitted to Babe Ruth League, Inc. for final approval. A player must play within the league's geographical boundaries in which the player resides. This is determined according to the legal residence of the player's parents or legal guardian. Waivers permitting a player to play outside of his geographical boundaries are not permitted in Babe Ruth League. The only exception to this would be if a player rostered on a Cal Ripken, 13-15 or 16-18 team moved outside of that league's geographical boundaries. In this case the player may finish his playing career in the respective division of that league. League geographical boundaries shall be subject to review and adjustment by the State or Regional Commissioner and Babe Ruth League, Inc. whenever it s deemed advisable. Boundaries are established to eliminate competition of an undesirable nature but shall not be established to prevent healthy expansion of teams and leagues within any given area. All leagues and teams must be covered by commercial general liability insurance before they will be permitted to try out, practice or start local league play.
Note: Commercial General Liability Insurance must provide coverage for all participants and all league volunteers and have a minimum limit of $1,000,000,000 coverage.
0.02 Definition League, Player, Sponsor, Playing Rules 1. LEAGUE. League shall be composed of not less than four (4) nor more than ten (10) teams. A chartered league may contain more than ten teams provided the league is divided into separate divisions. Each division is to be composed of not less than four (4) four teams per division. 2. PLAYER. All Player ages are determined by the birth chart. August 1 in any year shall be the deciding date. Cal Ripken Players must be at least 5 years of age and can not exceed 12 years of age as of April 30th.
Babe Ruth, 13-15 Division players must be at least 13 years of age and can not exceed 15 years of age as of May 1st
NOTE: Relative to the 12-Year-Old Swing Player Rule - See local League Options Babe Ruth, 16-18 Division players must be at least 16 years of age and can not exceed 18 years of age as of April 30th
NOTE: Relative to the 15-Year-Old Swing Player Rule - See local League Options Babe Ruth League competition shall be restricted to Amateur Players Only It is the basic intent of Babe Ruth League, Inc. every candidate be given the opportunity to play in the program.
Each league must advertise registrations, conduct tryouts and draft players. Teams are not be permitted to recruit their own players SPONSORS: Babe Ruth League, Inc. recommends local leagues carefully screen applicants for sponsorship.
4. PLAYING RULES. All Babe Ruth League games shall be played according to the Official Baseball Rules 1.00 through 9.05 with the exceptions noted. NOTE: Rule 6.10 does not apply, The designated hitter rule is not permitted.
0.03 Jurisdiction 1. All competition shall be played under the jurisdiction of Babe Ruth League, Inc.
2 The Provinces of Canada and any territories of the United States are considered to be identical with the states of the United States in organization and structure and terminology for these rules. 0.04 Birth Documents, Rosters, Schedule, Scorebooks 1. Players enrolled on a Cal Ripken Baseball, 13-15 or 16-18 roster must present to their respective League President before the first local league scheduled game, an original record of birth or a certified copy of original record of birth or Official Babe Ruth League Inc. laminated I.D. Card. a) Certificate from the State, County or City Bureau of Vital Statistics, Department of Health, Affidavits of Birth, Baptismal Certificates, Hospital Certificates, School Certificates, Record of Notification of Birth Registration by the Bureau of Census of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Babe Ruth League, Inc. officially laminated I.D. Card or Babe Ruth League, Inc. Letter of Waiver. b) In the event of the player's birth document not being recorded at the time of birth, a CERTIFIED COPY OF THE DELAYED REGISTRATION of birth will be accepted, providing said registration is filed with Babe Ruth League, Inc. and the State Commissioner is notified prior to the player's first local league scheduled game c) Notification of Birth Registration from the various offices or bureaus.
2. No player shall ever be embarrassed by this rule. Should there be any difficulty in complying with birth certificate requirements, any league, state organization, parent or guardian may contact Babe Ruth League, Inc. directly regarding a Letter of Waiver prior to a player's first local league scheduled games. Applications for a Babe Ruth League, Inc. official Letter of Waiver shall be accompanied by as much documentation as is available. NOTE: If this situation exists, it must be taken care of immediately upon a player's entrance into Babe Ruth League. 3. A team roster and league schedule shall be filed with Babe Ruth League, Inc. as well as District and State Commissioners independent of each other on or before the league's first regularly scheduled game. Those leagues which do not start regular season play until after June 30th, must file rosters by that date. League Presidents will certify as to the authenticity of the information submitted and certify as to possession of group accident insurance and league liability insurance. Computer generated rosters, provided all the information as required on the Official Roster Forms and signed by the League President, will be accepted. Faxed Rosters will not be accepted. Note: A league schedule shall consist of each team playing a minimum of 10 games within their league or an interlocking league schedule with other Cal Ripken or Babe Ruth leagues at the discretion of the League President prior to the start of tournament play. The teams of one division may play the teams of another division in a straight schedule, or an interlocking schedule, at the discretion of the League President. Forfeited games, before such games become regulation, do not count towards this compliance and include no records. An interlocking league schedule must be with teams in their own age bracket. 4. Each league will maintain an official scorebook or books to be completed in detail covering all league games. These scorebooks must contain Babe Ruth local league games only. These scorebooks will be needed by the League President to sign the tournament team roster verifying that each player has met the local league season participation requirement - see Rules 11.03, 1(d) and 11.04, 1(d).
0.05 Team Composition 1. Each team is required to conform to the following regulations: a) Cal Ripken - Each team shall consist of no less than twelve (12) players or more than fifteen (15) players, a manager and two coaches. Each team shall be composed of not more than eight (8)12-year-old players
Note: Once a player is selected to play in a major division he must complete the season within that division. 13-15 - Each team shall consist of no less than twelve (12) players or more than fifteen (15) players, a manager and two coaches. Each team shall include a minimum of three (3) 13-year-old players and no more than five (5) 15-year-old players.
Note: If a League registers with Babe Ruth League, Inc. a minimum of a four team Prep League which takes in the 13-year old players, each 13-15 year old team shall consist of no more than eight (8) 15-year-old players. The remaining seven (7) players would be either 13- or 14-year old players .Thirteen year old players listed on the league's 13-15 year old team roster may also participate in the Pre League at the local league's option. 16-18 - Each team shall consist of no less than twelve (12) players or more than fifteen (15) players, a manager and two coaches. Each team shall include a minimum of three (3) 16-year-old players and no more than eight (8) 18-year-old, or eight (8) 18- and 19-year old players. The sum of the numbers of 18- and 19-year-old players may not exceed eight (8)
Note: If a League registers with Babe Ruth League, Inc. a minimum of a four team Prep League which takes in the 16-year old players, each 16-18 year old team shall consist of no more than twelve (12) 18-year-old players or twelve (12) 19-year-old players or a combination of no more than twelve (12) 18- and 19-year-old players. The remaining six (6) players would be either 16- or 17-year-old players. Sixteen-year-old players listed on the league's 16-18 year old team roster may also participate in the Prep League at the local league's option. b) After the registration date of June 30th, a team vacancy may be filled. The league will notify Babe Ruth League, Inc. as well as District and State Commissioners, with he name of the replacement player, manager or coach. Players, managers or coaches registered or re-registered as replacements or traded after June 30th shall not be eligible for tournament competition.
0.06 PITCHING LIMITATIONS 1. A Cal Ripken Baseball pitcher, regardless of age may pitch six (6) innings per calendar week. A Babe Ruth 13-15 pitcher, regardless of age, may pitch seven (7) innings per week. a) Rule 0.06 applies to all games regardless of when played. This included rescheduled and make-up games.
b) If a pitcher delivers one (1)pitch in an inning he shall be charged for one (1) inning pitched.
2. The calendar week of Babe Ruth Baseball is Monday through and including Sunday. 3. A Cal Ripken Baseball pitcher must have two (2) calendar days rest between pitching assignments if he pitches in more than two innings in any one game. A Babe Ruth 13-15 pitcher must have two (2) calendar days rest between pitching assignments if he pitches in more than three innings in any one game. Each game in which a pitcher pitches is considered an assignment. 4. Games in which an ineligible pitcher has been used as specified in paragraphs 1,2 and 3 shall be declared forfeited. 5. Each game in which a pitcher pitches is considered one (1) "assignment". Therefore, a pitcher in the same game may start out as a pitcher, play another position, and return to the mound and this would still be considered as one (1) assignment. 6. If a game is called before it has become a regulation game and the umpire declares it "no game" the pitching eligibility is the same as it was prior to the beginning of the "no game" situation. 7. Although there are no written restrictions as to the use of pitchers in Babe Ruth 16-18 local league play, Babe Ruth Leagues, Inc. strongly recommends extreme care be used so an individual player in snot overextended, i.e., protect the player's arm.
0.07 PLAYER ELIGIBILITY Games in which an ineligible player has been used, as specified in Rule 0.01, paragraph 5 and Rule 0.02, paragraph 2(a) and (b) shall, at any time be declared a forfeit.
0.08 PROTESTS AND RULE INTERPRETATIONS 1. Each league shall adopt rules governing procedure for protesting a game, when a manager claims an umpire's decision is in violation of these rules. 2. All disputes and protests shall be decided by the local League President or by his appointed committee provided the decision does not violate Official Baseball Rules or Babe Ruth League, Inc. Rules and Regulations. 3. Clarifications and interpretations of rules by Babe Ruth League, Inc. will be given only in WRITING and then only upon WRITTEN request. Babe Ruth League, Inc. will consider facsimiles as writing.
RE-ENTRY RULE AND EXPLANATION Any of the nine starting players may withdraw and re-enter once, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the line-up. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re-enter. All pitchers are governed by the provisions of Official Baseball Rule 3.05. Note: If a player re-enters illegally as a pitcher, fielder, or runner, there is no penalty except he must be removed from the game immediately when discovered. If he re-enters illegally as a batter, such illegal re-entry is penalized according to Official Baseball Rule 6.07, Batting Out of Order. Listed below are interpretations of the above rule:
This rule applies to both local league and tournament play.
Each of the nine starting players may be withdrawn from the game and re-entered once.
When re-entered the player must occupy the same batting order position as he occupied when starting the game, i.e., a starting player and his substitute cannot be in the game at the same time. A pitcher withdrawn from the game may re-enter immediately if withdrawn while a batter or base runner, if he was one of the nine starting players. If withdrawn while he is on the mound pitching, his substitute must fulfill Official Baseball Rule 3.05 (b) before he is permitted to re-enter the game. All other starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered immediately. A starting player withdrawn from the game more than once, can not re-enter. Withdrawal and re-entry takes place only when a player has been removed from the game. If the pitcher is removed from the game because of a second trip in the same inning, he may re-enter the game in any position with the exception of pitcher, if he was one of the nine starting pitchers.
CAL RIPKEN BASEBALL 60 FT. BASEBALL DIVISION
SPECIAL BASE RUNNING RULE Rule: When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher's plate and in possession of the ball and the catcher's box ready to receiver delivery of the ball, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached home plate.
The violation by one runner shall affect all other runners. When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached home plate and the batter does not hit the ball, the runner is permitted to continue. If a play is made on the runner and the runner is out, the out stands. If said runner reaches safely the base to which he is advancing, all runners must be returned to the base occupied before the pitch was made, and no out results. When a base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached home plate and the batter hits the ball, the base runner or runners are permitted to continue. If a play is made and the runner or runners are put out, the out or outs will stand. If not put out, the runner or runners must return to the to the original base or bases or to the unoccupied base nearest the one left. If no event shall the batter advance beyond first base on a single or error, second base on a double or third base on a triple. The umpire-in-chief shall determine the base value of the hit ball. When any base runner leaves the base before the pitched ball has reached home plate and the batter bunts or hits a ball within the infield, no run shall be allowed to score. If three runners were on base and the batter reaches first safely, each runner shall advance to the base beyond the one they occupied at the start of the play except the runner who occupied third base, which runner shall be removed for the base without a run being scored. NOTE: See exception below.
NOTE: When there is a base running violation, the umpire should signal such infraction by indicating a delayed dead ball. EXCEPTION: If at teh conclusion of the play there is an open base, parapgraphs (a) and (b) will apply. |