1) General

The league plays under ASA rules except as listed below. The purpose of the league is to have fun. If you find yourself arguing about the rules, you are missing the point. While it is better to resolve any disputes amicably, remember that the fielding team has the final call. Team captains are responsible for informing their team of league rules, especially the "have fun" and "fielding team makes the call" rules.

2) Team

A legal fielding team must have between 8 and 10 players on it, with at least 3 women and at least 3 men. A legal batting team must have at least 8 players on it, with at least 3 women and at least 3 men. There is no upper limit on the number of people on a batting team. Players may bat who are not in the fielding team.

A player may play for one and only one team during the course of the season, unless that player switches companies during the course of the season.

In the playoffs, no player can play for a team unless they played at least 3 games for the team during the season, no ringers.

3) Substitution

No substitution can be made if that substitution would make an illegal team. In particular, you must always field with no more than 10 people, at least 3 of who are women and 3 of who are men. You must also always bat 3 different women and 3 different men each time through your batting order.

Players may be added to the batting order only at the end of the order. The batting order is defined by the order in which people bat the first time through the line up. You cannot move players in the batting order. A player may leave the game and return, but they can only do so in their original slot. NB - This last rule is meant to help out injured players and should not be used to drop weaker hitters from the order.

Players may be substituted in the field at any time. Players can return to the game at any position in the field at any time. There are no limits to the number and timing of fielding substitutions.

4) Cancellations

Game cancellations are the responsibility of the team captains. Unless you are canceling for bad weather, you must cancel a game at least one week in advance (to allow for reuse of the field). Team captains should wait as long as possible until they cancel a game due to weather. Do not cancel games in the morning because it is raining or because the forecast is bad. Make sure that your team knows to always bring its gear in no matter what the weather. (NB - We had a forfeit in the playoffs because one team assumed the weather would be too bad, and it wasn't.)

5) Forfeits

A team forfeits the game if it is unable to field a legal team within 30 minutes of the scheduled start time for a game. No exceptions.

6) Running

Stealing is not allowed. Leading is not allowed. "Takeout" slides are not allowed; other slides are legal. A runner executing a takeout slide is out, as is the batter. Runners may advance after tagging up on a fly ball.

(From the ASA rulebook - Rule 8, Sec 8-Q)

INTERFERENCE: When a defensive player has the ball, or is about to catch a thrown ball and the runner remains on his feet and crashes into the defensive player.

EFFECT: The ball is dead and the runner is out. Each other runner must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.

NOTE: If the act is determined to be flagrant, the offender shall be ejected. An errant throw drawing the defense into the path of the runner is not interference.

COMMENTS: The word "deliberately" was removed prior to "crashes into the defensive player. The word "deliberately" implied that the act must be intentional. A runner may not crash into a fielder holding the ball waiting to make a tag, or about to field the ball. The fact that it is a deliberate or intentional act has no bearing. Umpires were not calling the interference, as they may have felt the crash was not deliberate or intentional. Removing the word should eliminate any confusion which players, managers, and umpires had in enforcing the rule.

7) Hitting

The batting team provides an umpire for the purpose of calling strikes. A pitch is to be called a strike if it crosses over the plate, and lands in a rectangle drawn (prior to the game) behind the plate. The dimensions of the rectangle are as follows:
    The width of the rectangle is equal to the width of the plate. The depth is measured using a 34 inch softball bat (use the nearest sized bat if you don’t have one). Place one end of the bat in the "middle of the plate". The middle is the line where the triangular portion of the plate joins the square portion. The other end of the bat defines the depth of the rectangle. This should be about 28" deep. Precision is not necessary.
Most teams have acquired a rubber mat in the correct size and shape. Clearly, this is preferable.

Balls are not called, only strikes. Thus, a batter can strike out, but not walk. Strikeouts can occur by swinging, called strikes or a combination. The rule for foul tips is the same as major league baseball (i.e. with 0 or 1 strikes it has to be over the batter's head and caught, with 2 strikes any height, if caught, will do).

Bunting is not allowed.

8) Pitching

Pitching is underarm only. This is a slow pitch, arc league. The top of a ball's arc must be higher than 6 feet and lower than 12 feet. No fast pitching.

Teams should use pitchers who are capable of throwing arcs for strikes. Waiting through a lot of bad pitches is boring for all concerned. Team captains take note.

Warning! Pitching slow pitch softball can be dangerous. Please make sure that your pitcher has adequate reflexes to protect themselves.

9) Fielding

The fielding team must maintain, at all times, a normal separation between the outfield and the infield. The outfield (defined as the LF, CF and RF) positions may not play within 120 feet of home plate.

As points of references:

• Home plate to 1st base = 60 feet
• Home plate to 2nd base = 85 feet
• Home plate to 3rd base = 60 feet

The short fielder is not affected by this rule and may play anywhere at all times. This rule is designed to eliminate the practice of shortening up the outfield against weaker hitters which takes away otherwise clean singles and greatly reduces the enjoyment of the game for new and weaker players. Team captains are expected to enforce this rule and not let their team shorten up too far.

10) Equipment

No metal cleats. Team captains do not have the option of allowing players to play with metal cleats, so don't ask. The league uses regular flight softballs.

11) Designated runner

A batter who is unable to run may use a designated runner. The opposing team's captain selects the designated runner; it is customary to select a runner of the same sex as batter. During the at bat, the designated runner stands just on the first base side of the plate, far enough behind the catcher so as to be out of play. The designated runner may not start running until the batter makes contact with the ball; no starting with the swing.

12) Duration of game

A complete game lasts 7 innings. Games may end early on account of darkness or weather.

Games end early by mutual consent of the two captains. A game is official if:

a) Three and 1/2 innings have been played and the home team is ahead. OR

b) Four or more innings have been played.

13) Home team responsibilities

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