2016 Hub City Softball League By-Laws

Article I

Name: Hub City League


Article II

Objectives:

To provide adult men and women of Washington County and the surrounding areas with an organized and competitive softball program. Also, to promote good sportsmanship and physical fitness.


Article III

League Fees:

A. The 2015 fee will be $400.00 per team. This will include the Amateur Softball Association sanction fee. Payment is due at the 2nd league meeting. 
 
B. The league will also hold a league tournament, in which, all teams in the league are expected to play in. This will be played the weekend of April 25, 2015.

C. All league fees, sanction fees, league fundraisers, and ball fees are due prior to opening league tournament. Teams will forfeit all games until fees are paid in full. If a team does not pay outstanding fees they will be removed from the league.

D. Teams can request an extension if approved by league officers.


Article IV

Players Rosters:
 
A. There will be no more than twenty-five (25) players on a roster.
 
B. It is MANDATORY all team rosters must be turned into the league office before playing the opening tournament. Also a copy of every team roster will be given to each team manager.
 
C. If a player is added to a league roster after opening day, it will be done in the presence of one of the league officers. An add sheet must be used. No players will be added after May 31, 2015 on any HCL team roster. 
 
D. Once a player signs with a team, they may not change teams until the following league season (2016).

E. If a team folds during the HCL season, other teams may pick up a maximum of three (3) players from the team that folds. These moves must be approved by the league office.
 
Aritcle V

Miscellaneous:

A. Balls: each team will hit their own balls. The balls must be USSSA approved, 44 core, restricted flight balls with a factory stamp.

B. There will be NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES at anytime around the playing area or the dugout areas. Disciplinary actions will be taken.

C. Fighting will not be tolerated. Any player instigating a fight will be suspended upon the league officer's review, for no less than ONE FULL YEAR from the date of the offense.

D. Only rubber coated spikes are to be worn in this league (no metal).

E. A team must have nine (9) players on the field to start the game. If you start with nine (9) players and another player shows up, you may insert him in the line-up only if you have not batted around. (League rule only) League games will start promptly at 6:45 PM. Forfeit time is at 6:45 PM. The forfeiting team is responsible for paying all umpire fees. This is to be paid prior to the forfeiting team's next game. This fee is to be paid to a league officer. However, if the team is expelled, players from the expelled team may play for another team who already has one forfeited game recorded. If there is more than one team with a forfeit game, the league officers will decide which team may pick up the players first.

F. All games will consist of nine (9) innings. Any team having a ten (10) run lead after seven (7) complete innings or a fifteen (15) run lead after six (6), and a twenety (20) run lead after five complete complete innings will win.

G. The home teams are responsible for putting down the bases on their field. The winning teams are responsible for putting the bases away. On "C" field the first team on the schedule puts down the bases and the other team picks them up.

H. No batting practice in the batters boxes.

I. League treasurer must give copies of bank statements to league officers each month if requested.

J. Each team will clean up their dugout and surrounding areas after every game on each field.

K. Teams wanting to enter the league must be put on a waiting list.

L. Every team must sell and help with all league fundraisers or they will not be able to play in the league.

M. Homerun rule: 5 over the fence homeruns per game. Anything after the 5 is considered an out. (League rule only) NSA Rule: the one-up homerun rule is in effect. Once both teams have reached their respective run limits, either team may hit an additional home run; however, no team may ever go more than one home run up on the other team. Any additional home runs above the one-up will be scored as an out. Example: both class "B" teams have hit their respective five (5) homeruns by the bottom of the fourth inning. In the 5th inning, the visiting team is now allowed to hit another homerun and do so. In the of the 5th, the home team can now hit 2 home runs, which is allowed because they are no more than one homerun up on the other team. If one team does not hit their allotted home run limit, then the one-up homerun rule will not be used. The home team, in the bottom of the 9th or later innings, may hit one homrun to pull even in the number of homeruns as the opposing team, but may not hit a homerun to go one-up.

N. A bat list will be USSSA bats with the 2015 thumb print stamp.
 

Article VI

Rain and Playoff Schedule:

A. The league office will reschedule all rained out games.

B. The league office will schedule playoff games right after the finish of the regular season. There will be a manager's meeting two (2) weeks before the end of the season to discuss playoffs.

C. Playoff games will be nine (9) innings with the ten (10) run rule in effect after the seventh (7) inning and fifteen (15) run rule after the sixth (6) inning.

D. Starting time for playoff games will be 6:45 PM sharp. Game time is forfeit time. Exception being the games played on "C" field. They will begin at 6:30 PM sharp.

E. Home team will be determined by the higher seed. The "if" game, a coin flip will determine the home team.

Article VII

Umpires:

A. Umpires will have complete authority after the game begins. Umpires may eject a player from the game after one warning. The player who is ejected must leave the playing field and surrounding areas. Failure to leave the playing field and surrounding areas cuold result in forfeiture for the team. The ejected player must sit out two (2) games and pay a $25.00 fine to the league.

B. The decision to call the game due to rain will be made by the umpires and the league office.

C. The umpires will be paid $10.00 per man, per team for a two (2) man system or $15.00 per team for a one (1) umpire system. Opening tournament umpire fee is $10.00 per team per game.

D. Umpire fees will be paid before each game, or a forfeit will be awarded.

E. Teams that forfeit a game are responsible for paying the umpire fees, for both teams, before playing their next game.

F. League officers will be sanctioned ASA Umpires, payable by the league.

G. Any verbal abuse with the umpires; such as cussing or threatening of an umpire will not be tolerated, from the time of arrival to the time of departure from all league property. Any such actions will result in the following disciplinary actions:

1. 1st offense: A two (2) game suspension and a $25.00 fine, payable to the league.

2. 2nd offense: Suspension from the league for the remainder of the season and a $50.00 fine. The fine must be paid by April 1st of the next season.


Article VIII

Awards:

A. The team winning the league title will receive team t-shirts and a trophy.

B. The teams winning the 1st place in the playoffs, in each division, will receive team t-shirts and a trophy.

C. The teams winning the 2nd place in the playoffs, in each division, will receive a sponsor plaque.