CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of the organization shall be the Dartmouth East Men’s Slo-Pitch League, hereinafter referred to as the “League”. Its playing boundaries shall be those of the Halifax Regional Municipality.

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES
A  To provide an opportunity for men, to participate in an organized, amateur slo-pitch league. The League games are to be played in a friendly and recreational atmosphere without compromising the high standard of the sport.
B  To provide a social environment for pleasure and relaxation and a diversion from everyday responsibilities.
C  To maintain physical fitness for the League’s members through sports activities.
D  The Dartmouth East Men’s Slo-Pitch League is a non-profit organization.

ARTICLE III – LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the League shall be comprised of individual teams whose team members qualify under the rules and by-laws of the League, who have paid the prescribed registration fee and agree to abide by and comply with the Constitution, By-laws and Rules of the League. All League fees must be paid no later than JUNE 30, 2016. There will be a $50 fine applied weekly there after, until all fees are paid in full.
Resignation from the League or non-payment of annual fees will revoke membership.

League fees are to be made payable to DARTMOUTH EAST MENS SLO-PITCH LEAGUE.

All team members are entitled to attend all League meetings.

ARTICLE IV – TEAM REPRESENTATIVES
Each team shall appoint, by any method approved by the members of said team, a Representative (Rep) to attend meetings of the League.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The Executive will consist of:
President – Matt Randall
Immediate Past-President – Matt Randall
Vice president – Matt Latham
Treasurer – Matt Randall
Statistician – Matt Latham

ARTICLE VI - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall have control of the affairs of the League and shall have the power to fill any vacancies, which may occur in their numbers. They will control the finances and handle all the business of the League. All members of the Executive Committee must be present to have a quorum at an Executive Meeting. A quorum is required for any decision made by the Executive Committee. In that it is impossible to foresee every eventuality, the Executive Committee is empowered to make rulings not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-laws in the best interest of the League, keeping in mind the spirit and aims of the League.

ARTICLE VII - PLAYING RULES
The rules of SOFTBALL CANADA will govern the rules of play, with the exception of LOCAL playing rules of the Dartmouth East Men’s Senior Slo-pitch League, known as the By-laws and attached hereto.

LOCAL RULES FOR DARTMOUTH EAST SLOW PITCH
A  +3 Homerun rule.
B  Run rule per inning: 5 with the exception of the 9th inning which is an open inning.
C  There IS a 15 run rule after 7 innings. 
D  Players who have been in the League for less than 5 years must play a minimum of 10 games to be eligible to play in the playoffs.
E   Players who have been in the League for 5 years or more must play a minimum of 5 games to be eligible for playoffs.
F  Players who have been in the League for 5 years or more and do not meet the game requirements due to injury will be eligible to play in the playoffs.
G  Teams which have less than 8 players will take an automatic forfeit. A 15 minute grace period will be given; after that time is up and you still have less than 8 players, the game is forfeited. Teams with 8 players will be supplied a catcher by the opposing team. In the event that your team has to forfeit you are responsible for all monies owed to the umpire.


ARTICLE VIII - PROTESTS
Any Protest must be submitted to the League president within forty-eight (48) hours after the game in question has been played.
A Protest Committee will be comprised of the President / Vice President / Statistician / Treasurer. THE RULING OF THE PROTEST COMMITTEE IS FINAL.

ARTICLE IX - UMPIRES
Balls and strikes will be called by anyone agreeable to both participating teams.

ARTICLE X – DISOLUTION OF LEAGUE
Subsequent to any decision to dissolve the League, all moneys held in trust by the League, for the benefit of the members of the League shall be donated to a charity of the Leagues choice, subject to the satisfaction of any prior claims upon such moneys, submitted to, and approved by, the executive of the League,.

ARTICLE XI — ROSTER ELIGIBILITY
A  Preliminary team rosters, with names are to be submitted to the Executive after the 1st and before the 2nd, regular season game. Final rosters must be submitted by SEPTEMBER 10 2016.
B  Teams will consist of a maximum of 20 players.
C  Players not on the final team roster are ineligible to play IN THE PLAYOFFS.
D  To be eligible to play in the play-offs, a player must have played in a minimum of 10 scheduled League games; prolonged injury exempted, or on approval, by the executive. Players that have been prominent for a team in previous years and included on the team roster and do not meet the minimum games required may also be eligible on approval by the executive.
E  A fee for team registration will be charged for the current year; the amount to be determined by the Executive yearly.

ARTICLE XII - SCHEDULES
A  The regular schedule shall be submitted for approval at the regular League meeting in April.
B  TBA
C  The League Executive must be informed of game(s) rescheduled by teams one week before the game(s) in question. Opposing teams must agree to the scheduled change



ARTICLE XIII - STARTING OR TERMINATING A GAME
A  Games are to start and finish within the scheduled time. There is a 15 minute grace period at the beginning of a game.
B  Each game played is to be 9 innings. In case of stoppage of play:
(i)  Minimum of 5 innings to be a complete game (4 1/2 if home team ahead).
(ii)  1/2 innings revert to the last full inning completed (if over 5 innings) if home team is behind at the stoppage of play.
C   The decision to cancel any game is to be made by an officially carded umpire, (i.e. heavy rain, field conditions, lightning, defaults). Provided that such cancellation can only be made after 15 minutes have elapsed from the scheduled start of any such game. 
D   A minimum of eight players must be on the scorecard (player list) at the start of the game. A team will be charged with a loss if it cannot field sufficient players.
E   A minimum of eight players are required to continue the game; if a team has less than eight, that team forfeits the game.
F   Home team must supply and install the bases. The distance between the bases will be sixty-five (65) feet. In the event the home team fails to supply bases, the visiting team will supply them and the visiting team will become the home team for that game. Double bases will be used at first base, coming together over the first base foul line. The white base in fair territory and the orange base in foul territory.
G   Home teams to supply a new ball; visiting team to supply a good second ball.
H   The pitcher rubber is fifty (50 - 60) feet from back of the plate.
I    In the interest of safety, there will be a commit line twenty-one (21) feet from home plate toward third base.
(i) A safety line will also be drawn in foul territory starting at the top left-hand corner of home plate closest to third base running perpendicular to the third base line and extending to the backstop.
(ii) The home team is responsible for marking the commit and safety lines before the start of each game.
(iii) All base runners attempting to score must do so by touching the ground in foul territory on or beyond the safety line. Sliding into home is not allowed.
(iv) The base runner is out if he touches home plate unless avoiding a collision with a defensive player with, or attempting to, field the ball.


ARTICLE XVI — RULES OF PLAY
A   Any player ejected from a game shall be suspended for their team's next game as well. A second offense shall result in a three game suspension. Suspensions will carry forward into playoff or League tournament games. The Executive shall review any ejection of a player for further action. Any team, who uses a suspended player, shall take an automatic forfeit for that game.
B   Players are not allowed to wear shoes with steel spikes.
C   Catchers can wear a face mask and/or chest protector at their own discretion or option.
D   No bats that mark or discolor the ball are to be used without ASA approval.
E   All teams must bat their entire line-up.
F   Any player arriving late may be added to the end of the batting order before the leadoff batter on his team has batted twice; otherwise he is not eligible to play.
G   After the first inning, pitchers will be allowed only one warm-up pitch between innings (except relief pitchers).
H   The pitchers are to pitch a slow pitch (can pitch from behind the rubber) with a minimum height of six (6) feet and a maximum of twelve (12) feet, as determined and enforced by the umpire.
I   Balls and strikes will be determined by an officially carded umpire UNLESS its agreed upon by both teams.
J   On a play to first base, the runner must run to first base on the foul side of the foul line and touch the orange base, while the fielder must tag the white base on the fair side. If there is a play at first base, the runner must touch the orange bag.
K   In case of injury the batter has to run to first base. A courtesy runner can be used if the batter reaches first base safely.
L   A maximum of six (6) courtesy runners per team per game.
M   Courtesy runners can be any player in the lineup, but the courtesy runner must take his next scheduled at-bat. If a courtesy runner is due to bat, he must be replaced with another courtesy runner. The replacement courtesy runner counts against the team’s allotment of six courtesy runners.
The courtesy runner must be announced to the Umpire before he takes his place on the base.
N   If a player is not ready to play when he is due up to bat, he is declared out and play continues with the next player in the batting order.
O   If a player is removed from the line-up for any reason during the game, his spot in the batting order is vacated without penalty – and everyone moves up one position in the batting order.
P   The base runner cannot leave his base until the ball is hit. If a base runner leaves before the bat makes contact with the ball, the base runner will be called out, the ball will be declared dead and no pitch will be recorded.
Q   A four base error includes a play where the fielder's contact causes the ball to go over the fence in fair territory.


ARTICLE XV — SCORING OF RUNS
A  The base runner must touch the ground in foul territory on or beyond the safety line before the opposing player with possession of the ball touches home plate for the run to score. Tag plays at the plate are not allowed.
B  Home Run Rule ("plus THREE") is in effect. At no time during a game will the number of homeruns (over the fence) hit be more than THREE (3) more hit by the opposing team. When a home run is hit, that is in excess of the number allowed, the batter will be called out.

ARTICLE XVI — RESULTS OF SCORING
A  A game can end in a tie, but extra innings are to be played until it is too dark or at the umpires discretion. In case of a tie, each team will receive one point. The extra inning format will be for each team to start with a runner on second base and 1 out. The runner on second is to be the last out from the previous inning.
B  All winning teams receive two points per win.
C  A tie in the final standings (regular season or playoff) will result in the team with the best record of games won-lost involving the two or more teams, being declared the winner.
D  Should there still be a tie after a determination of the games won-lost, (regular season or playoffs) the runs differential (runs for minus runs against) in games between the tied teams would be the deciding factor.
E  Should there still be a tie after a determination of the games won-lost and the run differential, (regular season or playoffs) the team with the greatest overall run differential will be declared the winner.
F  In all games (regular season or playoffs), the bottom half of the last inning will not be played unless the team coming to bat is behind in the score.
G  All rules not covered by the above will be governed by the rules of the SPN.
H  The score of a forfeited game shall be 7-0 in favour of the team not at fault

ARTICLE XVII — REPORTING OF GAMES RESULTS
A   Each team must complete the League schedule.
B   WINNING TEAM must report game results to the person in charge of receiving the score (Statistician) within TWO days of the game. Game scores are to be sent to: dartmoutheastslopitch@hotmail.com

ARTICLE XVIII — TROPHIES
A   Awards shall be handed out at the end of year banquet.


ARTICLE XIX — LEAGUE MEETINGS
A   All League meetings are open to all League players. Each team will have only one vote on motions at regular scheduled meetings.