THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF DELAWARE

BASEBALL RULES

The Department of Delaware will maintain a minimum of eight teams.

It forfeits do occur, the forfeiting team shall be responsible to pay the umpire fees to the home team. The payment shall be made to the home team directly and the home team shall forward such payment onto the umpires. It shall be the responsibility of the home team to collect such fees from the forfeiting team or bear the cost of the umpires themselves.

Teams will be selected based on PLAYER RECRUITMENT PLAN "A" as set forth in the American Legion National Rule Book.

A. All teams must have a zone to select players from.

B. Each team may transfer players into its zone from one adjacent zone assuming that team's manager is in agreement and follows all transfer rules and forms for the same.

C. School enrollments are based on 10th, 11th and 121h grades set by the actual enrollment total recorded by State Data Service on March 31

A. Before June 1st each team will submit to the League Chairman two copies of its June Roster. Up to 25 players are permitted. This roster must include name, address, telephone number, name of high school, and league age. Names of Managers and coaches must also be on the roster. Copies of team Accident and Liability insurance policies must also be submitted at this time.

B. Additions & Deletions occurring from that date until June 30th must be reported in writing to the Department Chairman. Pertinent reports will then be circulated to the other teams.

C. Form # 1, on which no more than 18 players are listed, must be typed and submitted to the Department Chairman prior to July 5th... Accompanying documentation must include:

1. Proof of Age as described in American Legion Baseball Rule 2, section #, 2-5  Original birth certificate copy and one photocopy.
2. Player Indemnification Agreement (Contract) and Parents Consent and Release Form.
3. If Relevant — National Player Transfer Form # 76.
4. If Relevant — Team Declaration Form # 77.
5. Two 81/2 x 11 glossy photographs of team members to include Managers and coaches. On reverse side lists names by rows.

Outside sponsorship is permitted, provided the following regulations are complied with:

A. Sponsoring party must file a request in writing to the Department committee for the permission to enter a team.
B. All American Legion regulations (recruiting and playing) must be followed.
C. The American Legion baseball patch must be worn on the left sleeves by all uniformed players, coaches and managers.
D. No firm or company whose advertisement reflects the sale or use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products shall be permitted to display such advertising on the team uniforms.

In order to certify a State Champion for the American Legion National Tournament, prior to August 7th all regular season league play must be completed three days before the state tournament begins.

Each team must secure Group Accident and Liability protection insurance. Copies of these polices must be submitted with the June roster.

All protests in league play must be submitted to the league or protest chairman in writing, within 24 hours after the protested game. A protest fee of $50.00 must be attached, and if the protest is allowed the fee will be refunded.

All players and coaches on the field must dress in full team uniform. Windbreaker jackets are acceptable for coaches.

All rain-outs and postponed games will be rescheduled within three (3) days. If not, the league recorder will reschedule as required.

Umpire fees will be negotiated directly between the team and the selected umpire group. The home team will be responsible to notify the umpires in all cases where it is necessary to cancel or change a game time. If a team forfeits, it will be responsible for the umpire fees to the home team.

At least one adult manager or coach, as listed on the roster must be present at the start and during the entire game, or the game will be forfeited.Only a team coach or manager may be permitted to discuss a question on a play with an umpire.

A team will receive a twenty (20) minute grace period from the scheduled start of the game in order to field a team. After this grace period the game shall be forfeited to the other team.

American Legion slide rule will be enforced. (Same as college slide rule)
Catchers must wear a mask in or out the bullpen when warming up a pitcher. This is an American Legion rule.

Courtesy runner for pitcher or catcher at any time. Courtesy runner cannot have been in the game at any time. Does not count as a substitution.

All games shall be played the full seven innings except the final game of the season between the two teams.

• Any game that has proceeded to an official game of (4 112 or 5) innings and is stopped due to a weather related problem and is not resumed that day shall be counted as a complete game.
  
• Any game stopped due to darkness will be resumed at the exact same point at a later date and be played to the full seven innings.

(Exception - ten run slaughter rule will prevail).

The ten run slaughter rule shall apply to all games after the game is an official game. (I.e. 4-1/2 or 5 innings).

A suspended game shall resume from the exact point of suspension after one full inning has been completed. If one full inning has not been completed, game will start over.

All rules not specifically covered herein, shall be followed per the American Legion Baseball rule book. All playing rules not covered directly by the American Legion Baseball rules shall be played under the American League rules and referenced to the Official Baseball Rules as published by The Sporting News.

All regular season games must be played unless results have no bearing on the final standings that would affect the State Tournament seeding.

State Tournament

1. The Tournament shall be conducted under a modified Double Elimination format and played at one site (whenever possible) over a five day period. (Exception to five day period -Weather only)

2. Rights to host the tournament shall be determined by competitive bid. However preference shall be given to those parties who possess fields with lights which are first class facilities. Delaware baseball chairman shall have final selection of selected field.

3. Eight teams shall become eligible for tournament play. Seeding shall be determined through a regular season point system as follows: Win = 3pts, Loss = 0 pts, Tie = 1pt each team, Win by forfeit plus 2 pts, Loss by forfeit minus 2 pts. If geographic divisions are used, the winner of each division shall occupy the highest seed positions based on the points earned.

4. Any team who has four (4) or more forfeits during their regular season league games shall not be eligible for the state tournament.

5. Should a tie for the eighth seed occur, a play -in game will become necessary to determine the eighth seed. Ties for seeds one through seven shall be resolved by the following tie breaker system.

A. Head to head regular season results between or among tied teams.
B. Least runs allowed in regular season games between or among the tied teams.
C. Highest run differential (i.e. runs scored versus runs allowed in regular season games between or among the tied teams.
D. Coin flips.

6. All players must have officially participated in at least ten (10) regular season games in order to qualify for the State Tournament. Participation means to have been on the game roster and present and available for play for a minimum of ten regular season games.

7. All tournament games shall be nine inning games with the ten (10) run slaughter rule after seven (7) innings.

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