Calgary North West Little League - Guidelines

The T-Ball Division is intended to be a recreational division and it is not the intention of the League to subject the children to fierce competition. It is intended to provide instruction in the fundamentals of baseball and stress sportsmanship and fair play.

In general the T-Ball Division rules will be consistent with the Minor League and Tee Ball 2004 Official Regulations and Playing Rules as published by Little League Baseball. NWLL has decided that some departure from the rules is in the best interest of the development of the boys and girls. The exceptions and additions to the rules include:

1) The Fair Play Policy will be in effect. All players shall receive the same amount of playing time divided equally amongst infield and outfield positions.

2) Field Dimensions: The field will be constructed in the shape of a diamond with a distance of forty (40) feet between the bases. An arc must be marked on the ground before each game at a distance of nine (9) feet in front of home plate. The pitcher's rubber shall be twenty-eight (28) feet from the plate on the line between home and second base. A ten (10) foot circle should be marked around the pitching rubber.

3) Coaching: Parents, as designated by the team manager or coach are encouraged to go into the defensive field with the children (limit of 2). They may not touch the ball but may instruct the children where to throw the ball. Parents, as designated by the team manager or coach are encouraged to be at each base when their child's team is batting to instruct the children when and where to run.

4) Curfew: No new inning shall commence after 8:00 PM.

5) Number of Players:
a) Defensive: Maximum of ten (10). The tenth (10th) player is to be positioned as a fourth (4th) outfielder or shortstop between 1st and 2nd base.
b ) Offensive: All players present at the game are inserted in the batting order. When players arrive late for the game they shall be entered at the end of the batting order.

Note: No minimum number of players is required to play a game. Common sense should prevail - if a team has less than eight (8) players we recommend that the other team give some of their players to the opponent. It should be noted that no standings are kept at the T-Ball level. Therefore, we strongly recommend that games be played to maximize the playing time of these youngsters.

6) Defensive Play: All defensive players must THROW (not roll) the ball to any base to execute an out unless they are within three (3) steps of the bag. The player playing the defensive pitcher's position must function as follows:
a) Field the hit ball as per conventional baseball.
b) Must remain in the pitcher's circle until the ball has been thrown.
c) Must THROW (not roll) the ball to any base to execute an out rather than run to the base.
d) May not tag the batter-runner to execute an out.

No other player on the defensive team shall be closer to the batter than nine (9) feet inside the baseline from 1st to 2nd or nine (9) feet inside the baseline from 2nd to 3rd when the ball is hit. A violation of this rule on a fair hit will entitle the batter to, if put out on the hit, advance to 1st base and all other base runners advance one base.

7) Fair Ball: When the ball is hit off the batting tee and lands in fair territory, the ball must go beyond an arc to be marked on the ground before each game at a distance of nine (9) feet in front of home plate. A hit is to be considered valid if the ball travels the required nine (9) feet and shall be considered a live ball with the batter being out if the ball is caught before it touches the ground. Batter shall swing until the ball is hit the required distance.

8) Dead Ball Rule: An infield ball thrown by any player to home plate will stop all runner advancement when the ball reaches the nine (9) foot home plate arc or the vicinity of the back stop, except runners advancing between bases may continue to the next base at their own risk (e.g., a player who has left one base may advance to the next at the risk of being put out).

9) Runner Advancement:
a) Outfield Ball: An outfield ball thrown to the infield will stop runner advancement when the ball crosses the baselines, except runners advancing between bases may continue to the next base at their own risk.
b) Overthrow: An overthrow is a ball thrown to a base that goes past the dead ball line into Out of Boundary territory (the dead ball line is a straight line from the back stop and parallel to the 1st or 3rd baseline of the field.) Should an overthrow occur, the base runner must stop at that base.

10) Throwing of Bats: A batter who throws a bat will be given a warning the first time and if he does this again he will be called out. The umpire shall instruct the scorekeeper to mark the player and remind the umpire the next time the player bats.

11) Batter: Two imaginary lines extending from each side of 2nd base to each side of home plate will constitute a Batter's Box". Batter must stand with both feet on the outside of either imaginary line.

12) Base Runner: There is no stealing of bases. The base runner must return to the base if s/he leaves the base before the ball is hit and the batter must hit again. If the runner is put out, the put out stands.\

13) Umpires: The home team shall be responsible for recruiting a home plate umpire and visiting team shall be responsible for recruiting the base umpire.

14) Five-Run Rule: The maximum number of runs that can be scored by the offensive team in any inning is five (5). Scorekeepers MUST advise the Home Plate Umpire when five (5) runs have scored.

15) Makeup Games: Should the game be unable to be played for any reason, the Manager of the Home team shall be responsible to call the Commissioner who will then reschedule the game. All make-up games should be rescheduled as soon as possible, ideally, within the same week that the original game was scheduled.

16) Tie Games shall be counted as Tie Games (i.e., no extra innings).

NOTE:
- No on-deck circle is permitted.
- No head first sliding; runner to be called out unless returning to a previously occupied base.