Portage Park
Baseball Association
www.ppba.us

 

T-Ball BASEBALL RULES

MANAGERS AND COACHES

Teams shall be managed by adult volunteers, usually a player’s parent from the team. Minimum age for a manager is 21; minimum age for the coaches is 18. There will be only one official manager and two official coaches per team. Managers and coaches and their children are automatically on the same team. Every manager and coach shall provide the necessary information for a background check before practices and games start. A manager or coach must be at every practice and game. Practices and games can not occur without at least one of them in attendance. Managers and/or coaches cannot call off a game for any reason.

 

TEAMS

Teams shall be formed by means of a random draft by the league.

All players registered at that time shall be included in the draft. Late registrants will be added to teams as space allows.

 

FIELD REGULATIONS

1. No smoking and ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES will be allowed on the field or in the dugouts at anytime. This applies to all spectators as well as managers, coaches, umpires and parents.

Failure to comply with the alcohol regulation can result in forfeiture of the game, suspensions from the league, or at worst, arrest. (Alcohol is prohibited by the law on Park District Property.)

2. No one except rostered players, managers and coaches are allowed in the dugout during the game.

3. Players are required to be at the field 30 minutes before game time. This allows proper time for warm-up.

4. Team listed first on the schedule is considered the Home Team.

5. Home Team is responsible for setting up the bases and pitcher’s mound; Home team will occupy the third base dugout.

6. No one will be permitted to stand or sit behind the backstop during the game.

7. Each team’s spectators will be responsible for keeping their area cleaned of empty cans, food wrappers,etc., following the game.

8. The coaches will determine if a contact avoidance rule is to be enforced. Any deliberate, forceful or intentional contact with a fielder will result in the runner being called “out” regardless of the location of the ball.

REMEMBER: it is the responsibility of the runner to avoid the fielder whether the fielder is fielding a batted ball, receiving a thrown ball or tagging a runner. If the fielder impedes the runner, interference will be called on the fielder and the appropriate base or bases will be awarded to the runner, but under NO circumstances should the fielder be considered “fair game” to the runner.

9. An overthrow is a dead ball. An overthrow is defined as a ball thrown beyond the boundaries of the field. The runner is entitled to the base he is facing and advancing towards plus one, unless specified differently in Division specific rules

 

UNIFORMS

1. Uniforms are to be worn in regular season games only, not for practice.

(A) Uniform is hat/visor, shirt, socks & gray pants/shorts approved by the Association. Athletic shoes must be worn. No other head apparel will be allowed.

(B) Player without full uniform will not be allowed to play. EXCEPTION: In the event of a last minute substitution managers must agree if player can play without uniform.

2. Uniform shirts must be tucked in at all times. Failure to comply with this rule will be as follows:

Batter will be called out if shirt is not tucked in when batting. Fielder will be removed from the game for 1 inning if shirt is not tucked in.

3. All players are required to wear an athletic supporter and protective cup at all practices and games. No player will be allowed to play or practice without a supporter and cup.

4. All players are required to wear a helmet when at bat or on the bases, during the games and practices.

5. A catcher’s mask must be worn by any player who warms up the pitcher, whether during practice, before a game or during a game.

6. All batters must remove jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc. so that the uniform number is visible while batting. (In cold weather, a jacket or sweater may be worn over the uniform shirt on the bases and in the field.)

7. No metal spikes or opened toe shoes shall be allowed.  Pony players are allowed to wear metal spikes.

8. Absolutely No jewelry is to be worn by any player during practice or games. Any player caught wearing jewelry during or after the game while on the playing field or in the dugout will be ejected from the game and will automatically be suspended from the next game. If caught after the game then that player will be suspended from the next game. This rule is for the safety of all players on the field and will be strictly enforced. Band-Aids or other forms of concealment will not be allowed. If a player is ejected for wearing jewelry the manager is also ejected and suspended

for the next game in that division.

 

ATTENDANCE

1. A player must notify his manager ahead of time if he/she will be unable to be at a practice or a game.

2. No player may be dropped from a team without prior notification in writing and a hearing before the Board of Directors.

 

MANAGERS AND COACHES FIELD DECORUM

1. The manager or acting manager will be the only person to hold discussions with the opposing manager once the game is underway.  This applies to players, spectators, parents and other coaches.

2. Managers are responsible for the behavior of all their players, coaches, and fans.

3. Managers and coaches should wear team shirt and hat at all games.

4. There is no limit to the number of helpers or coaches allowed in the field at any time. Those in the field must avoid contact with any live ball.

5. No verbal abuse of any kind should be allowed by one team toward the other. (Opposing team should not say “swing” when opponents are at bat.) Derogatory remarks about a specific batter to the pitcher should be strongly discouraged. (He can’t hit! or “Easy Out!” for example)

IN THE INTEREST OF SPORTSMANSHIP, ONLY POSTIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO ONE’S OWN TEAMMATES SHOULD BE ALLOWED.

6. At the conclusion of the game, teams should line up behind their managers and, in a sportsmanlike manner, shake hands at the center of the field.

7. Managers will instruct their players not to spit in their hands before shaking hands with the opposing team. Any players found guilty of spitting in his hand may be subject to suspension of one or more games. (Per board approval)

8. No cell phones allowed on while on the playing field.

IHSA Sportsmanship - Negative comments between opponents
Chants, intentional distractions and loud noises directed at the opponent's pitcher prior to his pitching, the batter getting ready to hit, or a fielder getting ready to make a play do not represent good sportsmanship.

 

Forfeit Time

There is no forfeit for t-ball, but all games will conclude 90 minutes after the scheduled start time regardless of when the game begins.

 

INJURIES

When a player is injured a time out will be called immediately by the coach. Runners will be entitled to the base(s) as determined appropriate by the coach.

 
Weather

Unless notified by their manager or the league, all players must report to the playing field as scheduled.

Some games may be permitted on the grass for t-ball: subject to board approval.

The decision to cancel a game will be delayed as long as possible, right up to game time, if necessary.

All cancelled games will be scheduled at the next available open date.

 

Length of games

T-Ball does not have a min/max for innings but will be concluded 90 minutes after the scheduled start time regardless of when the game begins.

 

Slaughter Rule:

T-Ball- There is no slaughter rule.

 

Batting

T-Ball- All rostered players present will be in the line-up.  All players will bat, regardless of the number of outs recorded.  If a player is out, they must be removed from the base.

After Game 7- Coaches will pitch to the players.  Each player is given 3 pitches, if the third pitch is fouled off players will be given one additional pitch. If the player does not make contact after three pitches the tee will be used.

 

Bat Rules

T-Ball- Only T-ball labeled bats will be allowed.

 

Offensive positions

All players present will be in the batting order

For T-ball a 6 foot arc between first and third will be drawn as a foul line.  Any ball not hit past the arc will be considered a foul ball.

After game 7- Any player that hits the ball into the outfield can continue to advance to the next base until the ball is returned to the infield.  Once the ball is returned to the infield, regardless of what position in the infield the ball is returned to, all runners must cease advancing.  If a player is more than half way to a base the player can continue to that base otherwise they must go back to the preceding base.  This will be decided by the coaches judgement, any questions will be discussed between head coaches.

 

Defensive Positions

Bases are set at 60 feet, Pitching mound is set at 48 feet.

T-Ball- All 9 positions are to be represented by the rostered players, if more than nine players are present they will be considered outfielders and can play anywhere in the outfield.

As a safety measure- when bases are loaded and there is a force out at home plate. The pitcher is not allowed to run and tag home plate. They must throw to the catcher or if the ball is hit along the third base line tag the runner for the out.

The following are rules every umpire, manager, and coach should know

1) A foul is a batted ball:

a) that first lands in foul territory beyond first or third base.

b) that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory.

c) that settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base.

d) that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or a player or any object foreign to the natural ground.

2) A ball cannot be called foul until a player, coach, or fan touches it before it reaches first or third base in foul territory.

3) A ball is fair when:

a) it hits the base on a fly or bounce.

b) it hits the pitchers mound or defensive player in fair territory and then rolls to foul territory.

c) it lands on the chalk line on a fly beyond first or third base.

Note: the position of the ball dictates fair or foul not the fielder.

4) The infield fly rule is in effect when first and second or first second and third base are occupied with less than two outs. Umpire must call “infield fly, if fair!” as soon as possible after the ball is hit. An infield fly is a fair fly (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort or an outfielder. Batter is out and runners may advance at their own risk.

5) If a batter/runner safely touches first base and then overruns it, except on a base on balls, he/she may immediately return to first base without liability of being tagged out, provided they did not attempt to run or feint to second. This means they may return to first turning towards foul or fair as long as they do not attempt to run to second they may turn either way without the worry of being tagged out. Any fake or intentional move towards second and the

runner can be tagged out. To many times the coaches yell out “tag them” as soon as the runner turns to the left to return.

NOTE: Coaches judgment as to whether an attempt at second has been made

 

Umpires

There are no umpires for T-ball all decisions will be decided by the coaches. In the event of any questions both managers will confer and make a decision.

 

Protests

There are no protests.

 

Zero Tolerance Policy

Any conduct detrimental to the league will be grounds for immediate dismissal from Portage Park Baseball Association.


It is the responsibility of the parents, players and the coaches to read and understand all the rules.  There will be no exceptions made for parents, player or coaches who are not familiar with the rules.  "Ignorance of the law is no defense."