SARATOGA SPRINGS NY BABE RUTH LEAGUE BY-LAWS
I. The name of this league shall be the Saratoga Babe Ruth League, Inc.
II. The purpose for which this league is organized is to develop and operate a baseball program in affiliation with the Babe Ruth League, Inc. a New Jersey Corporation, in conformity with and pursuant to the principles, rules and regulations enunciated by said Babe Ruth League.
III. The principle operations of this League shall be the greater Saratoga School District in the County of Saratoga in the State of New York. The League does include surrounding communities within Northern Saratoga and Warren County, including Greenfield, Schuylerville, South Glens Falls, Corinth, Ballston Spa, Wilton and Queensbury.
IV. This league shall have the power to make and enforce rules and regulations to govern itself on a local basis, but consistent with and not contrary to any rules and regulations promulgated by Babe Ruth League, Inc.
V. The Officers of the League shall consist of members as follows:
A. President
B. Vice President
C. Secretary
D. Treasurer
E. Player-Agent
F. Member(s)-at-Large
G. Equipment Manager/Member-at-Large
H. Umpire in chief
I. One Representative from each Community involved with the League.
To Date (10/14/07)
Schuylerville
Corinth
Wilton
VI. The general duties of the Officers shall include, though they shall not be limited to, the following specific functions:
A. President
1) The League President shall perform the following duties:
a) Preside at all League meetings.
b) Assume full responsibility for the operation of the local League.
c) Appoint committees and shall supervise the activities thereof.
d) Shall see that the League adheres to the rules, regulations and policies of Babe Ruth Baseball.
e) If at the instigation of a team Manager a player shall be dropped from a team for disciplinary reasons the President and Player Agent shall investigate and communicate the reasons to the player and his her parents or guardians.
f) Shall secure group accident and liability insurance before the start of league activities.
g) The President shall be in charge of all divisions
2) The President shall not manage or coach any team in the League.
B. Vice President
1) The Vice President shall perform the following duties:
a) Preside at League meetings in the absence of the President.
b) Assume all the duties of the President in the event of the resignation or incapacity of the President.
c) Assist and advise any board member in duties
d) Fund Raisers.
e) Sit on committees.
f) Shall be in charge of the 14 and 15 year olds
g) Shall be in charge of Travel teams and represent at travel meetings scheduling and tournaments
C. Secretary
1) The Secretary shall perform the following duties:
a. Record the minutes of the meeting.
b. Send out notice of regular and special meetings.
c. Maintain an official record of the League's activities.
d. See that Babe Ruth games and League events are reported to the local news media.
e. Shall handle all insurance claims
f. Shall provide up-date copies of the League By-laws to all Managers and Board members.
D. Treasurer
1) The Treasurer shall perform the following duties:
a. Receive and prudently maintain League funds
b. Prepare a budget, keep financial records, and report to the Board on the status of League funds.
c. Dispense League funds only as approved by the Board
d. Establish and maintain the League's relationship with team sponsors.
e. Prepare and mail annual sponsorship renewals.
f. In charge of Prep Division.
2) Checks debited to the League's checking account shall be valid only when they bear the signature of the Treasurer.
E. Player Agent
1) The Player Agent shall perform the following duties:
a. Conduct the annual League registration, try-outs, and the player draft.
b. Keep up-to-date records of team rosters and a waiting list.
c. Supervise the transfer of players from a waiting list to a team roster.
d. See that an accurate official Scorebook is kept for each League game that is played.
e. Ascertain eligibility of players and assure adherence to the pitching and re-entry rules.
f. In charge of the concession stand.
2) The Player Agent shall not be a Manager or Coach of any team in the League.
F. Member(s)-at-Large
1) The Member-at-Large shall perform the following duties:
a. Supervise fundraisers, League picnic and other such occasional projects, as the Board shall determine.
b. In charge of Senior Division.
c. Perform other duties as requested by the President.
G. Equipment Manager / Member-at-Large
1) The Equipment Manager shall perform the following duties:
a. Shall assist Managers in their duty of procuring and maintaining team equipment including playing equipment, balls, bats and uniforms.
b. Oversee the collection and inventory of each team's equipment and uniforms by each Manager as soon as the playing season is over, shall assure the safe storage of team equipment during the off season, shall issue equipment to each manager at the start of each playing season.
c. Shall see that an adequate supply of baseballs is available for all games.
d. Shall make arrangements for the tournament teams to have proper uniforms and equipment.
e. Any other duties requested by the President, Vice President and Fund Raiser.
H. Umpire in Chief
1) The Umpire in Chief shall perform the following duties:
a. Arrange for the employment of qualified umpires for all League games.
b. Shall prepare a game schedule for approval by the Board.
c. Shall reschedule canceled games
d. Shall work with City of Saratoga Springs and communicate all schedule and rescheduled games with City, managers and umpires.
e. Shall chair the protest committee
VII. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers of the League as well as One Representative from each Community, which plays within the League. The President with the approval of the Board shall appoint managers and coaches.
VIII. ELECTIONS. Elections shall be held at the annual organizational meeting as soon as convenient following January 1St of each year and no later than February 15th. Nominations will be presented by the Managers or Board. Any member of the existing Board may offer additional nominations from the floor. A majority of the Board members and Mangers present shall decide the election.
A. If an elected Officer of the League fails to perform the duties of the office or is absent for three consecutive meetings without valid notification to the President, than that office may be declared vacant by a majority vote members of the Board present and voting.
B. Any member of the Board may nominate, and a majority of those present and voting may elect Officers to fill vacancies when they occur.
C. Officers of the Board of Directors, Managers, coaches and umpires shall be selected without regard to a candidate's sex
IX. MANAGERS AND COACHES
A. Managers will be appointed to teams each year by the League President and with the approval of the Board. Each Manager shall select two coaches to assist him whose names shall be submitted to the President to be recorded. Any Manager may draw on any number of adults for assistance, but only two may be officially designated as coaches. Managers and coaches must be at least nineteen years of age.
B. Managers and Coaches shall be Babe Ruth League certified, as per Babe Ruth League organizational standards as of the year 2008. Managers and coaches can be reimbursed for costs of the online training and test not to exceed the cost of the certification itself.
C. Each Manager shall have a draft option on his own children who meet all other qualifications to play in the League.
D. The Manager of a Babe Ruth Team is personally responsible for the conduct of his team during practices and games. He is expected at all times through precept and example to show respect for all players and officials, and reverence for the traditions of sportsmanship and the game of baseball.
1. A Manager who has difficulty controlling a team or player should promptly seek a remedy by consulting the Player Agent.
2. During any particular game a player may be kept out of the line-up for disciplinary reasons. In this case the umpire in chief must be notified before the beginning of the game and recorded with the scorekeeper
3. A Manager may drop a disruptive or uncooperative player from his/her team roster for disciplinary reasons only with Board approval. Playing ability can not be grounds for removing a player from a team roaster. Before a Manager can drop a player from his roster the Board must be notified of his intentions.
4. Information coming to the attention of the Board regarding the misconduct of a Manager or Coach will be considered carefully. A Manager or Coach must receive a written warning regarding any such allegations if misconduct is indicated and may face suspension or replacement if a second warning is necessary.
X. THE DIVISIONS OF THE LEAGUE. The teams of the Saratoga Babe Ruth League, Inc. are divided into four divisions.
A. The Prep Division for 13 year olds, shall be constituted of teams with a minimum of 11 or a maximum of 13 players each and is open to players from the area in which the League operates under the current Babe Ruth organization’s age chart.
B. The Babe Ruth 14/15 division shall be constituted of teams of a minimum of eleven (11) and a maximum of thirteen (13) players each and open to players from the area in which the League operates under the current Babe Ruth organization’s age chart.
C. In addition, the League may sponsor a Mickey Mantle team for 16 year olds, in which a separate charter under the AABC league is required.
D. Also in addition, the League may sponsor Senior Babe Ruth teams for players 16-18.
E. The League may elect to participate in Babe Ruth sponsored Travel Baseball for the 13, 14, & 15 year old Divisions.
XI. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY. All persons living within the area in which the League operates who are between thirteen years of age and eighteen years of age under the current Babe Ruth organization’s age chart are eligible to participate in try-outs.
A. Any player failing to attend the scheduled try-out session shall lose his status as a player candidate unless he presents an excuse acceptable to the Player Agent. Those shall be drawn out of a hat by the Player Agent during draft.
B. Potential players whose families move into residence within the League boundaries after the selection of the teams may be added to the player pool at the discretion of the Player Agent and shall be drawn out of a hat.
C. A player who leaves a team of his/her own initiative or is dropped for disciplinary reasons may not play for another team of the League for the remainder of the season and shall remain the property of that team for the remainder of the same season.
D. When a team loses a player for any reason with one half or more of the season's games to be played the Player Agent shall immediately replace that player from a waiting list. The player Agent must be notified immediately that a team loses a player.
E. Players from outside of Saratoga Springs boundaries who have not played in the Saratoga Babe Ruth league and are eligible to play under one of the surrounding communities may request to be placed on a Saratoga team. Requests must be submitted in writing to the player agent for approval. Players must be waived and approved by the surrounding community’s representative on the Board. Once a player is waived that player shall not return to that team for the remainder of the players league eligibility.
XII. THE DRAFT. Players who register and try out shall be assigned to teams according to the following procedures:
A. At a scheduled meeting at which all managers or their representatives shall be present, a draft shall be conducted by the Player Agent
B. There will be NO trading of players.
1. Prep Division.
a. The order of the teams of the Prep Division shall be determined by drawing lots at the time of the draft.
b. Each round, the order of the draft shall alternate from first to last, then last to first. (Example 1,2,3,4 then 4,3,2,1)
c. A Prep Division team may pick only 13-year-old players.
2. Babe Ruth 14/15 division
a. A new draft will be conducted each season, no players shall be kept from the previous season or team. The order of the teams of the Babe Ruth Division shall be determined by drawing lots at the time of the draft. Each round, the order of the draft shall alternate from first to last, then last to first. (Example 1,2,3,4 then 4,3,2,1)
b. A Babe Ruth Team may have no more than one more 15 year old player on it's roster than the average number of 15 year olds on all the teams. (i.e. if the average number of 15 year olds in the league is 7, no team may have more than 8). To this end the 15 year old will be drafted first until all 15’s are placed, then the 14’s will follow.
c. Makeup rounds to fill team rosters will take place in the 4th and 6th rounds.
C. OPTIONS. A team may hold an option on a player under the following conditions:
1. The players who may be "optioned" by a team are:
a. Children of the team's appointed manager. (2nd round 15 or 14, 3rd round Prep)
b. Siblings of a 15 year old player who are already on that team.(3rd round 15 or 14, 4th round Prep)
c. A manager who intends to exercise an option must declare his/her intentions before the beginning of the draft or he/she will lose the option.
d. A manager must exercise all options beginning in the second round.
e. If a sibling options is created in the course of the draft; the manager must exercise that option before choosing another un-optioned player.
D. The conduct of each season's draft shall be held in confidence by the members of the board and officially appointed coaches only. No player shall be told the order in which players were chosen.
XIII. SCHEDULES. Schedules shall be prepared for each division in conformity with the following principles:
A. Prep League Schedule. Each team will play a predetermined number of games during the season. The Prep schedule shall end with the Division playoffs.
B. Babe Ruth 14/15 Division Schedule. Each team will play a predetermined number of games with the season ending with Division Playoffs.
C. The Umpire in Chief will reschedule all games, fields, umpires, and times.
XIV. RE-SCHEDULES
A. The Rescheduling of games will occur for the following conditions:
1. Rain
2. School events such as concerts, field trips and baseball games, whereby all players absent participate in the event and put the team below 9 players.
B. If you can not field a team of nine players at 14/15 division and the game can not be re-scheduled you may obtain a Prep player
1. The Player given will be the decision of the Prep Manager.
2. The Prep player cannot pitch.
3. The Prep player may not have a scheduled game that day
4. The prep player will be played the required innings and at bats even if your ninth player shows up
5. You may take only enough players to insure 9
6. The Prep player may return to the game after being taken out in the event of an injury or ejection. This only would apply if the criteria for 5 above applies.
7. You must go through the Player Agent or if unavailable through a board member at least 24 hours in advance or it is a forfeit.
C. Games will be re-scheduled at the first available date. Games rescheduled while school pitchers were ineligible remain ineligible
XV. PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
A. All teams will enter the playoffs. Seeding will be determined by the league standings of the teams’ season records.
B. If a Tie should occur, head to head record will be the Tie Breaker. If there remains a tie, due to even records then one Game will be played to determine who will be the top seed.
C. The playoffs for the Babe Ruth 14/15 and Prep Division shall be played as follows: (Number of teams will determine if there is a buy for 1st and or Second place teams)
1. Double elimination Pool Play, with a winner’s bracket and a loser’s bracket. Format can be downloaded from the Babe Ruth web site.
2. Mickey Mantle and Sr. Babe Ruth play in a travel schedule and play in an inter-league schedule
XVI. TOURNAMENT TEAMS The League may for Tournament (commonly called "All Stars") teams for each division to play regional competition.
A. Each Tournament team shall have a roster of fifteen players of which ten shall be nominated and chosen by all the managers of the division and the Player Agent collectively.
1. Two players may be chosen by the tournament Team Manager at his/her discretion.
2. All teams must be represented.
B. The Manager of all the tournament teams shall be selected by the Board after receiving a letter of intent. Letters must be received by June 1st of the current year.
XVII. TEAM RESPONSIBILITY
A. The winning teams are responsible for reporting scores to the appropriate person in charge of schedules, and reporting pitching, scores to the league and newspaper.
B. The Home Team is responsible for supplying Official Baseballs for the game.
C. The Home Team is the Official Scorebook and must be signed by the Umpires present at the game.
D. Teams playing on their Home fields are responsible for the preparation of the field.
E. All Teams are responsible for participating in League Fund-Raising Activities.
1. Coin Drops
2. Clinics.
XVIII. GAME BY-LAWS.
A. All Babe Ruth and Babe Ruth Prep Divisions are played under the Official Rules of baseball as modified by Babe Ruth Rules and Regulation.
B. In addition to these rules the Saratoga Babe Ruth League, Inc. established the following regulations:
1. Playing Time
a. 13-15 year olds shall play 6 consecutive outs and one at bat in each game.
b. Any violation of this will result in forfeiture of the game and player must start next game and play entire game.
c. No penalty if the game does not reach the 7"' inning
2. Tenth Player (EH) OPTIONAL. A manager may bat a tenth player.
a. He/she shall be treated as any other starter.
b. The EH may remain as EH for the whole game or may be placed in the field.
c. The EH may be substituted for after 6 consecutive outs in the field and one at bat.
d. If an injury occurs, he/she may be replaced.
e. If the player is ejected that spot will be an out when it comes up to bat.
3. Speed up Rule
If a catcher occupies a base with two outs, a runner may be put in for hitter. Any player may be inserted for the catcher.
C. No inning shall start after 8: 10pm prior to June 1St and 8:20pm after June 1st. This refers to games scheduled at 5pm/5:30pm on non-lit fields.
D. A game becomes official after 4 and 1/2 innings of play. The game becomes complete after 5 innings of play. If a game is called before it has become a regulation game the umpire shall declare it "NO GAME".
XIX. THE PLAYER
A. Any team using a player not on the team roster will automatically forfeit the game. In the event that both teams use ineligible players both teams will forfeit the game.
B. Every team must field nine roster players or forfeit the game.
1. If a team of nine players is on the field and one player can not continue the game for any reason the game need not be forfeited.
2. A team with fewer than 8 players will forfeit the game.
C. Any of the nine starting players may be withdrawn and reenter once, provided that such player occupies the same batting position whenever he/she is in the line-up.
1. A substitute who is withdrawn may not reenter.
2. A starting player withdrawn from the game more than once may not reenter.
3. If a player reenters illegally as a pitcher, fielder or runner there is no penalty except that he must be removed from the game immediately upon discovery.
4. If he/she reenters illegally as a batter such illegal re-entry is penalized according to Official Baseball Rule 6.07-Batting out of Order.
D. All players must play two innings (6 outs) and come to bat at least once in each game.
E. The week is Monday - Sunday for Pitching limitations as outlined in Babe Ruth rule 0.06.
F. A school player who is listed on the school roster as a pitcher is ineligible to pitch Babe Ruth.
1. Any player, who is used as a school pitcher, becomes ineligible to pitch in Babe Ruth.
2. The pitching ineligibility is only in effect until the end of school baseball.
G. Metal Spikes or rubber spikes are acceptable
H. Players serving as base coaches must wear helmets.
I. The use of Donuts or similar attachments for batting or warmup swings is allowed.
J. If a player or manager is ejected from a game, they must sit out the next game.
K. Any player who has an injury must have a Doctor's permission in order to return to play.
XX. PROTESTS. A manager may protest an umpire's ruling only if it's a rule violation under the following conditions:
A. Notice that the game is being played under protest must be filed with the Umpire in charge by the Manager immediately at the time of the disputed decision and before the next pitched ball to the batter or the next play
B. The umpire must sign the Home Team score book at the time of the protest.
C. A written report setting forth all the facts of the protest must be filed with the League President within 48 hours of the game being protested.
D. The written report must be accompanied by a deposit of $20.00 in cash that is refundable only if the protest is sustained. If the protest is not sustained the deposit shall be turned over to the League Treasury.
E. Before a decision is made by the Protest Committee a clarification and interpretation of rules may be secured in writing from Babe Ruth Headquarters
F. Decision of the protest Committee is final.
XXI. GROUND RULES. The following ground rules have been adopted pertaining to all fields hosting a Saratoga Babe Ruth game including the Saratoga East Side Recreation Field (Large Diamond and Prep Field), West Side, Geyser Road, Greenfield, Corinth, Schuylerville, Ballston Spa Fields and Wilton.
A. NO METAL CLEATS MAY BE WORN Wilton Only for Pitchers Only.
B. PLAYERS SERVING AS BASE COACHES MUST WEAR HELMETS.
C. THE USE OF DONUTS OR SIMILAR ATTACHMENTS FOR BATTING OR WARMUP SWINGS IS ALLOWED.
D. THE THROWING OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED
E. PREP ONLY- BALKS WILL, NOT BE CALLED THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEASON. THE DATE SHALL RE PREDETERMINED.
F. THE LEAGUE USES THE EH, WHICH CAN REMAIN IN THAT POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF THE GAME OR PLACED IN THE FIELD. HE/SHE MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR AN INJURY OR IF THE PLAYER HAS COMPLETED 6 CONSECUTIVE OUTS IN THE FIELD AND ONE AT BAT.
G. THE MANAGER MAY INITIATE THE " HURRY UP RULE" IF THE CATCHER IS ON BASE WITH 2 OUTS, ANY PLAYER MAY BE INSERTED FOR THE CATCHER.
H. ANY BALL, WHICH GETS BY THE CATCHER REGARDLESS OF THE DISTANCE, SHALL BE A LIVE BALL AND RUNNERS MAY ADVANCE AT THEIR OWN RISK
I. THE GAME WILL TERMINATE ONCE BECOMING OFFICIAL IF ONE TEAM IS AHEAD BY 10 OR MORE RUNS AND HAVE HAD EQUAL TIMES AT BAT OR THE HOME TEAM IS LEADING.
J. THERE IS A TWO AND ONE HALF HOUR LIMIT, HOWEVER A 5:30PM START MAY NOT PROCEED AFTER 7:45PM WHEN THERE IS A 7:30PM GAME TO FOLLOW.
K. NO INNING MAY START AFTER 8:10PM PRIOR TO JUNE 1ST AND 8:20PM AFTER JUNE 1ST ON FIELDS WITHOUT LIGHTS.
L. IF A PLAYER OR MANAGER IS EJECTED FROM A GAME THEY MUST SIT OUT THE NEXT GAME.
XXII. TRAVEL LEAGUE TEAMS Eastern New York Babe Ruth League in 2006 re-established the Travel Baseball for Leagues wishing to participate. Saratoga Springs Babe Ruth League is a Charter member of the ENYBRTB League. Saratoga Springs holds a Charter Seat and must send a representative from the league for all Travel meetings.
A. Travel team requirements:
1. Players eligibility- Players must play on a regular season in house Prep or Babe Ruth Team and play in one half of the scheduled games to be eligible for travel teams, following the Tournament team requirements.
2. Each age group will have a manager whom is in charge and responsible for the travel teams at each division.
3. In house games take precedence over travel games.
4. Selection of players to travel teams will be by tryout.
5. Letters of intent by Managers for Travel teams should be received no later than two weeks into the regular season.
XXIII. AMENDMENTS. These By-Laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the full Board of Directors of the League provided that each member of the Board has been notified of the proposed changes in writing at least 24 hour beforehand.
AMENDED APRIL 29, 1997
AMENDED MAY 11, 1998
AMENDED April 10, 2000
Amended June 5, 2001
Amended September 2007
Amended Oct 14th 2007
Amended Feb 4th 2007