ALL ELITE SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Regulation game : all games are 6 innings

Schedules :  are made prior to the season in which the league uses a numbering system based upon records from the previous seasons and starting with the league champions and all returning teams , then followed by all new arrivals regardless of record. Once the schedule is made it will not be altered unless a SPECIAL EVENT involving the PARKS DEPT changes so. We have taken into consideration of all holidays and therefore all schedules once posted cannot be argued or changed as we explained that no matter which league you decide to join there are dates and times attached to them.  

Smoking & Alcoholic Beverages at NYC Parks Fields : NYC Parks has mandated that no smoking are allowed on the field as well as in the dugouts which also includes alcoholic beverages / Let us follow this rule as we do not wish to lose our permits over this issue / All teams are responsible for cleaning out their respected dugouts especially when another game follows your games

Batting Line-up : if a team starts the game with a 8 batters there is no penalty for the 9th place hitter not being accounted for / this rule I feel is in effect because you need at least 8 players to start the games and other players may be in route to the game for obvious reasons plus it doesn't allow the other team to walk the 8th batter to get an automatic out at the 9th batting spot / therefore if the team starts with 8 players he can only add players # 9 & # 10 prior to the 4th inning being completed. Once the 4th inning finishes then whatever that line-up is it is!

Attendance For Players : the league keeps attendance sheets at the game to verify whose been attending (making games) on a weekly basis thus avoiding any cheating at later stages of the season including and not limited to playoff & championship series

Umpire Calls & Judgment Decisions : managers and players are not allowed to argue balls and strikes not limited to the strike zone , whether a ball hit is fair or foul , runner is safe or out . Only the manager after the play is called can ask for a better understanding of the call made but once explained the ruling is done and over with

Umpire Equipment : no player or players not limited to the team should ever touch , throw or abuse the umpire equipment in any form or fashion. If a player should kick or throw the umpires bases during a heated or verbal exchange the player is to be removed from the game and will be given a 1 game suspension meaning if this happens in the first game he will be sitting down for game 2. If this happens in the 2nd game then the following week he will be sitting down game one. If a player or players not limited again to the whole team should throw the umpires bases outside the gate from it's original origin the player or players involved and again not limited to the whole team is done for the entire season which includes any playoff or possible championship appearance and no monies will be returned whatsoever / any assault on the umpire which becomes physical is not up for argument or debate as the player or players and again not limited to the whole team will be removed from the league indefinitely and this also applies to any physical situation involving league officials and the league owner himself

Fighting : is not allowed whatsoever and will be handled with debate from the League Commissioners assigned to the league you play in / Once a decision is rendered a protest will only be heard by me and if found to be indirectly wrong I will fix all issues but all decisions made by my League Commissioners stand until further notified ! 

Taunting between players : will be monitored carefully by the umpire and no player or players should ever use profanity against one another. If the trash-talking (taunting) leads to where a verbal battle of words begins to get out of hand the umpire will warn the player or players involved and not limited to the whole team and if anything occurs meaning a fight or weapons being used the league commissioners will make a decision depending on the events that happened and given by the umpire in charge of the game and the league will act accordingly. If suspensions are needed or removal from the league is decided then that will be the course of action and subject to review only if the FACTS do not add up to the decision rendered.

Family or Friends : are the responsibility of the manager whose dugout that the friend or family member is in. This is not limited to action on the field as well as off the field. At no time will we as a league allow anything or anyone to disrupt what we are trying to build here which is a family league. WE WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY and appropriate action will be taken should things get out of hand. 

Insurance : the league carries no insurance as the fields are RENTED FROM THE NYC DEPT OF PARKS and any incidents or accidents that happen are not the responsibility of the league and thus we are not held responsible should anything occur on or off the field.

No Call / No Show / Forfeit : any team who doesn't show up to a scheduled doubleheader without notifying the league that they are not coming will be given losses + suspensions of all remaining games until the umpire fees is paid / if the said team does not pay the umpire fee by the next scheduled game they are subject to being removed from the league with losses applied 

Suspensions : any player ejected from a game must sit out the following game / if the player or players wish to enter a protest then the suspension will be lifted for the moment until the situation is reviewed by the league commissioners who currently run the league / if the ruling is not to your liking I will hear the case but note after review with all parties involved the leagues decision is final !

Re-entry Rule : there is no re-entry rule. Once the player or players have been removed from the game he / she cannot return until the following game

Coin toss : there are no coin toss permitted in this league. During the regular season all teams listed above on the schedule to the left are home team first game / in the playoffs the best record determined by seeding is home team 1st & 3rd game

Protests of any kind must be done after the 1st pitch is thrown when it comes to protesting a player. In the event of a dispute about the start time of a game that has gone past the 20 minute mark the opposing team must notify the umpire if they will take a forfeit or give the team that is in jeopardy enough time to field a team within a 20 minute grace period. After that all decisions made by the umpire is final and cannot be subject to review. 

League Fees : 

1.     All league fees and deposits are non-refundable under all circumstances.

2.     All league fees must be paid in full by the final registration. Any team that is not fully paid by the deadline will not be put on the schedule.

3.     Any player or team that is terminated from the league will forfeit all fees paid.

4.    Re-entry Rule : there is no re-entry rule. Once the player or players have been removed from the game he / she cannot return until the following game

5.    Intentional Outs : no team under any circumstances are allowed to freely give up their at bats.

6.    Rosters : for the 2022 fall classic season the roster was moved from 16-18 players. 

7.    Uniforms : all players must have the same jersey or shirt that the entire team is wearing / Once the playoffs begin any player without the same shirt will not be allowed to play / Players are not allowed to swap jerseys or shirts and the manager cannot give the player a brand new shirt to play either / The player or players should be wearing the same shirt with the matching jersey or shirt number listed on the roster sheet

Forfeit time :  teams have 20 minutes before the 1st game can be called at the field / in the event that happens the team forfeiting is responsible for half of the other team's umpire fees for that day / if the forfeiting team forfeits both games then they are responsible for the entire fee / example : game 1 forfeit now becomes $ 120.00 dollars instead of $ 80.00 and if both games are forfeited then it becomes $ 160.00

Softballs : teams are to bring 2 new softballs to each doubleheader played and 3 softballs when the playoffs are involved / some umpires sell softballs but please do not rely on them as there is a shortage of softballs in NYC and if you do not come with a brand new softball then you will be batting with your best ball for 4 innings

Mercy rule : only one mercy rule allowed which is by the 5th inning if a team is up by 10 runs or more the game will be called

Courtesy Runners : teams are allowed 4 courtesy runners per game / the last batted out is the runner who should be running and it's the managers job to know who made the last out / the same runner cannot run twice in the same inning / if the same runner is caught running twice in the same inning , then he automatically becomes an out

Playoffs & Championship Series : all series are best 2 out of 3 in the same day / records determine seeding / no team is allowed choice of time or field as the league determines all outcomes 

Metal Cleats : metal cleats are not allowed in this league whatsoever !

Head to Head Records : if 2 teams have the same record at seasons end then we 1st go to head to head match-up / if both teams split during the regular season we go to most runs scored on the season not head to head / if a 3 way tie occurs then we automatically go to most runs scored in the season

International Rules : if the game is tied after 6 innings then the game shall proceed to international rules with the last batted out placed at 2nd base. This continues until a team has won / if another scheduled game is behind the game being tied the league will allow no more than 2 innings to complete the game. If no winner is established after 8 innings then the game will remain tied and only played if needed for a playoff spot or a chance to play for 1st place

Crash rule : 

1.     When a defensive player clearly has the ball and is waiting for the runner and the runner deliberately with great force crashes into the defensive player, the runner is declared out.

2.     The offender shall be ejected at the discretion of the umpire for violating the above said rule. The ball is dead and all other runners must return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.

Pitching Rules : 

1.     The ball must be pitched underhanded at a slow speed.

2.     The pitched ball must arc at least three - six feet, after leaving the pitcher’s hand and before it passes any part of home plate.

3.     Pitchers mound to home plate distance is 55 feet.

4.    Pick-off Attempts : if the ball beats the runner back to the base based upon the umpire's view the runner will be called out

5.    Batters : teams can bat with a maximum of 12 batters ( 2 extra hitters )