Changes for the 2024 are highlighted in yellow below.

GENERAL

-          The League will be known as the “Catskill Old Timer’s Softball League”.

-          The League will be governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of the team Managers, the Commissioner, Vice Commissioner and the Treasurer.

-          The Board of Directors will be responsible for establishing/maintaining the league rules/code of conduct.  Each Director is eligible to vote in any/all league matters requiring a vote.

-          League Commissioner will have authority to break any ties on voting matters.

-          Elections to appoint a Commissioner, Vice Commissioner (as necessary) and a Treasurer will be held during the first Board meeting each calendar year.

-          Annually, the Board of Directors may review and approve compensation/stipend for the following positions:  Commissioner, Vice Commissioner, Treasurer, Web site/scheduling Officer.

-          All games shall be played on the “Jim Beare Field” in Elliott Park, Catskill, NY, unless an alternate site is approved by both Managers involved, as well as the Commissioner (as the Commissioner will be responsible for assigning an umpire to the game)

-          Games are scheduled Monday through Friday, unless approved by the Managers involved and the Commissioner.

-          The regular season will typically run from late April – early August (weather permitting), followed by playoffs.

-          League games are scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm, with the following exceptions: When a double header is scheduled, the early game will begin at 6:00 pm, followed immediately thereafter by the late game.

-          Any game played on or after August 1^st (regular season or playoffs) will begin at 6:00 pm.

-          The number of regular season games, as well as playoff formatting, will be determined by the Board of Directors each season.

-          The League will organize a “Field Day” each year prior to the start of the season, to clean/prepare the field and surrounding area.  Each team is required to have at least one person in attendance for this event.  If a team fails to participate, financial sanctions may be imposed.

LEAGUE STRUCTURE

-          When possible, the league will be comprised of 10 teams.  However, the Board may approve more, or fewer teams as necessary.

-          The annual league fee for each team is $750.  The fee is to be paid to the league Treasurer no later than the first Monday of June each year.  If the fee remains unpaid by June 15th. any game involving the past due team may be considered a forfeit.  The Commissioner has authority to make a final determination in this matter.

•          There is no size limit for team rosters.  Each team must submit a roster to the Commissioner or Vice Commissioner by June 1st.  The roster is to include the name and date of birth for each player.  If a team does not submit a roster by June 1st, the team will not be allowed to play, and their scheduled games will be forfeited, until such time as a roster is submitted.         Players must be at least 40 years of age to be eligible.  Note:  a player who will reach age 40 during the calendar year of that season is eligible.  Players of all genders are eligible.  Playoff Eligibility:  To be playoff eligible, a player must have appeared in 40% or more of their team’s regular season game.  Standard rules of “rounding down or rounding up” should be applied, i.e. .4 and below would be rounded down.  .5 and above would be rounded up. There are no exceptions due to injury or veteran status.

New for 2024:  The league Board of Directors approved an amendment to the age limit.  Each team may have no more than two players who are under the age of 40.  These players must be at least 37 years of age (i.e.  they must be at least 37 during the calendar year for that season.  Also, these "age exemption" players are not eligible to pitch until they reach the age of 40.

Reagrding the "age exemption" players.  Each team must identfy any "age exemption" players on their submitted roster (maximum 2 players per team).  The players listed on the roster are the only "age exemption" players eligible for that season.  In other words, you cant go out before each game and just grab two different 37 year old players.  Those roster spots are locked for the season.  Any exceptions based on player injury etc. must be approved by the Commissioner or Vice Commissioner.

EQUIPMENT 

-          The League will provide wooden bats and appropriate softballs for game play.  Teams/players are NOT permitted to use other bats or balls.  Any violation of this important safety and ethics rule is subject to sanction by the League Board of Directors. Sanctions may include ejections as well as suspensions and/or expulsion from the league for player(s) and/or team(s).

-          Pine tar or any other adhesive substance is NOT to be used on any league equipment.

-          Cleats with metal spikes are prohibited.

-          The Home team is responsible for retrieving the bats/balls/scorebook from the storage shed, and for returning them to the shed postgame, as well as ensuring that the field lights have been turned off, and the shed doors locked.

-          The Home team is also responsible for raking the areas around the pitcher’s mound and batter’s boxes postgame.

RULES OF PLAY

General

-          If a matter is not addressed in the rules below, Managers and Umpires should refer to official softball rules found on www.asasoftball.com.  Umpires will make the final interpretation in any disputed matter during game play.

-          Games will be 7 innings, except for double headers.  Double headers will be comprised of two 5 inning games.

-          In the event of a mid-game stoppage for weather, a game will be considered complete if four innings have been completed.  If at least 4 innings have not been completed, the game will be cancelled and the makeup game will start anew from the beginning.

-          A team may begin a game with as few as 8 players.  If at least 8 players are not present by 15 minutes after scheduled start time, the game will be forfeited.

-          Once the game begins, a team may continue to play with fewer than 8 players if necessary.

-          In an effort to avoid forfeited games, the rules allow a team that does not have at least 9 players to “borrow” a player or players from other teams.  This “borrowing” must be approved the opposing Manager.  This rule only applies to regular season games. A team must use only it’s own players during the playoffs.

-          Although roster size is unlimited, a team may field no more than 11 defenders.  The 11 defenders will be comprised of the 9 traditional defensive positions, as well as two midfielders,  The midfielders may be positioned anywhere in the outfield, but may not be positioned as an additional infielder.

-          A team may place more than 11 players in their batting order. In general, a player must play at least ½ inning in the field.  Please see rules pertaining to Designated Hitter and Extra Hitter below, for exceptions.

-          Teams may use a DH (Designated Hitter). In order to use the DH a team must have at least 12 players. The DH may bat anywhere in the batting order. The DH may bat for any one player. That player will then only be used on defense.

-          Teams may also use an EH (Extra Hitter) when they have 13 or more players in the batting order. The EH may hit in any spot in the lineup BUT is not required to play the field. If for any reason the EH enters the game on defense, the use of the EH position would end for that game.

Baserunning

-          The baserunning rules established by the league are created to prevent injuries to the runner and/or the fielder.  Baserunning rules should be interpreted with the “spirit” of player safety in mind.

-          The umpire may call a runner “out” if he/she determines that the runner’s actions were dangerous to themselves or others.

-          The runner is responsible for trying to avoid any collision with a defender.

-          Bunting, stealing and sliding are prohibited. 

-          Runners may not leave the base until a pitch crosses home plate.

-          Runners may overrun any base, either while advancing to the base, or returning to the base.  The runner may not be tagged out after overrunning a base, unless they make a turn which would be interpreted as an advancement toward the next base.  As in all matters of play, the umpire’s decision is final.

-          Pinch runners may be used.  Any individual player is only to pinch run once during the game, unless the opposing Manager consents to multiple uses.

Pitching

-          There are three major parts to a delivery:  the starting position, the backswing, and the forward swing through the release.

Starting Position

-          The pitcher MUST start with both feet on the rubber.

-          The pitcher MUST have their hips and shoulders square to home plate.

-          The pitcher MUST pause while holding the ball in front of the body.  This rule is intended to prevent the pitcher from gaining unfair momentum or “quick pitching” a batter.

-          The pitcher MAY hold the ball in either the glove or the pitching hand.

Backswing

-          The pitcher MUST start the backswing directly out of the paused position.

-          The pitcher MUST move the pitching hands backwards to start the delivery.

-          The pitcher MAY take the ball behind the back, outwards (within reason), or over the head during the backswing.

-          The pitcher MAY bring the arm above the shoulder line.

-          The pitcher MAY lift their front foot high off the ground.

-          The pitcher MAY slide or drag the pivot foot.

-          The pitcher MAY NOT step backwards or sideways off the rubber.

-          The pitcher MAY NOT use a “rocker” motion to start the windup.

-          The pitcher MAY NOT use a “windmill” motion.

-          The pitcher MAY NOT use an obvious “slingshot” motion – bending the elbow and rotating the body significantly toward first or third base.  All pitchers bend their elbows and turn their bodies to some extent.  In an illegal slingshot, these movements are pronounced.

Delivery

-          The pitcher MUST deliver the ball in a full underhand motion (sidearm pitches are illegal)

-          The pitcher MUST release the pitch on the first forward movement past the hip.

-          The pitcher MUST roughly square the shoulders to home plate at the point of release.

-          The pitcher MAY take one forward step.

-          The pitcher MAY throw any legal softball pitch such as a curve ball, drop ball, knuckle ball etc.

-          The pitcher MAY point the palm downward upon release.

-          The pitcher MAY NOT have the ball significantly outside the wrist during the downswing and release. (side-arm pitches are illegal)

-          The pitcher MAY NOT use a crow hop delivery, where the pitcher jumps off the mound and re-plants the back foot before releasing the ball.

-          The pitcher MAY leap off the rubber during delivery so long as the pitch is released while in the air.

Code of Conduct

-          It is expected that players/managers will  conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner at all times.

-          Behavior deemed as unsportsmanlike may result in ejection by the umpire.

-          Ejected players/managers must leave the playing area and the park.

-          Abuse of an umpire may result in suspension, the length of which is to be determined by the Board of Directors or expulsion from the league if warranted.

-          Elliott Park is owned by the Village of Catskill.  We are fortunate that the Village allows the League to use the park free of charge.  Please be respectful of the park and the surrounding area and follow a “carry in – carry out” policy with respect to your trash.