West Hill Baseball League
House League
T-Ball Rules
T- Ball is for the kids to have fun and learn the game of baseball. There is no winning or losing. All
players and umpires in this division are just getting started and we would like to have them in the
game for a long time.
Please focus on skills and sportsmanship instead of winning. Thank you and have a great season.
GAME TIMES
1)
All games are scheduled to commence at 6:30 pm sharp. No new inning will start after 8:00 pm.
Game is dead at 8:15 pm. Teams can play with any number of players – there is no minimum
requirement. All games should start on time with late players added to the bottom of the line-up
as they arrive.
2)
No warm-ups will be allowed after 6:25 pm.
3)
Coaches and players should be at the field 15 minutes before game time. It is the responsibility
of all coaches, managers and players to be at the field in sufficient time to allow for enforcement
of the above rules.
GAME LENGTH
4)
All games will be played to four (4) innings. Two (2) complete innings shall constitute an official
game.
BASE & PITCHING DISTANCES:
T-Ball
Bases (55 feet)
Pitching Distance (45 feet)
The player in the pitching position shall take his defensive position at the 45 feet point.
UNIFORM: PLAYERS & COACHES
5)
All players must be properly dressed in official team shirts, pants, caps and running shoes
(preferably baseball cleats). If a full uniform is not worn, the player WILL NOT be allowed to
play. A plastic cup athletic supporter, “jock” or “jill”, is mandatory for players. No jewelry /
watches of any kind is allowed to be worn by players. The only exception to this rule is a Medic
Alert bracelet or necklace. Sandals are not permitted on the playing field. This rule applies to all
coaching staff, players and umpires.
SCORING of GAME:
6)
The home team is responsible for supplying a game ball. Each team is responsible for keeping
track of its batting order. There is no need to keep score, as no standings are kept in T-Ball.
EQUIPMENT:
7)
Coaches are considered responsible for all equipment issued to them. All equipment including
shirts, pants and caps must be considered as belonging to the West Hill Baseball League and
should be returned if not needed.
WEATHER
8)
Games not played because of inclement weather conditions will be rescheduled if time and
schedule permit. The WHBL Rainout phone number is (416) 283-2685.
9)
Should darkness or inclement weather come prior to the curfew, the umpire, at his discretion, will
terminate the game.
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10)
Once a game has commenced, the umpire, not the coaches, shall be the sole judge as to when
and if the game should be called. In case of rain, if there is no lightning, there will be a 15
minute rain delay, following which the umpire will decide if the game will continue. If there is
lightning, the game will cease immediately and all players, coaches, parents and umpires will
leave the field immediately.
COACHES’ CONDUCT:
11) Any player or coach ejected from the game by an umpire may be subject to further disciplinary
action by the League Executive on receipt of a report from the umpire concerning the incident.
In such event, the umpire will make note on the official scoresheet and notify the Umpire-in-Chief
as soon as possible. Any player or coach ejected from the game will automatically be
suspended for the next game. Furthermore, the Disciplinary Committee at its discretion may
extend the suspension.
12)
Any coach or player threatening an umpire with physical violence or making any threatening
gestures will be ejected from the game and will face severe disciplinary action from the
Disciplinary Committee.
NO SMOKING:
13) Any coach, manager, team helper or player seen smoking on the playing field will be ejected
from the game after one (1) warning. Smoking is not permitted within eyesight of the field.
Some players have allergies and we do not want to have a reaction occur on the field. The
safety of our players is important.
WATER BOTTLES:
14) Players should be encouraged to use refillable water bottles.
FIELDING
15) Each team will field all players regardless of the number of players present at the start of the
game.
16)
Each team shall have a catcher, a 1st baseman, a 2nd baseman, a 3rd baseman, a shortstop, a
left fielder, a centre fielder and a right fielder. Any additional players can be added in at pitcher,
left field, centre field, and right field (making 2 players at those positions).
17)
All players in the catcher’s position must wear a helmet, mask, shinguards, chest protector and
athletic supporter at all times, especially while the batter is attempting to hit the ball. Until the
ball is hit, the catcher should stand to the side to avoid injury.
18)
Players positioned as the pitcher must wear a proper batter’s helmet with chinstrap attached.
19)
The playing line or dead-ball line is an imaginary line (semi-circle of 15 feet encircling home
plate). The line is used in judging a fair hit ball. Until the ball is hit, no infielder may cross this
line and the pitcher must remain in the pitching circle. A hit ball on the ground must cross the
dead-ball line to be playable. If a hit ball is popped up and caught before crossing the dead-ball
line, the batter is out. If the hit ball does not cross the dead-ball line, it is a “DEAD HIT BALL”
and is treated as a strike.
20)
Players must be rotated between the infield and outfield in each inning unless there are 6
players or less on the team. Players cannot play the same infield position in two (2) consecutive
innings.
21)
Players can only play pitcher or 1st base once per game. If a player has to be removed from
either position during the inning, that will be considered his time at that position, regardless of
the number of batters. If a player takes a bathroom break, he can return to his position during
that inning only and cannot make up a missed at-bat.
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22)
On a fielding play, foul of either 1st or 3rd base, the ball shall be ruled dead if it goes out of play
past the imaginary line of the edge of the screening. This rule shall apply whether the fielder
deflects the ball and / or whether it is thrown over his head. In this instance, the runner will NOT
be awarded an additional base.
23)
An over-throw to first base will not result in an extra base being awarded. An over-thrown ball
means the ball is out of the playing field beyond the fair / foul line.
24)
The defensive team will be allowed no more than two (2) coaches or parents in the playing field.
These two persons are restricted to the outfield and cannot enter the infield, unless there is an
injured player. The coaches are allowed to give verbal instructions only to the players; they
cannot interfere with the ball or the play of the game. The penalty for intentional interference
shall be: The batter/runner and all other runners will be awarded the number of bases, in the
umpire’s judgment, that they would have safely reached.’’
BATTING
25) The batting order must remain consistent and include the full roster.
26)
Additions to the batting order due to late arrival of players will be allowed after the start of the
game. They must be marked as late arrivals and put at the bottom of the batting order.
27)
All players at bat and while running the bases must wear a proper batter’s helmet WITH
CHINSTRAP attached. Any player caught running the bases without a chinstrap will be called
out by the umpire.
28)
All players must be on the bench when not at bat or on deck. It shall be the coach’s
responsibility to enforce this rule. If this rule is not obeyed, team players may be disciplined by
the umpire at his discretion.
29)
If a player throws his bat in the process of swinging at the ball, he will be warned by the umpire
on the first occasion, and the umpire will record the incident with the scorekeeper. If a bat is
thrown after the warning, the batter will automatically be called out by the umpire. There will be
one (1) warning per team.
30)
Any player intentionally throwing a helmet or bat will be called out and warned and / or ejected
from the game.
31)
All players present at game time must have a turn at bat in each inning played. Since there is no
scorekeeping, each team will bat each player once per inning. For example, if one team has
eleven (11) players and the other team has only nine (9), each player will only bat once per
inning.
32)
There will be no lead-offs. Base runners must stay on the base until the ball is hit. Umpires will
warn players and coaches once, and on subsequent offences, the player shall be called out.
33)
There will be no stealing of bases.
34)
There are no strikeouts in T-Ball. The player swings until the ball is hit.
35)
It shall be the responsibility of the offensive team’s coach to inform the umpire of last batter
status”. Failure to do so will result in the last batter, and all base runners on base at the last
batter’s time at bat, being called out
36)
Coaches or parents cannot touch a player at any time while he is running the bases. The player
will be called out after one (1) warning per team. This is to ensure that no injuries occur and the
player learns the concept of baseball play.
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GENERAL PLAY
37) The offensive team’s turn at bat ends when:
a.
The ball is returned to the catcher by a throw from beyond the dead-ball line, to end the half
inning. The catcher must step on or tag home plate with the ball in his possession.
b.
The ball is thrown to the catcher by any player. The ball cannot be handed to the catcher by
any player. It must be thrown. A throw shall be any ball thrown in the air that, in the
umpire’s judgement, would require a player to catch the ball rather than just accepting the
ball in the hand or glove. No defensive play can be made on the base runners.
c.
Last batter’s fly ball or line drive is caught. The inning is over, the batter is out and the base
runners may neither advance nor score regardless of the number of outs.
d.
A ball is overthrown during the last batter status. Overthrown balls shall be treated as in the
official rules of baseball, except the last batter. If a ball is overthrown during the last batter
status, the ball shall be deemed out of play and all runners, including the batter, shall score.
38)
Play shall end and the umpire shall call TIME when the ball has been returned to an infielder
who has the ball firmly in his possession and is not in the act of making a play. Once a player
has put up his hand with the ball in it, the umpire will call TIME and the ball is dead, and no other
plays can continue.
39)
An accepted sign for the infielder to indicate control will be the player raising the ball over his
head while standing on any part of the legal playing infield. However, it must be in bounds.
40)
To record an out, there must be an actual, physical exchange between the first baseman and the
pitcher. The pitcher may not tag out a runner going to 1st base. The pitcher or any other player
fielding the ball will be required to throw it to the player on 1st base.
41)
A ball thrown out of play except to first base will advance each runner one (1) base.
42)
An outfielder cannot make a play on the infield. (i.e. an outfielder cannot tag a runner or base to
make an out.)
43)
Tagging of a player will be allowed, except for a runner going to first base. If a player is
obstructing a runner from advancing when there is no play, the runner will be awarded another
base if, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner would have made it safely without the
obstruction.
44)
The umpires are in charge of making all calls in the game. Coaches who continually argue with
the umpires or each other will face a disciplinary committee.
45)
Players should throw the ball overhand. If a player continually throws the ball underhand when
making an out, it will result in the batter / runner being called safe.
ADDITIONAL CONCERNS
46) If there are any problems at any game for whatever reason, the Convenor should be contacted
ASAP following the game but within 24 hours of game time. If there are any umpire issues,
please contact the Umpire-In-Chief with those issues ASAP.
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