ST. CLOUD RECREATION
2012 SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL INFORMATION
Whitney Recreation Office 255-7256, Ext. 3051 Hours: 8:00 – 4:30 p.m. Whitney
Softball Office 529-6587 League Director – John Anderson 650-3051
1. Softball Team registration begins on Monday, February 13 8:00 am- 4:30 pm at Whitney
Recreation Center Gym Office or 24/7 online at www.ci.stcloud.mn.us. The Deadline for
registering teams is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13, 2012.
2. The 2012 Softball Season will begin on Monday, April 23rd . The last day to add players to
the roster is June 14, 2012.
3. To register a team, you must pay the softball entry fee of $490.00 for the first team, $425.00
for the second team on the same night, if the roster is the same (see #5 below). The entry fee
for doubleheader leagues is $897.00 (team registration fees include sales tax and the MSF
sanctioning fee). The Minnesota Sports Federation requires teams to pay an additional
sanctioning fee even the teams playing in two leagues on the same night carry the same
roster. Team registration fees do not include the annual non-resident fee of $30.00 per
player. If a non-resident player plays on more than one team, she/he will not be charged
another fee. The deadline to turn in rosters is Thursday May 3, 2012. Each player claiming
residency must show proof of residence in person to the team manager.
Non-residents are players who do not reside within the city limits of St. Cloud.
PLAYERS FALSIFYING ADDRESSES WILL BE DECLARED INELIGIBLE
FROM ALL FUTURE COMPETITION. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN.
4. Penalty for Game Forfeits:
1st Time
Written/oral warning
nd
2 Time
Team is eliminated from post-season playoffs or pays a $35.00
penalty.
3rd Time
Team is suspended for 2013 or pays a $150.00 penalty
5. If you have a team that plays in two leagues on the same night, you must declare which
league you will be playing in for the year-end play-offs. The $65.00 reduction in the second
team fee reflects a reduction of two games.
6. Four (4) home run limit, after which they become outs.
7. Summer and fall leagues must have a minimum of six teams.
8. A player must be 16 years of age or older to play in City softball leagues. Any player 16 or
17 years of age must have a parent or guardian’s signature on their team roster.
9. No food, alcoholic beverages or pop allowed in the park, as per City ordinances. Support
our concessions – it helps to maintain Whitney Park.
10. Game postponements as a result of inclement weather will be announced on local radio
stations after 5:00 p.m., and an announcement will be placed on the Whitney Softball
Office voicemail at 529-6587. When possible rainouts will be rescheduled for the same
night of play being added to the end of the season or as doubleheaders on regular league
nights. When make up dates on the regularly schedule nights are used up, games will be
made up on Sunday evenings. Teams that cannot make up on Sundays will not be charged
with a forfeit if the League Director is contacted at least 3 days in advance. They will be
charged with a loss.
11. There is a one-hour time limit in the 6:05 game on all fields. Games scheduled at 7:10 on
unlit fields may be played until darkness prevents play. The one-hour time limit is in effect
on C-3 (with lights) for all games except the last scheduled game. Those games may be
played out until there is a winner.
12. Teams may start and end a game with eight players for the game to be considered an official
game. The ninth and tenth positions in the batting order will not become outs. When
additional players arrive, they must be inserted in the lineup and placed at the end of the
batting order. Co-Rec teams may play league games with more females than males with no
penalty. Co-Rec teams may play with one more male than female and, in this case, an out is
inserted between consecutive male batters.
13. For the purpose of increasing participation, men’s and women’s teams may insert up to 12
players into the batting order. Co-Rec teams may insert up to 14 players into the batting
order. In no situation would two male batters bat consecutively without an out inserted
between them
14. Protests on rule interpretations must be made to the umpire before next pitch. A written
protest must be presented to the Whitney Park Office along with a $50.00 protest fee within
48 hours. If the protest is upheld, money is refunded. Eligibility protests must be registered
prior to or during the game in question (not after).
15. Game results and league standings will be submitted to the city’s website for publishing.
16. Teams must supply all game equipment. Catchers must wear a facemask. (This is not an
issue that can be protested. The game results in a forfeit if a catcher does not have a
facemask.) Official game balls will be furnished. Check www.softball.org for bats that are
considered illegal by ASA, although the leagues are ASA affiliated we reserve the right to
disqualify equipment that ASA has on their list, those bats will be illegal at Whitney Park
also. Metal spikes will not be allowed.
17. Players playing with more than one team must indicate at time of first roster which team they
will be playing with in the District and State Tournaments play-offs. Players will not be
allowed to play with two teams in the same league.
18. Teams tied at the end of the time limit or in case of darkness will receive ½ game win and ½
game loss. Games will be considered complete if 4 innings have been completed.
19. The twelve-run rule will be in effect any time after five innings (4½ innings if home team is
ahead). The twenty-run rule will be in effect after four innings (3½ if home team is ahead).
20. The home team is responsible for keeping the official score book and ball shagging. Home
team is assigned the third base dugout.
21. Games may be randomly selected for roster checks or teams may protest their opponents
roster. Players must have a picture ID on the bench with them at all times or they will be
declared ineligible. In the case of a roster protest of an opponent the protest must be
communicated to the softball office before the game is finished. No roster protests will be
entertained after the game. Teams protesting a roster should be aware that their team roster
will be checked before their opponents.
22. Team names or uniforms that contain obscene words or graphics will be prohibited and team
names that are obscene or may be construed as obscene will be altered at the discretion of the
league director.
23. In legitimate cases of need, a handicap or a temporary disability, a designated runner may
replace one player in the batting order. The designated runner will always be the last person
making an out of the same gender.
24. Team managers are responsible for all communication with the Recreation Department.
They are responsible for relaying information on post-season tournament play, game times,
rules changes, and make-up game times to their players. Players are welcome and
encouraged to use the 529-6587-office number to find out about rainouts. Schedules,
standings, and important league information will be posted on the website in timely fashion