STUNT SOFTBALL LEAGUE OFFICIAL RULES 2024 - SEVENTEENTH SEASON

1. GAMES WILL LAST 7 INNINGS OR NO NEW INNING WILL START AFTER 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES. THE UMPIRE WILL DETERMINE OFFICIAL GAME TIME. LAST OUT OF PREVIOUS INNING WILL BE THE START OF THE NEW INNING. YOU MUST BE PREPARED TO PLAY AT OFFICIAL GAME TIME.
   
   
2. ORIGINAL ROSTERS AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY FORM, WITH NO LIMIT OF LEGITIMATE STUNT PLAYERS, MUST BE RECEIVED BY FEBRUARY 3, 2024 (NO EXCEPTIONS) TO LARRY ROSENTHAL! ROSTERS MUST INCLUDE PLAYERS NAME AND ORIGINAL SIGNATURE. ANY NEW ADDITIONS TO A ROSTER MUST BE SUBMITTED IMMEDIATELY ON AN ADD FORM. NO NEW ADDITIONS WILL BE ALLOWED AFTER THE FIFTH WEEK OF PLAY. A PLAYER CAN ONLY BE ROSTERED ON ONE TEAM. ANY PLAYER THAT APPEARS ON TWO OR MORE ROSTERS WILL BE INELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN THE PLAY OFFS.
   
   
3. TO PLAY 10 PLAYERS, A MINIMUM OF ONE WOMAN MUST PLAY. YOU MAY PLAY NINE OR EIGHT PLAYERS WHICH WOULD ALSO INCLUDE ONE WOMAN. SEVEN PLAYERS OR NO WOMAN IS CONSIDERED A FORFEIT. ONE WOMAN MUST BAT WITHIN THE FIRST TEN BATTING POSITIONS.
   
   
4. THERE WILL BE A FIVE-MINUTE GRACE PERIOD TO FIELD EIGHT PLAYERS.
   
   
5. EACH BATTER STARTS WITH A 1/1 COUNT. WITH TWO STRIKES, THE BATTER IS ALLOWED ONE FOUL BALL AND THE SECOND FOUL IS CONSIDERED STRIKE THREE.
   
   
6. RUNNERS MAY LEAVE THE BASE ONCE THE PITCHER RELEASES THE BALL. PICKOFFS ARE ALLOWED AND ARE A FORCE-OUT. THE RUNNER CANNOT ADVANCE UNLESS THE BALL IS HIT OR THERE IS AN OVER THROW TO THE BASE OCCUPIED BY A RUNNER. HOWEVER THE RUNNER MUST TAG UP.
   
   
7. FIVE INNINGS WILL CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE GAME IF STOPPED DUE TO RAIN OR OTHER UNCONTROLLABLE FACTORS.
   
   
8. THE PITCH MUST BE OVER THE BATTERS HEAD AND THERE IS NO LIMIT WITH REGARDS TO THE HEIGHT OF THE PITCH.
   
   
9. MANAGERS MUST BRING ONE NEW BALL AND ONE GOOD BACK-UP BALL TO EACH GAME. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH ENOUGH NEW GAME BALLS AND THEY SHOULD BE USED ONLY FOR LEAGUE GAMES.
   
   
10. DUE TO THE PARKS' RULES AND REGULATIONS, ALCOHOL IS NOT PERMITTED ON THE FIELDS OR PREMISES AT ANY TIME. WE WILL LOSE OUR PERMITS AND THE RIGHT TO USE ANY FIELDS IF YOU DO NOT ABIDE BY THIS RULE, NOT TO MENTION THE FORFEIT OF TEAM FEES. THOSE CAUGHT WITH ALCOHOL WILL FORFEIT THEIR NEXT GAME. A SECOND OFFENSE WILL REMOVE THE TEAM FROM THE LEAGUE. THIS INCLUDES FANS.
    
    
11. THE UMPIRE WILL KEEP THE OFFICIAL SCORE. EACH MANAGER SHOULD KEEP A SCORE BOOK WITH HIS/HER TEAMS PERFORMANCE. MANAGERS SHOULD CHECK THE SCORE WITH THE UMPIRE AT THE END OF EACH HALF-INNING. RESULTS AND STANDINGS WILL BE UPDATED EACH WEEK AT www.stuntsoftballleague.com.
    
    
12. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SEASON ALL OF THE TEAMS WILL COMPETE IN THE PLAYOFFS. IN CASE OF REGULAR SEASON TIES, TEAM vs TEAM AND/OR RECORD vs SAME TEAMS AND/OR LOWEST RUNS ALLOWED WILL BE CONSIDERED. THE PLAYOFFS WILL LAST THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
    
    
13. EACH TEAM CAN CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR THE LEAGUE SCHEDULE FOR THE SEASON AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THIS WEBSITE WITH ALL THEIR PLAYERS. EACH TEAM WILL SHARE THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOME GAMES. HIGHER SEEDED TEAMS WILL RETAIN HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS.
    
    
14. IF THERE ARE ANY DISCREPANCIES DURING PLAY WHICH CAN'T BE SETTLED BY THE UMPIRE WITH THE MANAGERS, A PROTEST SHOULD BE MADE TO THE LEAGUE BOARD. THE UMPIRE MUST BE MADE AWARE THAT A PROTEST IS BEING MADE AND A PROTEST FEE OF $25 MUST BE GIVEN TO THE UMPIRE. THIS FEE WILL BE REFUNDED IF THE PROTEST IS ALLOWED OR FORFEITED IF NOT ALLOWED. THE PROTEST MUST BE FILED NO LATER THEN THE END OF THE LAST INNING. THE BOARD WILL REVIEW ANY SUCH PROTEST AND RULE ON IT BY NEXT WEEK'S GAMES. YOU CANNOT PROTEST A JUDGMENT CALL. LET'S HOPE THIS PROCESS WILL NOT BE NECESSARY.
    
    
15. IF AN UMPIRE EJECTS A PLAYER FROM A GAME, HE/SHE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THE TEAM'S NEXT GAME. IF THIS PLAYER PLAYS IN THE NEXT GAME OR IS EJECTED A SECOND TIME DURING THE SEASON, HE/SHE WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN LEAGUE GAMES. IF HE/SHE DOES PLAY AFTER EJECTION FROM THE LEAGUE, THAT TEAM WILL FORFEIT ALL GAMES THAT THE EJECTED PLAYER PARTICIPATED IN. AGAIN, THIS LEAGUE IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM.
    
    
16. IN CASE OF RAIN, PLEASE REFER TO www.stuntsoftballleague.com FOR UPDATES. ALL GAMES GO ON AS SCHEDULED UNLESS THE LEAGUE BOARD INSTRUCTS YOU DIFFERENTLY. DEPENDING UPON THE WEATHER, WE WILL TRY TO POST NO LATER THEN AN HOUR BEFORE GAME TIME IF GAMES ARE CANCELED.
    
    
17. NO BASEBALL, TITANIUM, COMPOSITE OR MULTI-WALL BATS MAY BE USED AT ANYTIME. IF AN ILLEGAL BAT IS DISCOVERED BEING USED, THE PLAYER CAUGHT USING THE BAT WILL BE CALLED OUT AND RUNNERS WHO ADVANCED WILL RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL BASES. THE UMPIRE OR OPPOSING TEAM MUST NOTICE THE ILLEGAL BAT BEFORE THE NEXT BATTER HAS BEEN PITCHED TO. IF A TEAM GETS CAUGHT WITH AN ILLEGAL BAT FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE PLAYER CAUGHT USING THE BAT WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE GAME AND SUSPENDED FOR ONE ADDITIONAL GAME. IF A TEAM IS CAUGHT FOR A THIRD TIME THEY WILL FORFEIT THE GAME IN PROGRESS AND THE NEXT GAME AS WELL. IF A TEAM GETS CAUGHT FOR A FOURTH TIME, THEY WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LEAGUE. (See the L A Recreation & Parks current list of illegal bats.)
    
    
18. OUT-OF-PLAY BOUNDARIES WILL BE DETERMINED PRIOR TO EACH GAME BY THE UMPIRE.
    
    
19. PINCH RUNNERS MAY BE USED. IT MUST BE THE BATTER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS A MALE OR FEMALE, WHO MADE THE LAST OUT. THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PINCH RUNNER PER INNING.
    
    
20. IF A TEAM FORFEITS WITHOUT CANCELLING THEIR GAME BY NOTIFYING LARRY ROSENTHAL AND THE OPPOSING TEAM'S MANAGER BY 5 PM ON THE FRIDAY PRIOR TO THE GAME, A FORFEIT FEE OF $35.00 WILL BE DUE. IF THE FEE IS NOT PAID, SUBSEQUENT GAMES WILL BE CANCELLED AND FORFEITED UNTIL THE FEE IS PAID. EVERY SUBSEQUENT GAME WILL BE A FORFEIT UNTIL THIS FEE IS PAID. RE-SCHEDULED GAMES (UNLESS CANCELLED BY THE LEAGUE DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER CONDITIONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL) ARE NOT PERMITTED.
    
    
21. THREE FORFEITS WILL GET A TEAM REMOVED FROM THE LEAGUE AND WILL FORFEIT THEIR LEAGUE FEES.
    
    
22. MANAGERS MUST PRESENT TO THE OPPOSING MANAGER BEFORE THE GAME HIS/HER BATTING ORDER. THESE RULES APPLY TO THE BATTING ORDER:
    
    
    1. ONE WOMAN MUST BAT WITHIN THE TOP TEN BATTING POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE GAME, ALONG WITH PLAYING DEFENSIVELY.
    2. IF A PLAYER IS REMOVED FROM THE BATTING ORDER, HE/SHE CANNOT RE-ENTER THE GAME.
    3. SHOULD A PLAYER DROP OUT OF THE BATTING ORDER FOR ANY REASON AND THERE IS NOT ANOTHER PLAYER ELIGIBLE TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT PLAYER, THAT BATTING POSITION WILL BE AN OUT THE NEXT TIME IT COMES UP AND WILL BE DISSOLVED FROM THE LINEUP THE SECOND TIME IT COMES UP IN THE ORDER.
    4. A TEAM MAY BORROW A LIMIT OF UP TO 2 PLAYERS FROM OTHER TEAMS AT ANY TIME DURING THE GAME TO FIELD DEFENSIVELY 9 PLAYERS, ONLY DURING THE REGULAR SEASON AND MUST PLAY EITHER 1B, 2B, RF OR CATCHER, AND MUST OCCUPY THE LAST BATTING POSITION(S) IN THE LINEUP. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED DURING ANY PLAYOFF GAME. ONCE A REGULAR ROSTERED PLAYER SHOWS UP, YOU MUST DO A STRAIGHT SUBSTITUTION FOR THE BORROWED PLAYER. IF A PLAYER SUSTAINS AN INJURY OR LEAVES FOR ANY REASON DURING YOUR GAME AND YOU NEED TO BORROW A PLAYER, YOU MUST DROP DOWN TO 9 PLAYERS DEFENSIVELY AS WELL, BUT CAN STILL BAT MORE THEN 9.
    5. A LATE PLAYER MAY ENTER THE GAME AT ANY TIME AND CAN EITHER DO A STRAIGHT SUBSTITUTION OR BE ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BATTING LINEUP.
    
    
    
23. ALL GAMES WILL ALLOW ONLY FIVE WARM UP PITCHES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME. ALL SUBSEQUENT INNINGS WILL ALLOW ONLY THREE PITCHES BETWEEN INNINGS. THIS IS TO HELP MOVE THE GAME ALONG AND COMPLETE AS MANY INNINGS AS POSSIBLE. NEW PITCHERS WILL GET FIVE WARM-UP PITCHES.
    
    
24. THE TEAM LEAGUE ENTRY FEE IS A MINIMUM OF $1,550 FOR UP TO 20 PLAYERS AND $75 FOR EACH PLAYER OVER 20. IT MUST BE RECEIVED BY JANUARY 5, 2024, AS THE CITY REQUIRED ALL PERMITS TO BE PAID 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO PLAYING. FEES COVER ALL FIELD USE, UMPIRE FEES, THE WEBSITE, BALLS, AWARDS, ADMINISTRATIVE FEES AND OTHER MONEYS NEEDED TO RUN THE LEAGUE.
    
    
25. BASES WITH A FIRST BASE EXTENSION AND A TEMPLATE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR AND SET UP BY THE UMPIRE. ALL PLAYERS WHO OVERRUN FIRST BASE MUST USE THE ORANGE EXTENSION EVERY TIME. IF NOT, THEY WILL BE CALLED OUT.
    
    
26. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL PLAYERS CARRY PERSONAL MEDICAL INSURANCE. THE LEAGUE, BOARD MEMBERS, MANAGERS AND PARKS OFFER NO INSURANCE, COVERAGE OR LIABILITY. ALL PLAYERS AGREE TO PLAY AT THEIR OWN RISK.
    
    
27. THESE RULES MAY BE MODIFIED AT ANY TIME AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE LEAGUE BOARD. MANAGERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY SUCH CHANGES.
    
    
28. BASE RUNNERS MUST AVOID CONTACT WITH THE FIELDERS WHEN A PLAY CAN BE MADE AT THE BASE A RUNNER IS ADVANCING TO. THE RUNNER MUST DO THIS BY SLIDING OR GETTING OUT OF THE WAY. THE UMPIRE HAS THE RIGHT TO CALL A RUNNER OUT IF HE FEELS THE BASE RUNNER INTERFERED WITH THE FIELDERS ABILITY TO MAKE A PLAY.
    
    
29. UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT, ALL OUTFIELDERS MUST REMAIN ON THE OUTFIELD GRASS 30 FEET FROM THE INFIELD GRASS LINE FOR ALL BATTERS. BEFORE EACH GAME THE UMPIRE WILL DETERMINE THIS AREA.
    
    
30. A PLAYER MUST BE A SIGNED ROSTER PLAYER IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEAGUE AND PLAYOFFS. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO KEEP YOUR OWN SCORE WITH THE SCORE BOOK PROVIDED.
    
    
31. TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES AT THE FIELDS, INCLUDING THE DUGOUT.
    
    
32. THE UMPIRE WILL DESIGNATE THE PITCHING RUBBER BEFORE THE GAME BEGINS. PITCHERS MUST START THEIR PITCH WITH AT LEAST ONE FOOT ON THE RUBBER AND KEEP IT ON THE RUBBER UNTIL THE BALL IS RELEASED.
    
    
33. IF AN UMPIRE FAILS TO APPEAR, BOTH MANAGERS MUST DESIGNATE AN UMPIRE AND PLAY THE GAME. IF THIS FAILS TO HAPPEN, THE GAME WILL BE CONSIDERED A DOUBLE FORFEIT.
    
    
34. A MERCY RULE IS IN EFFECT IF A TEAM IS WINNING BY 15 OR MORE RUNS AND THE GAME HAS COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF FIVE INNINGS ONLY IF THE TEAM BEING MERCIED AGREES TO END THE GAME. OTHERWISE THE GAME WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED THE SEVENTH INNING OR TIME LIMIT HAS EXPIRED.
    
    
35. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL PLAYERS WEAR CLEATS WHILE PLAYING, FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. PLAYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR METAL CLEATS OF ANY KIND.
    
    
36. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL MANAGERS SHARE THESE RULES AND THE WEBSITE WITH THEIR PLAYERS. THEY ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE LOST AND FOUND TAB ON THE WEBSITE.
    
    
37. ANY RULE NOT COVERED IN THESE RULES WILL FALL UNDER LA CITY RULES, WITH WHICH THE UMPIRES ARE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR.
    
    
38. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY IS AS FOLLOWS: IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUNT SOFTBALL LEAGUE, YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE SAG/AFTRA TELEVISION, THEATRICAL OR COMMERCIAL STUNT CONTRACT, WHICH WILL BE VERIFIED BY THE LEAGUE. STUDENT FILMS OR NON UNION DO NOT COUNT. NO GRANDFATHER CLAUSE WILL BE IN EFFECT.
    
    
39. WHEN FIELDING A DEFENSIVE TEAM, YOU CAN FIELD AT MOST 4 INFIELDERS NOT COUNTING THE PITCHER OR CATCHER.
    
    
40. WE WILL INSTITUTE AN ALTERNATE HOME RUN RULE FOR BALLS THAT ARE HIT OVER THE OUTFIELD FENCE, MEANING THAT ONCE A TEAM HITS A HOME RUN, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HIT ANOTHER HOME RUN UNTIL THE OPPOSING TEAM HAS HIT ONE. AFTER THE OPPOSING TEAM HITS ONE THEN THE HOME RUN IS OPEN UNTIL A TEAM HITS ONE AGAIN. SHOULD A TEAM HIT ANY SUBSEQUENT ONES AFTER THEIR LAST ONE WITHOUT THE OPPOSING TEAM HITTING ONE, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A GROUND RULE DOUBLE UNTIL THE OPPOSING TEAM HITS ONE.
    
    
41. MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL............. HAVE FUN!! NONE OF US GET PAID TO PLAY.