WOODSTOCK MEN’S OLD-TIMERS RULES AND REGULATIONS 2024

1. Players must attain 35 years of age or older during the calendar year to play in the Woodstock Men’s Old-timers League (WMOL) season.
2. The yearly League fee of $2000.00 along with a completed roster, must be submitted to the League Treasurer on or before Friday May 31^st, 2024. NO EXCEPTIONS.
   No changes to the roster sheet are permitted after May 31^st, 2024.
   
3. Each team shall be allowed to field ten (10) players for defense. A player may be added at any time during a game, but must be added to the bottom of the batting list. Any additions must be announced to the Umpire so that both teams are made aware of the addition.
   1. Each team can consist of a minimum of eight (8) players on the field, not including the Pitcher. If a team has less than eight (8) players they will have a fifteen (15) minute “grace” period to contact the missing players and field a team, or they shall forfeit that game. No forfeited regular season game will be rescheduled, unless for extreme circumstances. The amount of time taken within the fifteen (15) minute “grace time” shall be removed from the time allowed for a game.
      
4. A Pitcher pitches to his own team-mates, a maximum of three (3) pitches per batter. No minimum arc is required. To prevent any possible injury to the Pitcher the Pitcher may pitch the ball from the front of the pitching box, or with-in five (5) feet back from the front rubber of the pitching box, and/or eighteen (18) inches of either side of the pitching box. If a Pitcher makes contact with a batted ball on any pitch to the batter the play is dead and the batter is called out. A Pitcher in an inning, who then bats and receives a substitute runner may not pitch the rest of the inning until the substitute runner ceases to become a base runner.
   1. Any player who has a concern about an injury occurring from being struck with a ball during play should address that concern by the use of protective equipment which is available and is allowed in Slo-Pitch National play.
      
5. Anticipation steps on all bases are allowed if a batter swings and doesn’t make contact.
   No lead-offs are allowed. A runner who leaves contact with the base before the ball is hit shall be called out.
   
6. Players may over-run any base. However, they cannot over-run the bases coming back. Intention to proceed to the next base shall be at the Umpire’s discretion. Sliding into a base, at any time, is an automatic out.
   
7. Game start times shall be 6:30pm, 7:45pm and 9:00pm. All games shall be nine (9) innings or one hour and fifteen (1:15) minutes in duration, whichever comes first. The team that is behind in score after seven (7) innings shall have the option to call the game. A mercy is in effect. A maximum of six (6) runs may be scored, by each team, each inning except the last inning during which each team may score runs until three (3) outs are made. No inning will start after seventy (70) minutes have elapsed in the game.
   
8. If a player is ejected from a game his next at bat will be considered an out. If a player has to leave the game for other reasons, or due to an injury, it must be announced to the Umpire, and the opposing team, and the players next at bat will not be an out.
   
9. No steel spikes are allowed.
   
10. Regulare Season only (Playoffs see rule 23.) Home teams shall be the last team that appears on the schedule and shall sit on the third base line side of the diamond. Home teams for early games shall be responsible for the placing of the bases on the diamond. Home teams for the last game of the night shall be responsible for the removal, and for the return of the bases to the storage bins.
    
11. A 2/3 “committal” line between third base and home plate shall be indicated on the diamond. A base runner crossing this line must continue to home plate at the risk of being thrown out. The runner scores by crossing the home plate line ahead of the throw. A runner will be out if he crosses the committal line and then returns to the third base. A runner will be called out if he touches home plate. There is to be no contact play between the base runner and the home plate ball player. The home plate player can only make an out by touching home plate, while in possession of the ball, ahead of the base runner crossing the home plate line. (If a base runner is tagged at the home plate area he is automatically safe.)
    
12. Team representatives and Umpires shall determine the ground rules before each game.
    
13. A member of any team who physically or verbally abuses an Umpire or a player and is ejected from the game shall be suspended for the remainder of that game, as well as his next regularly scheduled league/playoff game. If a player has been ejected a second time further action against the ejected player shall be determined by a panel, consisting of the President and/or Vice-President and a minimum of three (3) Team Representatives, all of whom shall be from a different division of the league. Any ejection must be reported, in writing, by the Umpire on the home team’s score sheet. All decisions by the Umpire shall be final. 
14. Rained out games will not be made up for Regular Season Games.
    We will only be posting Rainouts on the website (https://www.wmol.ca/) and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Woodstock.Mens.Oldtimers.League) at 5:30p.m. Every Wednesday.
    1. If games for the evening have been called off due to inclement weather, each team that was scheduled to play shall be awarded one (1) point and the game shall be deemed completed. On the occasion when games have not been canceled but are stopped or canceled, while in play at the diamond the ruling shall be as follows:
       1. In the case where a game has been stopped, but is ruled “official” the team in the lead shall receive the full two (2) points.
       2. A game is deemed to be “official” if there has been five (5) innings played before it has been stopped or canceled.
       3. Games that have been stopped or canceled before they are “official”, and any further games stopped or canceled that night shall see each team be awarded one (1) point.
          
15. The executive, consisting of: the President, 2 Vice-Presidents, Treasurer and Team Representatives, reserves the right to make executive decisions. In the case where a vote is required on a matter, only one (1) Team Representative per team shall be allowed to vote.
    
16. Players requiring a substitute runner must be announced to the Umpire prior to the start of the game. The WMOL recommends that those announced players requiring a runner be documented on both score sheets before the game. A substitute runner must start at home plate and will only be allowed to first base after a hit. The courtesy runner cannot advance on ANY overthrow whether in play or out of play.
    1. All substitute runners will start from home plate following the 16.(c) guideline.
    2. No substitute runner shall be allowed to start at any base unless the Player has sustained an injury during the game. In the case of an injury sustained during the game the Umpire shall be asked to use his discretion on allowing a runner for the injured player. Any player may be used as a substitute runner.
    3. A continuation of the 3rd base line will be drawn behind home plate and a substitute runner, being used by the batter, must have his starting position be behind that line, between the batter and the back stop, by at least eight (8) to ten (10) feet, and must also have a clear path towards first base.
    4. Exceptions for substitute runners must be agreed upon by both Team Representatives, if the player requiring a substitute runner was not documented at the beginning of the game.
       
17. A player must have played a minimum of five (4) games, during regular season, to be eligible to play play-offs. Any rained out games, during regular season, shall count towards the minimum number of games required. A player who has had at least one (1) at bat during a regular scheduled game shall be deemed as having played that game. Exceptions to the minimum number of games required for play-offs may be considered by the President, and/or Vice-President along with three (3) Team representatives from different divisions, if a written request, with explanation, is received prior to two (2) weeks before play-offs. Score sheets must accompany such request. Score sheets must have both team names and the date with First and Last names, and Number of each player to accuratley count the team and players for a played game. NO EXCEPTIONS. 

    (a) The actual scoresheet or a picture or a scan of the scoresheet (both sides) that is ledgeable shall be deemed a final scoresheet. It must be delivered to the League Treasurer in person or via email to webmaster@wmol.ca to count as a played game.
    

18. The Home Run rule………
    1. Any un-deflected ball hit over the fence will be considered as a home run for the designated allowances for home runs in all divisions of the WMOL. Each team must remain within two (2) home runs of the opposing team.
    2. Walk Off Home Run: On any fair-batted ball hit over the fence (touched or untouched) for a home run, the batter and all runners are credited with a score. The batter and any runners do not have to run the bases but can go directly to their team area.
    3. Where an over the fence home run is hit that is in excess of the number allowed, the batter will be called out.
    4. When a fair batted fly ball deflects off a defensive player over the home run fence, the batter will be awarded four (4) bases. This will not be considered the same as an over the fence home run.
    5. During play a team must retrieve any ball(s) they hit out of play or replace it immediately with another legal ball. 
19. The rule of wearing jewellery during a game shall follow the Slo-Pitch Ontario ruling, “it is strongly recommended that any type of jewellery not be worn in any SPO play. If worn, each player is solely responsible for any injury/damage that may be caused by this jewellery. The Umpire may have the player remove any jewellery or equipment that is deemed dangerous.”
    
20. Any new teams entering the WMOL or any teams presently registered with the WMOL, who are purchasing new jerseys will be required to have player numbers on the back of the jersey.
21. Bats: To be eligible for play only bats sanctioned for use in Canada by SPN (Slo-Pitch National), SPO (Slo-Pitch Ontario), and NSA Canada (National Slo-Pitch Association) with the thumb print shall be deemed legal for use in the WMOL.
22. Balls: At the beginning of each WMOL season the league will supply one dozen (12) league approved balls to each team registered in the WMOL. These balls are to be strictly used in the WMOL and it is the responsibility of the home team of each game to supply one new ball to the Umpire for that game. The visiting team shall supply one good used, league approved, ball as a back-up.
23. Play-offs: After the Regular Season Round Robin Teams will be placed in 3 divisions based on their wins and losses.
    The top 4 will be in the A Division (Brooksy Division).
    The next 4 will be in the B Division(Sudsy Division).
    The next 4 will be in the C Division(Gator Division).
    The higher seed has the option wether they want to hit first or hit last. Highee seed will still be responsible for bases.Tie Breakers: SPO rules

    a) If one team has defeated all the other tied teams, that team will automatically be placed highest of the tied teams. If one team has been defeated by all the other tied teams, that team will be placed lowest of the tied teams.

    b) Best won/loss record (all games).

    c) Best won/loss record between tied games.

    d) All teams have played each other – best plus/minus between tied games

This league will be governed by the SPO Rules, with the following exceptions/highlights above. These rules have been amended and are adopted by the 2024 Woodstock Men’s Old-timers League Executive on this, the 19th day of March, 2024.

 

Jim Austin______________________________ President

Dan Wilford, Dan Cowell________________________________ Vice-Presidents

Kurt Sutherland________________________ Financial Secretary/Webmaster