The field manager and his coaches must be in uniform to be permitted on the playing field . The uniform will consist of uniform shirt, long baseball pants (no shorts), socks and cap. If a manager or coach is not in the required uniform he will not be permitted on the playing field and must remain in the dugout at all times.

The official Cal Ripken League shoulder emblem must be worn on each tournament team member's left uniform sleeve. This includes the field manager and his coaches.

Shoes must be worn by all players, managers, and coaches. These may be the all purpose type studded shoes. Sneakers are permitted but not recommended. Shoes with metal cleats or spikes are not permitted.

Conduct

Each manager and coach is responsible for his personal conduct both on and off the field. All are officially placed on notice that we want everyone to enjoy himself at the tournament, but that no conduct that could be interpreted as being detrimental to the basic aims of Cal Ripken Baseball will be tolerated.

Managers are reminded that they are responsible for the actions of their coaches, players and fans at all times.

ANY TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL WHOSE CONDUCT IS NOT ABOVE REPROACH WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM ANY FURTHER TOURNAMENT PLAY

Home Team

The tournament field is considered neutral. The "home team" shall be determined by a toss of a coin. The team that comes the farthest will call, while the coin is in the air. The winner of the toss will have his choice of home or away. Execption, the host team will be home only for their first game.

Players' Dugout

The "home" team will occupy the third base side.

The only persons permitted in the dugout will be the 15 players, field manager, and the two coaches. Uniforms must be worn by all those on the field.

No equipment will be allowed in any "live ball area".

Pre-game Warmups

The coin toss will take place 45 minutes before game time.

The home team shall take the field for infield-outfield for 10 minutes - 30 minutes before game time.

The visiting team shall take the field for infield-outfield for 10 minutes - 20 minutes before game time.

The ground crew shall use the remaining time to prepare the field for the game.

If the games are running long or a team reports to the field late, the tournament director may cancel infield-outfield practice.

Ground Rules

Ground rules established by the tournament director will be made known to all participating teams, umpires, and protest committees prior to the start of the tournament ,They should be reviewed prior to the start of each game.

Playing Rules

The current Official Baseball Rules 1.00 thru 10.22 shall be used along with the items Specified for the Cal Ripken Division.

No agreements shall be made between field managers and umpires and/or the Tournament Director that are contrary to tournament rules.

Game Conduct and Field Decorum

1. Umpires shall enforce all rules and regulations covered in the current edition of the Rules And Regulations and Official Playing Rules.

2. The game shall be kept moving at all times. No unnecessary delays (conferences with the batter, mound conferences, repeated time outs, etc.) shall be permitted.

3. Anyone -- player, manager, or coach -- acting in an unsportsmanlike manner shall be removed from the game and playing field. The ejected player, manager or coach, then has 5 minutes to leave the complex if so ordered. Any player, manager or coach that was ejecteed for unsportsmanlike conduet is prohibited playing any further tournament games until released by the District Commissioner.

4. Managers are responsible for the actions of Fans. Managers not able to control their fans from the field will be ejected to the stands to control their fans.

5. The field manager ONLY (no players or coaches) may ask the umpire for a rule clarification.

6. NO PERSON SHALL PERSIST IN ARGUING AN UMPIRE'S JUDGEMENT CALL. The umpire-in-chief shall be informed of the identity of each team manager.

Scheduling and Rescheduling of Games

1. The tournament will be double elimination, using the official Cal Ripken Brackets.

2. All tournament games shall be six innings, unless extended because of a tie score or shortened because the 10 Run Rule is invoked or the home team is ahead in it's half of the sixth inning.

3. Players, Mangers and Coaches must be at the field 45 minutes prior to game time.

4. The rescheduling of games that have been suspended or postponed for any reason will be done by the tournament director, under the jurisdiction of the District/State/Regional Tournament Official In Charge.

Player Re-entry

RULE - Any of the nine starting players may withdraw and re-enter once provided such player

occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the game. A substitute who is

withdrawn may not re-enter. The starting pitcher is governed by the provisions of

Official Baseball Rule 3.05 if withdrawn while on the mound pitching.

NOTE: If a player re-enters illegally as a batter, the illegal re-entry is penalized according to

Official Baseball Rule 6.07 Batting Out Of Order.

Listed below are interpretations of the rule:

1. Each of the nine starting players may be withdrawn from the game and re-entered once.

2. The starting player when re-entered must occupy the same batting position as he occupied when starting the game, i.e. a starting player and his substitute cannot be in the game at same time.

3. A starting pitcher withdrawn from the game may re-enter immediately if withdrawn while a batter or baserunner. If a starting pitcher is withdrawn while he is on the mound pitching, his substitute must fulfill Official baseball Rule 3.05.B before he is permitted to re-enter.

4. All other starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered immediately or anytime at the discretion of the manager.

5. A substitute withdrawn from the game can never re-enter the game.

6. A substitute may replace a substitute and the starting player may still re-enter for the second substitute.

7. A starting player withdrawn from the game more than once cannot re-enter.

8. Withdrawal and re-entry takes place only when a player has been removed from the game and/or the batting order.

9. If the starting pitcher is removed from the game because of a second trip to the mound, in the same inning , he may re-enter the game in any position with the exception of pitcher.

10. Cal Ripken Baseball will allow re-entry of already used players if all substitutes have been used and an INJURY occurs. Selection of this substitute must be made by the opposing manager. This type of re-entry can only take place when an injury prevents a player from continuing in the game. The injured player, once removed cannot re-enter the game.

Protests

1. A field manager must claim a violation of a playing rule immediately to the umpire-in-chief,at which time play shall be suspended and the tournament director notified. If the tournament director deems the protest to have merit and is not based on a judgement call by the umpire, he shall request that the protest committee make a decision.

1. Play shall not be resumed until the Protest Committee makes a decision.

1. All decisions of the Protest Committee are final and without appeal.

1. Protests on judgement calls will not be allowed. Protests not lodged before the next pitch is thrown will not be considered.

10 Run Rule

All tournament games must be terminated once becoming regulation if one team is ahead by 10 runs or more and has had equal times at bat or the home team is ahead in it's half of the last inning.

Pitching

1. No Pitcher in tournament play shall be allowed to pitch in more than 6 innings in any 2 consecutive tournament games. Pitchers exceeding this limit are inelibigle pitchers. Games in which an ineligible pitcher has been used shall be declared a forfeit.

2. If a pitcher delivers 1 pitch in an inning he shall be charged for 1 inning pitched. If he retakes the mound in the same inning itπs still only 1 inning pitched.

3. A pitcher may change to another position only once during the same inning. e.g. The pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other than a pitcher more than once in the same inning (rule 3.03)

4. Any player eligible to play on the field under the subsitution rule may pitch if they haven't exceeded their maxium innings or pulled for two trips to the mound in a prior inning. If pitcher was pulled for two trips to the in mound in a prior innings, he is an improper pitcher and must be removed from the mound, the game continues.

Contact Rule

If a runner attempting to reach home plate intentionally and maliciously runs into a defensive player in the area of home plate, he will be called out on the play and ejected from the game.

This is an umpire's judgement call.

Miscellaneous Rules and Non Rules

1. There is NO Must Slide Rule at the bases.

2. Head First Slides are allowed.

3. There is no length to weight ratio for bats. The only requirement for the bat is not be more than 33 inches in length or in excess of 2.25 inches in diameter.

4. There is no rule concerning the number of hit batsmen by a pitcher.

5. Extra Hitter rule is for regular season only, not tournaments.

6. There is no penalty if a pitcher commits a balk in Cal Ripken Baseball, should a balk be called by the umpire, the ball becomes dead and the umpire warns the pitcher.

7. Jewerly is prohibited. Players, coaches and managers shall not wear jewerly. Medical alert and relgious bracelets and necklaces are not considered jewerly. If worn, the must be taped to the body so as to remain visible.

8. If a game is forfieted before become regulation, include no records. Report only the fact of the forfeit. This means the pitching eligibility would be the same as it was before the game. If the game is forfeited after becoming regulation 3 1/2 or 4 innings. The innings pitched will apply against each pitcher for the next game.