O F F I C I A L R U L E S H OFH BASEBALL 2018 www.dizzydeanbbcinc.com The Coaches & Players’ Choice DIZZY for 30 Years DEAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL BALL FOR AGES 6-13 1BBDDG 2BBDDG “FUN, CHARACTER, WINNERS” • Top grade leather cover • Top grade leather cover • Raised seams • Raised seams • Wool blend windings • Wool blend windings • Cork/Rubber center • Cushioned cork center By: Billy J. Powell Commissioner - 97/98 Dizzy Dean Baseball is not for coaches, parents, or spectators. Dizzy Dean Baseball is for the youth that play the game. One of the greatest outlets for youth is baseball. As a professional, Dizzy Dean THE BAT WITH THE played baseball for the love of the game and with the enthusiasm, . intensity and energy of the youth that play the game today. He played REVOLUTIONARY HANDLE because it was fun. We must continue to make baseball a fun game APPROVED FOR ALL LEVELS OF PLAY. without placing undue pressure and stress on our youth. Our youth ELITE come first, winning second. When you build the character in a youth, you build a winner. There was no organized baseball in Arkansas while Dizzy Dean was growing up and he was denied the opportunity to play baseball ELEMENT as a young boy. It was Dizzy Dean’s dream that one day every young person would have the opportunity to play baseball. We, the National Board of Directors of Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc., are dedicated to giving our youth this opportunity and promise to provide them with the best baseball program available today. This was Dizzy Dean’s dream; this is what Dizzy Dean Baseball is about. “Our hitters are thrilled with the performance of the Axe Bat by Baden. Before we decided to become a Baden team, our guys pulled the Axe Bat out of the bat rack on their own (when given a choice to swing anything)! The best evaluation results are found when players decide when given a choice!” - Daron Schoenrock Head Coach, University of Memphis, Division I For your nearest dealer: Danny Phillips Commissioner 1.800.544.2998 badensports.com axebat.com Available in youth, senior youth, and adult sizes. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Baden Inside Front Cover Rawlings Ad 76 Dizzy Dean Letter 1 Adams Lithographing Ad 77 Table of Contents 2-3 Mississippi Ad / Mississippi State Champions 78-79 Communicable Disease Procedures 4 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Ad 80 Child Abuse / Molestation 5 David’s Seeds Ad 81 Louisville Slugger 6 Minor League Rules 82-85 Disclaimer, Concussion Risk Management, Safety Equipment, Rules Notice 7 Tennessee Ad / Tennessee State Champions 86-87 Operational Control Statement 8-9 Diamond Ad 88 Protect Youth Sports Ad 10 Freshman League Rules 89-91 Legal Disputes 11 SteelBerry Ad 92 Officers, Deputy Commissioners 12 Sophomore League Rules 93-96 Parliamentarian, Historian, Publicity, National Board Members 13-14 Umpires Media Ad 97 State Director Coordinators 15 Shutt Ad 98 State Directors, State Presidents 15-18 Junior and Senior League Rules 99-102 League Age Chart 19 AD Star Ad 103 Committees 20 6 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 104-105 Deceased National Board Members 21 Alabama Ad / Alabama State Champions 106-107 Honorary / Gold Circle / Past Commissioners 22 7 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 108-109 Scholarship Winners 23 8 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 110-111 Scholarship Application Contacts 24 9 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 112-113 Dizzy Dean Prayer 25 Minor League World Series Photo & Information 114-115 Southern Athletic Fields Ad 26 11 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 116-117 Dizzy Dean Organizational Structure 27-32 Freshman League World Series Photo & Information 118-119 Florida Ad 33 13 Year Old World Series Photo & Information 120-121 The Game Ad 34 Sophomore League World Series Photo & Information 122-123 Common Rule Index 35 Junior League World Series Photo & Information 124-125 Common Rules 36-61 Protime Ad 126 Official Measurements 42 Senior League World Series Photo & Information 127 Awards of Excellence Ad 62 Portolite Pitching Mounds Ad 128 Let ‘Em Play Ad 63 Sadler Insurance Inside Back Cover Georgia Ad / Georgia State Champions 64-65 Champion T-Shirts Outside Back Cover Farm League Rules 66-75 2 3 COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROCEDURES CHILD ABUSE / MOLESTATION STATEMENT While risk of one athlete infecting another with HIV/AIDS during 1. Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc. abhors all forms of child abuse including competition is close to non-existent, there is a remote risk that other blood verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse and borne infectious diseases can be transmitted. For example, Hepatitis B can is committed to addressing these concerns by providing risk manage- be present in blood as well as in other body fluids. Procedures for reducing ment guidelines that will lessen, but not totally eliminate the chance of the potential for transmission of these infectious agents should include, but an occurrence. Failure of leagues to implement these risk management not be limited to, the following: precautions may expose such leagues and their officials, volunteers, and other representatives to significant legal liability. 1. The bleeding must be stopped, the open wound covered and if there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform, it must be changed 2. Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc. has no operational control over league secu- before the athlete may participate. rity including the selection of volunteers associated with independent leagues, which are affiliated with its program. Therefore, it is the sole 2. Routine use of gloves or other precautions to prevent skin and responsibility of the independent league to take action to adopt and im- mucous membrane exposure when contact with blood or other body plement sound risk management precautions. fluids is anticipated. 3. Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc. strongly recommends that all leagues adopt 3. Immediately wash hands and other skin surfaces if contaminated (in and implement a child abuse / molestation risk management program. contact) with blood or other body fluids. Wash hands immediately Guidelines for establishing such a program are available on the Dizzy after removing gloves. Dean Baseball website or a league may develop a similar comprehensive 4. Clean all contaminated surfaces and equipment with an appropriate program. disinfectant before competition resumes. 4. Elements of a sound child abuse / molestation risk management program 5. Practice proper disposal procedures to prevent injuries caused by are as follows: needles, scalpels and other sharp instruments or devices. a) Screen all volunteers who have repeated access to youth by requiring 6. Although saliva has not been implicated in HIV transmission, to completion of a volunteer application and by running a criminal background check. All criminal background checks indicating a conviction involving minimize the need for emergency mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, crimes against a minor must result in disqualification of the volunteer. In mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, or other ventilation devices should addition, other charges and convictions may be an indication of an unfit be available for use. volunteer and may result in disqualification. 7. Athletic trainers/coaches with bleeding or oozing skin conditions b) Distribute materials to educate administrators, volunteers, and parents on the warning signs of child abuse / molestation and how to respond to an should refrain from all direct athletic care until the condition allegation. resolves. c) Appoint a conduct official to administer the program and to be the primary 8. Contaminated towels should be properly disposed of/disinfected. contact for allegations of child abuse / molestation. 9. Follow acceptable guidelines in the immediate control of bleeding d) Encourage the use of a “buddy system” where a non-related adult is never alone with a single child. and when handling bloody dressings, mouth guards and other articles containing body fluids. e) Encourage the use of take home/pickup policies to ensure that a single child is not being transported by a volunteer as a result of a parent failing to pick up a child in a timely fashion. Additional information is available from our state high school association and f) Prohibition of any overnight sleep over event at any official’s house. from the National Federation. g) Limiting the distribution of directories / rosters with names, phone numbers, addresses, and pictures to persons on a “need to know” basis. 4 5 DISCLAIMER Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc., is not responsible for non – related activities at Dizzy Dean Tournaments. Furthermore, Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc., expressly disclaims any and all liability for injuries sustained at hotels, dormitories, restaurants, swimming pools, water parks or other fun parks, beaches, lakes or other recreational activities engaged in by coaches, players, family members or other spectators away and separate from the playing field of the Dizzy Dean Tournament. CONCUSSION RISK MANAGEMENT Dizzy Dean Baseball, Inc. strongly recommends that all teams/leagues adopt and implement a concussion risk management program that keys in on training and education for staff, parents, and players in the areas of understanding concussions and their impact on health; recognizing concussion signs and symptoms; removal from play; and return to play protocol. Such a program normally includes web video training for staff and the distribution of an information sheet each season to all staff, parents, and players. Guidelines for developing a plan are available on the Dizzy Dean website. SAFETY EQUIPMENT Any and all safety equipment specified by Federal, State, or Local legislation will be required. RULES NOTICE Any rule not covered under an age group playing section: • See next age group and or official baseball rules as published by Major League Baseball, Inc. • See your State Director for clarification. To obtain a copy of a Baseball / Softball Rulebook contact any State or National Director 6 7 23128_DizzyBean_BaseballRuleBook.indd 6 1/26/17 11:27 AM OPERATIONAL CONTROL BY a) Premises: including but not limited to practice areas, spectator areas, concession areas, player accommodations, and DIZZY DEAN BASEBALL, INC.