GREATER CINCINNATI KNOTHOLE 2012 SELECT KNOTHOLE TRAVELING LEAGUE

** INFORMATION AND RULES **

1. MISSION AND PURPOSE: The Select Knothole Traveling League will give teams the opportunity to play in an additional league outside their District. All Knothole players and the team shall also play their District schedule. Each traveling team shall play between 12-18 additional games depending on the Class and number of teams in the Class. It is expected that teams will be structured to be committed to playing their full Travel League schedule in a competitive fashion. This will be a City wide League, but depending on the number of teams in each Class, regional scheduling will be attempted. Also, since each class consists of multiple ages, if enough teams are registered in each age of a Class, schedules will weighted by age. This League shall include Classes A(15U, 14U), B(13U, 12U), C(11U, 10U) and D(9U). All players must be of the correct age on May 1, 2012.

2. TRAVELING LEAGUE STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT A. An Executive Supervisor shall be in charge of the overall program and will have final decision making authority on any and all issues that are presented to the Executive Supervisor. B. Each Class shall have a League Supervisor who shall be responsible for scheduling and day to day operations of the league(s) within the Class for which he/she is responsible. C. Each League in each Class shall have a League Scorekeeper who shall be responsible for recording all game scores, keeping track of all make-up games, ensuring make-up games are properly scheduled and advising the League Supervisor if any teams are behind in completing their game schedule. D. The Executive Supervisor and League Supervisors shall call a mandatory team managers meeting prior to the start of the season. This meeting shall be in March 24th for Classes B, C and D and April 21st for Class A; the time and location will be determined prior to the meetings. E. Game Scheduling i. Classes B, C and D shall start their season April 15th and the season shall run through June 30th. ii. Class A shall start their season the week of May 14th and the season shall run through June 30th. iii. Games will be scheduled on Sundays except for Mother’s Day. Sunday games can’t start before 1:00PM. Many Sundays will include scheduled doubleheaders. Weekday games will be indicated but must be scheduled by the managers because these games can’t interfere with the teams’ scheduled District games. Managers of opposing teams will have the flexibility of changing game day schedules to facilitate completing all scheduled games. Any changes in game dates must be communicated to the League Scorekeeper by the home team when the change is made. F. The team fee for entry into the traveling league shall be $125.00. If a team completes 90% or more of their game schedule, that team will receive a $50 fee refund after the season is over. Team trophies shall be awarded to the 1st and 2nd place teams in each league. No individuals trophies will be awarded. The traveling league is not intended to have a post season tournament, but this could evolve over time with discussions with the managers. All team fees will be paid by check made payable to: Greater Cincinnati Knothole Association (GCKA) and turned in to the Executive Supervisor with the team’s registration and roster at the mandatory managers meeting.

3. TEAM ELIGIBILITY: A. Each team must be based in a Knothole District and must play a District schedule. The team’s District Supervisor must approve the team’s play in the Traveling League by signing the team’s Traveling League Registration and Roster Form. B. Each team must contain a minimum of 12 players and at least 50% of these players must play for the same team which plays in the team’s District league (i.e. 12 players, 6 from the same team; 13 players, then 7; 14 players, then 7 and so on). See Player Eligibility below for player eligibility rules. C. The Traveling League is a uniform league and each player on a team must wear the same uniform as all the other players on that team. D. Teams are expected to complete their entire Traveling League schedule. Managers must plan ahead to roster enough players to complete their game schedule. Forfeits will be a matter for fines, disciplinary action and possible banishment from playing in the traveling league in subsequent years. E. At the end of the Travel League season each League Supervisor and the Executive Supervisor shall review the league results and look at each team’s competitiveness versus the other teams in their league. Teams whose competiveness is significantly lower than the other teams shall be requested to restructure their team to be more competitive or they may risk their eligibility to play in the Travel League in subsequent years. Competitiveness shall be determined by the team’s record, percentage of scheduled games played and other criteria as determined by the League and Executive Supervisors.

4. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY: A. All Players on each Traveling League team must come form within the team’s District boundaries. The District Supervisor can set up District based rules for allowing District Knothole players on a Traveling League team. District Supervisors are encouraged to have teams and players play in this league. Teams may appeal to the GCKA Board if they wish to play in the league without their District Supervisor’s approval. B. Any Knothole player wishing to play on a Traveling League team outside his District boundaries must obtain written approval from the District Supervisor of his “home” District but he does not need the approval of the District Supervisor in which the Traveling League team is based. If the approval is not granted, the player may appeal to the GCKA Board to play on a Travel League team without his District Supervisor’s approval. C. Players from teams outside of Knothole (AABC, Little League, etc.) can be rostered on Traveling League teams, but they must have a signed Knothole Player Contract before they play their first game. Player(s) playing without a signed contract will cause the team to FORFEIT any and all games in which said player(s) participated. D. A copy of each team’s player contract must be turned in with the team roster prior to the season. After the season starts, contract for added players must be received by the League Supervisor of the Class before that player can participate in a game. E. Teams are not required to turn in a birth certificate or a picture for each player. However, in case of a protest on a player's eligibility, the manager must be able to produce both items within 24 hours or face possible forfeit. NO OVERAGE PLAYERS WILL BE ALLOWED ON TRAVELING LEAGUE TEAMS. F. No players may be added after June 20th. G. When roster changes are made, revised rosters are to be in the hands of the League Supervisor of that Class prior to the roster being in effect. Email is the preferred method for forwarding new player contracts and updated rosters. Mail and hand delivery also work, but don’t have the benefit of a date stamp of transmission.

5. GAMES: A.. Innings: A – 7 innings; B – 6 innings; C – 6 innings; D – 5 innings. B. Start tines: Managers shall work out their game start times. Sundays must be after 1:00PM and would suggest weekdays 6:30PM of later. If a game starting time needs to change, this should be done at least 48 hours in advance of the game. C. Late Team Arrivals: A team is allowed 30 minutes in case of trouble without danger of a forfeit. If both teams and umpires are present, but one team is more than 30 minutes late, umpires have the right to order the game played. All attempts to play the game should be made. D. ONLY THE TRAVELING LEAGUE EXECUTIVE OR LEAGUE SUPERVISOR CAN CALL A GAME A FORFEIT. E. Pre-game: Prior to the scheduled starting time, there shall be no practice in and around the field of play (this includes, but is not limited to soft-toss, hitting into the fence, using a ball on a stick, etc.) one (1)hour preceding said scheduled start time. F. Each team shall be permitted no less than ten (10) minutes infield practice prior to the commencement of the game, the order to be determined by the teams at the field, dependent upon availability of players. Depending on weather, scheduling issues or other circumstances, the umpires can order the game to be played without infield practice as long as both teams are impacted the same.

6. GAME BALLS PERMITTED: A. At the start of the game each team will furnish one new ball which must be of the quality of balls such as MacGregor, DeBeer, Rawlings, and/or Diamond. In addition to commercial outlets, these balls are available for purchase through Kid Glove purchasing. B. Both teams will furnish good serviceable back up balls of the same type starting first with the home team and as called for by the game umpires. C. Umpires are directed to remove all balls deemed by them as unfit from the game. At the completion of the game, the remaining game balls will be given back to the teams with the home team getting first choice.

7. UMPIRES: A The host team is responsible for providing both umpires for the game. If the host team can’t provide two umpires, then they must give the visiting team the opportunity to provide one or both umpires and this must be done 24 hours prior to the game’s starting time. The visiting team is always allowed to provide an extra who shall be used as a base umpire and shall be paid by the visiting team; it does not matter if this is a third or fourth umpire. B. Each team will pay one umpire. Cost per umpire: Class A = $45; B & C = $40; Class D = $35. No umpires are to umpire a game without being paid first. If an umpire does a game by himself, he will be paid: A = $70.00, with both teams paying $35; B & C = $60.00, with both teams paying $30; D - $50.00, with both teams paying $25. C. Each umpire who shows up at a game that is forfeited will be paid $20. Teams that forfeit a game will be charged a $40 penalty (payable to the Traveling League Executive Supervisor), to be paid immediately, or they will not be to play any more games until the forfeit penalty is paid. This could lead to further disciplinary action including up to being unable to enter a team in the Traveling League in the future. D. No Traveling League team manager, coach, or player may umpire a game in the Traveling League Class in which they play. No person may umpire a game in which an immediate family member is playing or coaching. E. Umpires are to be paid on the field BEFORE THE GAME STARTS. F. Umpires must be at least two years older than the class for which they are umpiring. G. If a game can not be played because there are no umpires, the game will be rescheduled at the opponent’s field. The original home team will remain the home team.

8. OPTIONS: A GAME CAN NOT START IF A TEAM HAS FEWER THAN NINE PLAYERS AVAILABLE TO PLAY! A. The continuous batting order: If a player cannot bat (unable to bat because of illness, injury, had to leave, etc.), such position is NOT an out in the batting order. Any nine players may play on defense. If the batter can not continue (injury, illness, etc.), move to the next batter with a fresh count. If a can not continue, the last out on the bench will be used. B. The additional hitter (AH) rule: If using the AH, a 10th batter may be added to the batting order at the start of the game. Any nine of the ten batters may play on defense. If a team using the AH drops from ten to nine players available, the spot in the lineup is left open and is NOT an out. The re-entry rule applies as well. C. The designated hitter (DH) rule: the DH can bat in place of any of the starters. If a designated hitter is used, the DH may not play on defense. The DH can be used with either the AH or the re-entry rule. D. Managers must choose one of these options before the game begins: 1. Continuous batting order; 2. AH; 3. DH; 4. AH and DH; 5. Regular nine-man batting order with the re-entry rule. E. Once a game begins, a team can continue play with eight players. In the batting order, the last vacated position shall be an automatic out. If a ninth player becomes available, that player would be placed at the end of the line-up. At this point, the open spot in the line-up would no longer be an out. A TEAM CAN NOT PLAY WITH LESS THAN EIGHT PLAYERS.

9. GAME RULES A. Traveling League Rules. B. City Rules : 1a, 2,3d, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 29. C. Major League Rules. D. NO DISTRICT RULES APPLY IN THE SELECT KNOTHOLE TRAVELING LEAGUE. E. NO OHIO, KENTUCKY AND/OR INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL RULES APPLY IN THE SELECT KNOTHOLE TRAVELING LEAGUE. F. Pitching rotation protocol – Any Travel League manager who adds a player(s) to his Travel League team, and who he intends to use as a pitcher, from another Knothole team(s) from his District who he also plays in his District schedule must initiate contact with that player’s regular team manager to coordinate that player’s pitching appearances to insure compliance with Knothole rule 17.1 and to insure that the player’s Travel League pitching assignments do not interfere with his regular season pitching assignments.

10. COURTESY RUNNER: A. THIS OPTION IS ONLY FOR CATCHERS. This rule applies only to the player who finished the previous inning as the catcher, not the player who will be the catcher the next inning. B. If the team is using the continuous batting order, the player who made the last out will be used. For the other batting options, any player who is not in the batting lineup may be used as the courtesy runner. C. In any circumstance, the courtesy runner does not enter the score book.

11. NO PITCH INTENTIONAL WALK. A. No pitch intentional walks shall be allowed. Only the defensive team’s Manager can declare a no pitch intentional walk. The defensive team’s Manager shall call time and address the home plate umpire that he wishes to put the batter on first base by way of a no pitch intentional walk. The umpire shall direct the batter to take first base. Other base runners may move up only if forced to by the batter being put on first base. After the batter reaches first base, the umpire shall call “play ball” and the ball will live again. A manager is limited to two (2) no pitch intentional walks per game.

12. SUSPENDED GAMES: A. Any game stopped because of rain or darkness shall be considered an official game after 5 innings (4 ½ innings if home team is ahead) in class A, and after 4 innings (3 ½ innings if home team is ahead) in classes B & C, and after 3 innings (2 ½ if home team is ahead) in Class D. B. Any game stopped because of rain, darkness, time, or tie which has not resulted in an official game will be resumed at the EXACT point of interruption and played to a completion at the earliest time possible. If possible, the suspended game will be completed the next time the two teams meet. The suspended game will be completed before the start of the regular scheduled game. C. Games running over into later scheduled game times are subject to time rules at the host team’s park. An agreement should be made between the managers and umpires prior to the start of such a game on how to handle a game not completed. D. Umpire fees should be pro-rated depending on the length of the suspended game to be completed. If the umpire(s) require full pay for a partial, the home team shall all of any additional amount required.

13. RUN RULE: A. The game shall be called if one team is ahead by: Class A - 6 or more runs after the losing team has had 5 complete times at bat; Class B & C – 8 or more runs after the losing team has had 4 complete times at bat; Class D – 10 or more runs after the losing team has had 3 complete times at bat. B. No game can end by the run rule if the run limit is reached while the visiting team is at bat.

14. RAIN CONDITION RULE: A. Host team manager will check field 3 hours before game time and notify visiting team and umpires if the field is unplayable. Host team manager decides if field is playable before the game starts. B. Once the game starts and the first pitch is thrown, the umpires determine whether field conditions permit the game to continue.

15. CANCELLED GAMES: A. Scheduled games should only be cancelled because of rain-outs or school events (teams face possible forfeits for other reasons). B. All games are to be rescheduled within five days and played within two weeks after the cancellation. C. League Scorekeepers are to be notified about rescheduled games. If there is any problem with rescheduling a game the League Scorekeeper and League Supervisor should be contacted. The League Supervisor may choose a time and place to play the game and require the teams to show up and play or forfeit the game. D. No games can be played after June 30th.

16. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT Umpires can call unsportsmanlike conduct on players, coaches or managers for many reasons.

For players the reasons can include unsafe play conditions as judged by the umpire, taunting other players, not following the directions of an umpire, etc. If an offensive player is called for unsportsmanlike conduct; that player is CALLED OUT IMMEDIATELY AND IS EJECTED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME AND HE WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY SUSPENDNED FROM THE TEAM’S NEXT GAME. If a defensive player is called for unsportsmanlike conduct; that player SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY EJECTED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME AND HE WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM THE TEAM’S NEXT GAME.

For coaches and managers the reasons can be for not having control of their players or fans, smoking or drinking at the field of play or in the team bench area, poor treatment of any player on either team, etc. A coach or manager called for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be IMMEDIATELY EJECTED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME AND IS REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE “SIGHT AND SOUND” OF THE PLAYING FIELD. THE EJECTED COACH OR MANAGER SHALL BE SUSPENDED FROM THE TEAM’S NEXT TWO GAMES.

17. DISCIPLINE: A. Any player, coach, or fan ejected from a game for disciplinary reasons will be suspended for a minimum of one game on the first offense. B. On the second ejection, the player, coach, or fan will be suspended for a minimum of 2 games and the team could forfeit the game in which the second ejection occurred. C. A player, coach, or fan who is ejected and/or suspended shall not be in attendance at or within the ball field facility for the remainder of the game and /or games for which they are under suspension. The ball field facility shall be defined as playing field, adjacent fields, and corresponding parking lot. It is the intent of this rule that such suspended person be absent from the facility during the course of the game(s) for which they are under suspension. Such period being defined as sixty (60) minutes before the start of the game and sixty (60) after its conclusion. Violation of this rule will lead to a more serious penalty. D. All ejections for disciplinary reasons must be reported to the League Scorekeeper and League Supervisor by BOTH managers. E. For serious discipline cases, the League Supervisor can impose a more severe punishment, with final appeal to the Traveling League Executive Supervisor. Refer to rule 7 c for mandatory forfeit fee.

18. FORFEITS: A. Only the Traveling League Executive Supervisor or League Supervisors can declare forfeits. B. If a team does not field a team within 30 minutes of the scheduled starting game time, the game could be forfeited. Unusual circumstances and emergencies will be considered before a forfeit is final. C. A team that does not notify the opposing manager until the day of the game that there will be an insufficient number of players to start the game will forfeit said game.

19. PROTESTS: A. Protests must be made in accordance with City Knothole Rule #14. The protest, along with $50.00 CASH PROTEST FEE, must be filed in writing with the League Supervisor within 48 hours of the protested game. In absence of the League Supervisor, the protest and fee can be filed with the Executive Supervisor.

B. The League Supervisor will be responsible for setting up a Protest Committee and the League Supervisor will head said committee. The Protest Committee shall have no less than three (3) participants. The decision of the Protest Committee is appealable to the Executive Supervisor. The ultimate decision of the Executive Supervisor is final with no further appeal. No person involved in the protest will be on the Protest Committee.

20. SCORES: A. The winning team is expected to report scores to the League Scorekeeper within 48 hours of the completion of the game. B. Failure to comply with this rule could lead to a disciplinary situation or a possible forfeiture of the game.

21. FINAL STANDINGS: A. The final League standings will be determined by the number of wins on the final day of the regular season. B. In case of ties the following order of tie breakers shall be used: i. Percentage of scheduled games played to official completion. Forfeited games shall not apply. ii. Head to head competition. iii. Run differential in games involving head to head competition (the team that scored the most runs in total during head to head competition). Maximum run difference per game to be used in the calculation is 10 runs. iv. Least runs allowed in games played to official completion. Forfeited games shall not apply. If the number of games completed is different, then the average runs allowed per game completed shall apply. v. Coin flip.