AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL RULES 6th EDITION Copyright © Australian Baseball Federation All content contained within the Official Australian Baseball Rules is copyrighted to the Australian Baseball Federation and outlines the rules under which the sport of baseball is played and officiated in Australia. At no time should any information contained within the Official Australian Baseball Rules be replicated and/or amended without written permission from the Australian Baseball Federation; nor should any information contained within the Official Australian Baseball Rules be utilised by any third party for commercial gain. To purchase a printed hard cover copy of the Rule Book please contact the Australian Baseball Federation ( www.baseball.com.au ) or 07 5510 6800. AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES Table of Contents 1.00 Objectives of the Game 1.01 The Game .......................................................... 1 1.02 The Objective .......................................................... 1 1.03 The Winner .......................................................... 1 1.04 The Playing Field .......................................................... 1 1.05 Home Plate .......................................................... 2 1.06 The Bases .......................................................... 2 1.07 The Pitcher’s Plate .......................................................... 2 1.08 The Home Club .......................................................... 6 1.09 The Ball .......................................................... 6 1.10 The Bat .......................................................... 6 1.11 The Uniform .......................................................... 6 1.12 The Catcher .......................................................... 7 1.13 The First Base Fielder .......................................................... 7 1.14 The Fielders .......................................................... 7 1.15 The Pitcher .......................................................... 8 1.16 The Helmets .......................................................... 8 1.17 Commercialisation .......................................................... 8 2.00 Definitions of Terms 2.01 ADJUDGED .......................................................... 10 2.02 An APPEAL .......................................................... 10 2.03 A BALK .......................................................... 10 2.04 A BALL .......................................................... 10 2.05 A BASE .......................................................... 10 2.06 A BASE COACH .......................................................... 10 2.07 A BASE ON BALLS .......................................................... 10 2.08 A BATTER .......................................................... 10 2.09 BATTER-RUNNER .......................................................... 10 2.10 The BATTER’S BOX .......................................................... 10 2.11 The BATTERY .......................................................... 10 2.12 BENCH or DUG-OUT .......................................................... 10 2.13 A BUNT .......................................................... 10 2.14 A CALLED GAME .......................................................... 10 2.15 A CATCH .......................................................... 11 2.16 The CATCHER .......................................................... 11 2.17 CATCHER’S BOX .......................................................... 11 2.18 The CLUB .......................................................... 11 2.19 A COACH .......................................................... 11 2.20 A DEAD BALL .......................................................... 11 2.21 The DEFENCE .......................................................... 11 2.22 A DOUBLE-HEADER .......................................................... 11 2.23 A DOUBLE PLAY .......................................................... 11 2.24 DUG-OUT .......................................................... 12 2.25 A FAIR BALL .......................................................... 12 2.26 FAIR TERRITORY .......................................................... 12 2.27 A FIELDER .......................................................... 12 2.28 FIELDER’S CHOICE .......................................................... 12 2.29 A FLY BALL .......................................................... 12 2.30 A FORCE PLAY .......................................................... 12 2.31 A FORFEITED GAME .......................................................... 13 2.32 A FOUL BALL .......................................................... 13 2.33 FOUL TERRITORY .......................................................... 13 2.34 A FOUL TIP .......................................................... 13 AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES 2.35 A GROUND BALL .......................................................... 13 2.36 The HOME TEAM .......................................................... 13 2.37 ILLEGAL .......................................................... 13 2.38 An ILLEGAL PITCH .......................................................... 14 2.39 An INFIELDER .......................................................... 14 2.40 An INFIELD FLY .......................................................... 14 2.41 IN FLIGHT .......................................................... 14 2.42 IN JEOPARDY .......................................................... 14 2.43 An INNING .......................................................... 14 2.44 INTERFERENCE .......................................................... 14 2.45 The LEAGUE .......................................................... 15 2.46 LEAGUE PRESIDENT .......................................................... 15 2.47 LEGAL (or LEGALLY) .......................................................... 15 2.48 A LIVE BALL .......................................................... 15 2.49 A LINE DRIVE .......................................................... 15 2.50 The MANAGER .......................................................... 15 2.51 OBSTRUCTION .......................................................... 15 2.52 OFFENCE .......................................................... 16 2.53 OFFICIAL SCORER .......................................................... 16 2.54 An OUT .......................................................... 16 2.55 An OUTFIELDER .......................................................... 16 2.56 OVER SLIDES .......................................................... 16 2.57 A PENALTY .......................................................... 16 2.58 The PERSON .......................................................... 16 2.59 A PITCH .......................................................... 16 2.60 A PITCHER .......................................................... 16 2.61 PIVOT FOOT .......................................................... 16 2.62 "PLAY" .......................................................... 16 2.63 QUICK RETURN PITCH .......................................................... 16 2.64 REGULATION GAME .......................................................... 16 2.65 A RE TOUCH .......................................................... 16 2.66 A RUN (or SCORE) .......................................................... 16 2.67 A RUN-DOWN .......................................................... 16 2.68 A RUNNER .......................................................... 17 2.69 "SAFE " .......................................................... 17 2.70 SET POSITION .......................................................... 17 2.71 SQUEEZE PLAY .......................................................... 17 2.72 A STRIKE .......................................................... 17 2.73 The STRIKE ZONE .......................................................... 17 2.74 A SUSPENDED GAME .......................................................... 18 2.75 A TAG .......................................................... 18 2.76 A THROW .......................................................... 18 2.77 A TIE GAME .......................................................... 18 2.78 “TIME" .......................................................... 18 2.79 TOUCH .......................................................... 18 2.80 A TRIPLE PLAY .......................................................... 18 2.81 A WILD PITCH .......................................................... 18 2.82 WIND UP POSITION .......................................................... 18 3.00 Game Preliminaries 3.01 Before the Game .......................................................... 19 3.02 Altering the Ball .......................................................... 19 3.03 Player Substitute .......................................................... 19 3.04 Substitute Runner .......................................................... 20 3.05 Pitching Requirement .......................................................... 20 3.06 Notifying Substitutes .......................................................... 20 3.07 Announce Substitutes .......................................................... 20 AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES 3.08 Substitute in the Game .......................................................... 21 3.09 Fraternisation