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OFFICIAL BASEBALL NATIONAL BY-LAWS & RULES

AND STATE OF GEORGIA SUPPLEMENTAL RULES

August 1, 2007 Amended: March 6, 2008

UNITED STATES SPECIALTY SPORTS ASSOCIATION

611 Line Drive, Kissimmee, FL 34744

Telephone: (321) 697-3636 • Facsimile: (321) 697-3647

National Website: www.usssa.com

Baseball Website: www.usssabaseball.org

Email: webmaster@usssa.com

Don DeDonatis…….……….………………………CEO / Executive Director

Jim Swint…………..……….……………………Assistant Executive Director

Rick Fortuna…….….…...Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations

Joey Odom……….………….………..Executive Vice President of Baseball

Don DeDonatis III……………………. Executive Vice President of Baseball

Wally Fortuna…..….……………………………... Vice President of Baseball

Frank Griffin……………….…..………………….. Vice President of Baseball

Travis Leming….….……………………………… Vice President of Baseball

Ron Mathis…….….………………………………. Vice President of Baseball

Sean Dowers….….………………………………. National Baseball Director

Bob Egr………….….…… ...……………………... National Baseball Director

Don Mason…….….………………………………. National Baseball Director

Terry Schadler…….….… ………………………... National Baseball Director

Matt Trebuchon……..……………………………. National Baseball Director

Jay Zetz……………………………………………National Baseball Director

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No part of the Official Baseball National By-laws & Rules may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without expressed written permission

from the United States Specialty Sports Association.

Copyright © 2008

UNITED STATES SPECIALTY SPORTS ASSOCIATION

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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In the event of a conflict in language between any printed versions of the Official

Baseball National By-laws & Rules and the USSSABASEBALL.ORG on-line version, the

on-line version language shall have priority.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Rule 1.00 – Name & Objective 3

Rule 2.00 – Membership & Participation 3

Rule 3.00 – Team & Individual Player Eligibility 3

Rule 4.00 – Qualifying Tournaments 5

Rule 5.00 – State Championships 5

Rule 6.00 – World Series 6

Rule 7.00 – Acts of Disbarment 7

Rule 8.00 – Rules of Play 8

8.01 – Objective of the Game 8

8.02 – The Playing Field & Equipment 8

8.03 – Game Preliminaries 9

8.04 – Playing Rules 11

8.05 – Pitching Rules & Regulations 12

8.06 – 7U & 8U Kid Pitch Specific Rules of Play 13

8.07 – Coach Pitch Specific Rules of Play 13

8.08 – Machine Pitch Specific Rules of Play 14

8.09 – T-Ball Specific Rules of Play 15

Rule 9.00 – Umpires 15

Rule 10.00 – Official Scorer 15

Rule 11.00 – Sportsmanship 15

Rule 12.00 – Ejections 16

Rule 13.00 – Protests 16

Rule 14.00 – “A” Classification Drafted League Program 16

Rule 15.00 – Drafted League All-Star Program 17

Rule 16.00 – Items Not Specifically Covered 17

State of Georgia Supplemental Rules 18

AMENDMENTS & CHANGES DATED AUGUST 1, 2007

AMENDMENTS & CHANGES DATED MARCH 6, 2008

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Any reference to a particular gender contained within these Official Baseball National By-laws &

Rules such as he, his, him, himself, boy, man, men or male shall be meant to also include she,

hers, her, herself, girl, woman, women or female and are to be interpreted as gender neutral.

RULE 1.00 – NAME & OBJECTIVE

1.01 This organization shall be known as USSSA Baseball.

1.02 The objective of USSSA Baseball is to organize and promote youth and adult baseball, to perpetuate the interest

and love of the game. To coordinate the providing of an opportunity for teams to compete in league and

tournament competition that leads to state championships and world championships in their respective

competitive classifications and age divisions.

RULE 2.00 – MEMBERSHIP & PARTICIPATION

2.01 Team Membership – An annual registration fee shall be charged to participate in the USSSA Baseball program.

Team membership must be paid seasonally. The season for USSSA Baseball is August 1st - July 31st.

2.02 Umpire Membership – Each umpire must pay a yearly membership fee. In addition to USSSA membership, each

umpire may elect to purchase an optional insurance plan for coverage during non-USSSA Baseball contests.

2.03 League Participation – In all USSSA Baseball sanctioned leagues, teams will qualify for State Championships and

/ or World Series play.

2.04 Tournament Participation – In all USSSA Baseball sanctioned tournaments, teams will qualify for State

Championships and / or World Series play.

2.05 Classifications of Play – USSSA Baseball will offer the following classifications: Major, AAA, AA, A & All-Star. The

main criteria for classifying teams shall be the overall offensive and defensive strength and experience of the

team. A & All-Star classification teams are defined by the method of establishment (see Rules 14.00 & 15.00).

RULE 3.00 – TEAM & INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

3.01 No team shall be allowed to compete in any USSSA Baseball sanctioned league or tournament play without first

paying their annual team registration fee to the Association.

3.02 Team rosters for ages 14U & younger must be composed of not more than twenty (20) eligible players. Team

rosters for ages 15U & older must be composed of not more than twenty-five (25) eligible players.

Rule 3.02 Comment: If applicable, coaches or managers must be included on the roster to be eligible to play.

3.03 The cut-off date for adding players to a team roster shall be in accordance with these By-laws & Rules.

3.04 State Directors will adopt an acceptable method to classify teams. State Directors have sole authority to classify

teams within their respective state and have the authority to classify and / or re-classify any team during the

current season, except when the USSSA Baseball National Committee has assigned a classification to a team.

3.05 A teams “home” state is determined by the home residency of fifty-one (51) percent or the majority (whichever is

greater) of the players on the team’s Official On-Line Roster.

3.06 Age Eligibility:

3.06.A For age divisions 4U – 14U, see Chart 3.06 Figure 1, any player who before May 1st of the current

season reaches the listed birthday in Column “B” is not eligible to participate in the listed age division in

Column ”A” and must play in the next older division.

COLUMN A (AGE DIVISION) COLUMN B (BIRTHDAY)

4U Fifth

5U Sixth

6U Seventh

7U Eighth

8U Ninth

9U Tenth

10U Eleventh

11U Twelfth

12U Thirteenth

13U Fourteenth

14U Fifteenth

Chart 3.06 Figure 1

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3.06.B For scholastic divisions 15U – 18U, see Chart 3.06 Figure 2, participation is based on age and

scholastic grade. Any player that does not meet the listed birthday in Column “B”, must meet the listed

grade restriction in column “A” AND the listed age restriction in Column “C”. Any player that does not

meet BOTH must play in the next older division.

COLUMN A (AGE – GRADE DIVISION) COLUMN B (BIRTHDAY) COLUMN C (MEETS GRADE NOT BIRTHDAY)

15U – HS Freshman Sixteenth Seventeenth

16U – HS Sophomore Seventeenth Eighteenth

17U – HS Junior Eighteenth Nineteenth

18U – HS Senior Nineteenth Twentieth

Chart 3.06 Figure 2

3.07 A player is eligible to compete in the USSSA Baseball program as long as he abides by the USSSA Constitution

and the Official Baseball National By-laws & Rules when his name is listed AS IT APPEARS ON HIS BERTH

CERTIFICATE, as a member on an eligible team’s Official On-Line Roster.

3.08 A Tournament Director may not manage, coach, participate as a player or umpire in any tournament in which he

serves as a Tournament Director without approval from the next highest in authority.

3.09 When a team qualifies (wins / is awarded a berth) for a State Championship or World Series, the team’s Official

On-Line Roster will be frozen, whether the team accepts the berth or not.

3.09.A The team’s Official On-Line Roster becomes frozen immediately at the qualifying event, regardless of

the date the roster is physically frozen in the USSSA online system. Players will be bound to this

qualified team up to and including this team’s respective State Championship or World Series. A player

cannot legally be on any other team’s Official On-Line Roster within the same age division regardless of

classification.

3.09.B Team managers shall be allowed to add a maximum of three (3) players to their qualified team’s Official

On-Line Roster. Players may be added as late as seventy-two (72) hours prior to the start of the World

Series. Additional players can only be added to rosters that have openings to allow for such add-ons.

3.09.C Team managers shall be allowed to release a maximum of three (3) players from their qualified team’s

Official On-Line Roster.

3.09.D A team manager cannot replace a released player with an add-on player.

3.09.E All players added to a qualified team’s Official On-Line Rosters must meet the following requirements:

3.09.E.1 Player(s) cannot be on another qualified team’s Official On-Line Roster in the same age

division regardless of classification.

3.09.E.2 Player(s) must not have played for a qualified team at a higher classification nor appeared

on any roster two classifications higher during the current season.

3.09.E.3 Player(s) added to a qualified team’s Official On-Line Roster in the AAA, AA, A & All-Star

classifications must have a traceable playing history within the USSSA online system for

the current season or the previous season.

3.09.E.4 A player that is frozen on a Major classification team can only move to another Major

classified team, regardless of age.

3.09.E.5 The State Director has authority to approve or reject all Official On-Line Roster additions.

3.10 The team’s manager is responsible for all aspects of the eligibility of the players on his team and that they meet

the Bylaws & Rules set forth, including player additions. This includes but is not limited to; age eligibility and

classifications of previous teams the player(s) may have participated on. Managers are responsible for all

information included on their team’s Official On-Line Roster. Managers found adding ineligible players to their

team’s Official On-Line Roster and playing such ineligible players will be suspended. Altering the spelling of, or

name of, or initials of, a player’s name, or a player’s date-of-birth, intentionally or not, does not excuse the

manager. State Director’s approval of a team roster does not release the manager of these responsibilities.

Rule 3.10 Comment: A player’s first and last names and date of birth must be listed on a team’s Official On-Line

Roster as it appears on the player’s Birth Certificate, see Rule 3.07.

3.11 A player that is released from a qualified team’s Official On-Line Roster cannot return to that team during the

current season.

3.12 A team with a qualified Official On-Line Roster with less than nine (9) players, which has used all options for

additions and releases, may apply for status of disbandment with the State Director. If approval is given, the team

forfeits all berths and sponsor travel monies earned. A team may not disband after May 1st of the current season.

A disbanded team may not reform (regardless of team name, management, coaching staff or sponsor) with more

than six (6) players from its previously qualified Official On-Line Roster. Players from a qualified (frozen) disband

team are still bound to their classification of play regardless of age division.

3.13 A player who is in violation of the Association’s Constitution and / or Official Baseball National By-laws & Rules

shall be considered an illegal player.

3.14 Anytime during or after a tournament game, or after the completion of a tournament, if an illegal player is

discovered up to one year from the tournament date, penalties may be applied.

3.15 If a player is found to be an illegal player due to an age violation and is discovered during a game or tournament,

this will result in the offending team losing the game and / or being ejected from the tournament, being placed last

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in the standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsors travel money, and tournament berths that would have been

awarded at the tournament. Other penalties may apply.

3.16 If a player is found to be an illegal player due to an age violation after the completion of a tournament, this will

result in the offending team being placed last in the standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsors travel money,

and tournament berths that have been awarded at the tournament. Other penalties may apply.

3.17 In age divisions 4U – 14U, all players participating in USSSA Baseball tournament play shall have photocopies of

their original birth certificate or a USSSA approved ID card in the possession of their team manager. Failure to

have a copy of the birth certificate or USSSA approved ID card available upon demand will result in the offending

team losing the game, being ejected from the tournament, being placed last in the standings and forfeiting all

awards, sponsors travel money, and tournament berths that would have been awarded at the tournament.

3.18 In scholastic divisions 15U – 18U, all players participating in USSSA Baseball tournament play shall have

photocopies of their original birth certificate or a USSSA approved ID card and if applicable, photocopies of their

most current report card in the possession of their team manager. Failure to have a copy of the birth certificate or

USSSA approved ID card and / or if applicable, a copy of the most current report card available upon demand will

result in the offending team losing the game, being ejected from the tournament, being placed last in the

standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsors travel money, and tournament berths that would have been awarded

at the tournament.

3.19 A player may participate on multiple teams but only one per age division & only one per event, week or weekend.

3.20 Any State Director, National Director, Executive Board Member, or Executive Committee Member shall not be

eligible to participate in the program as a player, team manager, or team sponsor in tournament play without

approval from the next highest in authority.

RULE 4.00 – QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS

4.01 State Directors have the authority to amend these By-laws & Rules to accommodate the local needs, with the

approval of the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball.

4.02 The State Director or directors appointed by the State Director shall conduct all qualifying tournaments to assure

that the USSSA Baseball National By-laws & Rules are being followed at all times.

4.03 Amounts to be charged as entry fees for such tournaments shall be at the discretion of the State Director.

4.04 The quantity of awards to be presented for such tournaments shall be at the discretion of the State Director.

4.05 Each State Director shall adopt an acceptable system to be used for qualifying teams for State Championship and

/ or World Series participation. Sanctioned league participation may be included if such a system is so desired.

4.06 No tournament shall be considered as sanctioned by the Association if all applicable fees and registrations are

not paid to the Association within seventy-two (72) hours after completion of the tournament.

4.07 Only USSSA licensed baseballs can be used in sanctioned events.

4.08 No change to a team’s roster will be allowed after the team has begun play in its first game during a tournament.

4.09 Each State Director with approval of the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball shall set refund

policies.

4.10 Pool Play Tie Breaker Recommendations:

4.10.A Head to Head

4.10.B Runs Allowed

4.10.C Run Differential (Max +/- 8 Runs Per Game)

4.10.D USSSA Point System

4.10.E Coin Flip

Rule 4.10 Comment: Once you advance to the next tiebreaker criteria, you do not return to the

previous criteria. Runs are considered amongst all teams in the pool, not just the tied team.

RULE 5.00 – STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

5.01 State Directors have the authority to amend these By-laws & Rules to accommodate the local needs, with the

approval of the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball.

5.02 The State Director or directors appointed by the State Director shall conduct all state championship tournaments

to assure that the USSSA Baseball National By-laws & Rules are being followed at all times.

5.03 A team may participate in multiple Level 1 State Championship tournaments. Teams will only earn Level 1 State

Championship tournament points for the first State Championship tournament in which the team participates.

Teams participating in subsequent Level 1 State Championship tournaments will earn “Qualifier” points. Teams

may only participate in their respective (home) state’s Level 1 State Championship tournament(s).

5.04 A team may participate in multiple Level 2 State Championship tournaments. Teams will earn Level 2 State

Championship tournament points for all Level 2 State Championship tournaments in which the team participates.

Teams may cross state boundaries if allowed by the host state.

5.05 Roster composition will be as follows:

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5.05.A Major Classification – A team’s roster must be composed of at least 50% state residents from the state

in which the State Championship Tournament is being played.

5.05.B AAA & AA Classifications – A team’s roster must be composed of at least 50% state residents from the

state in which the State Championship Tournament is being played. Players not residing in the home

state must reside in a contiguous state.

5.05.C A & All-Star Classifications – A team’s roster must be composed by a method as defined in Rule 14.00.

In addition, a team’s roster must be composed of at least 50% state residents from the state in which

the State Championship Tournament is being played. Players not residing in the home state must

reside in a contiguous state.

5.06 Amounts to be charged as entry fees for such tournaments shall be at the discretion of the State Director.

5.07 The quantity of awards to be presented for such tournaments shall be at the discretion of the State Director.

5.08 Each State Director shall adopt an acceptable system to be used for qualifying teams for State Championship and

/ or World Series participation. Sanctioned league participation may be included if such a system is so desired.

5.09 No tournament shall be considered as sanctioned by the Association if all applicable fees and registrations are

not paid to the Association within seventy-two (72) hours after completion of the tournament.

5.10 Only USSSA licensed baseballs can be used in sanctioned events.

5.11 No change to a team’s roster will be allowed after the team has begun play in its first game during a tournament.

5.12 Each State Director with approval of the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball shall set refund

policies.

5.13 State tournaments shall be scheduled to provide each team at least two games of participation. This can be

changed at the site of the tournament, by the Tournament Director with approval of the State Director after the

starting date of the tournament has begun and it is determined that it would not be feasible to attempt to continue

the original format due to weather conditions or other acts of God. A substitute format will be implemented.

5.14 Pool Play Tie Breaker Recommendations:

5.14.A Head to Head

5.14.B Runs Allowed

5.14.C Run Differential (Max +/- 8 Runs Per Game)

5.14.D USSSA Point System

5.14.E Coin Flip

Rule 5.14 Comment: Once you advance to the next tiebreaker criteria, you do not return to the

previous criteria. Runs are considered amongst all teams in the pool not just the tied teams.

RULE 6.00 – WORLD SERIES

6.01 The USSSA Baseball program will use the Pool-Play format in its World Series. Teams will be placed in pools

where they will play a round robin within their pool. A double elimination format will be used in the championship

bracket following pool play. A single elimination consolation tournament will be held for the teams, which do not

qualify for the championship bracket. The exact format of the tournament (i.e.; quantity of pools, quantity of

teams in each pool, seeding out of pools) will be set by the USSSA Baseball National Committee.

6.02 World Series play shall be under the jurisdiction of the USSSA Baseball National Committee. The Association’s

Executive Vice President of Baseball shall appoint a duly qualified person to serve as Tournament Director. The

Tournament Director shall supervise the event and be responsible for insuring that the tournament is run

according to all rules, procedures, and terms of the written contract and to insure that the event is run according

to all rules and regulations of the Association. The Tournament Director, in carrying out his duties, shall report

directly to the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball.

6.03 All teams receiving berths to World Series must participate in their home state’s State Championship Tournament

provided such a State Championship Tournament is played. Failure to participate in the State Championship

Tournament if played will result in forfeiture of the World Series berth. State Directors has the authority to waive

this rule with approval of the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball.

6.04 State Directors must approve all Entry Forms and Official On-Line Rosters of teams entering World Series. If a

state does not have a State Director, then the Association’s Executive Vice President of Baseball can give such

approval. A properly completed Electronic Transmittal must accompany each Entry Form and Entry Fee for

World Series participation. State Directors may not issue an Electronic Transmittal for teams from another state.

Rosters approved by State Directors cannot be protested except for age violations or acts of fraud.

6.05 When a team has qualified to compete in a World Series and for some legitimate reason cannot compete, the

State Director or directors appointed by the State Director may select the next team in line to take their place or

may select a substitute plan to award the berth.

6.06 A deadline for accepting entries in World Series shall be set by the USSSA Baseball National Committee.

6.07 The USSSA Baseball National Committee will assign awards packages to all World Series.

6.08 A team must participate in the highest World Series in which it wins (is awarded) a berth unless the team is reclassified

by the State Director.

6.09 A team can play in a higher age World Series but must play at or above their current classification.

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Rule 6.09 Example: A 10U AAA team can play up in the 11U AAA or 11U Major World Series but cannot play

down in the 11U AA World Series.

6.10 Only USSSA licensed baseballs can be used in sanctioned events.

6.11 Any team in a World Series that forfeits a pool-play game by virtue of not having enough players to start a game

or resume a game after suspension, shall not be eligible for championship play regardless of record.

6.12 Pool Play Tie Breaker Recommendations:

6.12.A Head to Head

6.12.B Runs Allowed

6.12.C Run Differential (Max +/- 8 Runs Per Game

6.12.D USSSA Point System

6.12.E Coin Flip

Rule 6.12 Comment: Once you advance to the next tiebreaker criteria, you do not return to the

previous criteria. Runs are considered amongst all teams in the pool not just the tied teams.

6.13 Players, coaches, and managers participating in a World Series cannot be charged any additional fees to gain

admission to said playing venues. Coaches and managers in World Series are limited to three (3) complementary

passes.

6.14 USSSA prohibits the visual display of any non-USSSA association, alliance, federation, organization or union

name, badge, crest, emblem, insignia, motif, sign or symbol anywhere on the uniform, such as but not limited to

the temporary or permanent affixing of a patch or logo.

RULE 7.00 – ACTS OF DISBARMENT

7.01 Acts of disbarment include:

7.01.A Physical attack on an umpire, tournament official, Association Director or Association Officer during a

game or immediately following a game, played under the administration of the Association.

7.01.B Players, coaches, managers, or sponsors threatening an umpire, tournament official, Association

Director or Association Officer.

7.01.C Any players, coaches, manager, sponsor, director or officer fighting, using unsportsmanlike conduct or

abusive tactics or derogatory or unbecoming acts that could be detrimental to the Association and not in

the best interests of USSSA Baseball.

7.01.D Destruction of property or the abuse of hotel / motel property or failure to pay hotel / motel bills.

7.01.E Participating in a tournament in which cash prizes are offered.

Rule 7.01.E Comment: A cash prize is defined as a prize or prizes in cash or in merchandise that is

easily converted into cash that is awarded to players or teams based on the final standings of a

tournament or other competition. A player or team may receive reimbursement for actual expenses

incurred, as long as the amount of the reimbursement is not dependent on the standings of the event.

These acts shall apply to a player and / or team.

7.01.F Paying or receiving compensation in consideration of participating in baseball competition. These acts

shall apply to a player and / or team and / or sponsor.

7.01.G Receiving money directly or indirectly by capitalizing on athletic ability, athletic prominence, or fame in

baseball except that a player or team may use his name and likeness to advertise, recommend, or

promote the sale of baseball sporting goods equipment or other goods and services if it is done

pursuant to a registered personal services contract.

7.01.H By knowingly competing with or against illegal or suspended players. It is always the managers and

players responsibility to know eligibility rules. Not knowing the rules is not an excuse for violation of the

rules and not an excuse for being suspended or disbarred.

7.01.I By participating in or permitting a fraud to be perpetuated.

7.01.J Any official of the Association who refuses to submit funds to the Association that is due the

Association.

7.01.K Competing under an assumed and / or altered name.

7.01.L Submitting a check, for any reason, that cannot be negotiated for payment.

7.01.M Failure to appear after entering a World Series unless reasonable advance notice is given. The USSSA

Baseball National Committee shall determine what “reasonable advance notice” is.

7.01.N Purposely using false information to damage, harm, hurt, impair or mar the Association.

7.01.O An illegal player as defined by these By-laws & Rules may be suspended for one year.

7.01.P Violating the contract rights granted to any individual by the Association under its constitution. The

penalty for violation of this paragraph shall be immediate suspension from any activities of the

Association.

7.02 Any USSSA Baseball Director or Officer that violates any articles of the Association’s constitution or USSSA

Baseball National By-laws & Rules may be suspended.

7.02.A Any USSSA Baseball Director or Officer that fails to submit fees and / or information due the

Association within fourteen (14) days of receipt thereof by the Director or Of

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