League Charter

LEAGUE OFFICERS:

Commissioner Ed Gadomski
Protest Committee Tom Downey, Sam Sirica, and DJ Reese
Webmasters Tom Van Stone Jr.

TITLE
The official name of this organization shall be the Tri-State Baseball League.
The purpose of this league is to foster good sportsmanship and the development of local amateur competition. No player is to be reimbursed for playing either in salary or expense money.
OFFICERS

  1. “Board of Directors” will be responsible for the everyday running (welfare) of the league, handling finances, protests, meetings, and all paperwork.
  2. The ‘Board of Directors’ will consist of a number of franchises as determined by it’s owners.
  3. At the annual meeting, a delegation of duties will be appointed to ‘oversee’ the responsibilities of the league including a Commissioner.
  4. League meetings shall be called to settle all matters of business pertaining to the Tri-State Baseball League.
  5. By-Laws may be amended when approved by the commissioner and require quorum vote of all teams of the league.

DELEGATION OF DUTIES

  1. Commissioner
    1. Responsible for scheduling and running league meetings.
    2. Shall be responsible for notifying all members of the ‘Board of Directors’ of scheduled meetings needed to settle business in the presence of all existing franchises. In essence, the ‘Calling Tree’. Shall be responsible to approve and assign a staff of umpires for the season.
    3. Shall be responsible for supplying all team franchises with copies of the By-Laws as well as maintain league minutes of meetings.
  2. Treasurer
    1. Shall be responsible to collect all fees and keep a complete and accurate account of all monies received and expanded.
  3. Appeal Board
    1. Will consist of 3 members to oversee and hear protests after Commissioner’s ruling


MEMBERSHIP
Any changes in league membership must be approved by quorum vote of the franchise members present at any given meeting.
VOTING

  1. Voting power will consist of one vote to each team represented in the league, and may be cast by a team manager, captain, or anyone appointed by the manager or captain with full power to act.
  2. A quorum will consist of a majority of the voting representatives of the league at a meeting where proper notification has been made.
  3. Expansion teams shall abstain from voting during its first year of existence.

FEES AND FORFEITS

  1. Entry: Each team shall pay an entry fee of $300.00 before it is considered a member of the league, and shall be paid prior to the start of each session (season).
  2. Forfeits: A forfeit fee of two umpires’ fees (floating fee to reflect current year price) shall be paid by forfeiting team. This fee shall be incorporated for the following reasons:
    1. Being unable to field a team or refusal to compete in a regularly scheduled game.
    2. Nonappearance at a scheduled game.
    3. Refusal to abide by league rules.
    4. Refusal to abide by the action of the ‘Board of Directors’.
    5. Any game cancelled with less than 7 days notice is a forfeit loss by the cancelling unless an emergency situation arises.
    6. Abuse of any ‘officer’ of the league or official on field of play.
  3. A 30-minute grace period is allowed for teams unable to field a team on weekends and a 15-minute grace period is allowed for weekday twilight games.
    1. In the event a forfeit is called, the forfeit fee shall be paid to the offended team.
    2. The team that pays the forfeit fee must be done before playing its next regularly scheduled game. After two forfeitures the team may be dropped from the league on BOD vote.
  4. Fees paid due to ‘action’ recourse will be held by the Treasurer and will apply as the fee for the following season providing no infractions or violations have been committed by said club.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

  1. The official playing rules of THE OFFICIAL BASEBALL GUIDE AND RULE BOOK shall govern the games of this league.
  2. The official baseball to be used in this league shall be the one approved by either the American or National Major League teams or as approved by the Board of Directors.
  3. The intention of the Tri-State League is primarily to provide competition for local players. All rosters must be made available to the “Board of Directors” for approval. The “Commissioner” has the final decision in all roster matters. However, team managers should make every effort to use only players who live in that town. A player shall play with one team during the season.
  4. Out-of-town players are permitted on a team (all can play)
    Teams allowed 5 out-of-towners:
    Bristol, Southington, East Mountain, Tribury, Brass City
    Teams allowed 6 out-of-towners:
    Watertown, Naugatuck, Wolcott, Torrington, Burlington, Canton, Seymour, Valley Ducks
    Teams allowed 7 out-of-towners:
    Terryville, Bethlehem, Tri-Town, Litchfield, Winsted, Thomaston, Valley Thunder, Amenia, New Milford
  5. Roster size with no maximum number of players.
  6. Teams may draw players from within its own baseball district. Districts are as follows:
    Watertown: Morris, Woodbury, Southbury, Middlebury
    Naugatuck: Middlebury, Oxford, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Prospect
    Wolcott: Cheshire
    Terryville: Harwinton, Plymouth, Thomaston, Morris
    Bethlehem: Morris, Washington, Woodbury, Thomaston
    Tri-Town: Goshen, Cornwall, Warren, Washington, Morris, Harwinton
    Litchfield: Goshen, Cornwall, Warren, Washington, Morris, Harwinton
    Torrington: New Hartford, Harwinton, Goshen
    Winsted: Winchester, Goshen, Norfolk, Colebrook, Barkhamsted, New Hartford
    Tribury: Waterbury, Prospect, Middlebury
    Bristol: Plainville, Farmington
    Southington: Berlin, Meridan
    Burlington: Harwinton, New Hartford, Avon, Farmington
    Brass City: Waterbury, Prospect, Middlebury
    Canton: New Hartford, Barkhamsted, Avon, Simsbury
    East Mountain: Waterbury, Prospect, Middlebury
    Amenia: New York, Salisbury, Sharon, Kent
  7.  Valley Ducks: Wolcott, Prospect, North Haven
    Seymour: Ansonia, Oxford, Woodbridge, Bethany
  8. Players from outside each teams’ respective district will be considered out-of-town players. Any player the commissioner places is an in-towner and players in their 4th year with the same team will be classified as in-towners. Any brother of an in-town player for a team will also be an in-towner. Currently work in town (primary position only – no part time jobs), currently live in town (or for majority of life), graduated in town (or have gone to school in-town for majority of life).

In order for a player to be eligible to play in playoff games, all players must ‘play in/be at’ at least 5 scheduled regular season league games with his name in the book as a player or substitute.

  1. Injured Player Rule: A player must show up to a game and be put in both teams scoring books as “Injured” player to count as a game played. ‘Sick’ players, military personnel, and any special condition players must be brought to the attention of the commish and will be handled on an individual basis for game eligibility.
  2. A team using an ineligible player in any game will forfeit that game and any game that player played in; after that, the Board of Directors will determine the player’s status.
  3. Any player signed by a professional team may play in the league provided he submits a copy of his official release to the Board of Directors.
  4. Wood Bats will be used, as determined by the Board of Directors. Wood, laminate, or composite wood bats may be used and must not exceed 42 inches in length or 2 3/4 inches in diameter (per AABC Stan Musial Tournament rules). Baum Bats are permitted.
  5. Any suspension relative to a manager, player, or umpire will be meted out at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall render decisions pertaining to the suspension of a player or manager relative to conduct not conducive to the good and welfare of the league, and umpires found to be incompetent in the performance of his duties.
  6. Said suspension shall be based on written reports by umpires working games and umpire-in-chief. Said reports shall be forwarded to the “Board of Directors”. Any report relative to the incompetence of umpires should likewise be forwarded to the Board of Directors and the “Director of Umpires” by team managers.
  7. The manager must report the individual who is reported for misconduct during a game. The individual who is reported for misconduct during a game must also submit a report. A fine may be subjected at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
  8. Said individuals will be duly notified relative to a hearing governing game.
  9. Ejection = Automatic 1- 2- or 3-game suspension (3-game if umpire feels the player did not cooperate after the ejection occurred).
  10. Board of Directors has power to increase or decrease suspension if warranted.
  11. 2 ejections in same season = suspended for rest of year.
  12. No player will intentionally collide with a defensive player to prevent an out from being made. The safety of all players is of utmost importance. A player will be called out, ejected from the game, and the Board of Directors will determine the player’s status. Slide and avoid. Players should slide for the base, not the player.
  13. Designated member of the Board of Directors must submit roster transactions for approval before a player is permitted to participate in a game.
  14. Roster deadlines will be set as determined by the Board of Directors. (June 15th)
  15. Players on the same team for 4 years are to be grandfathered in as in-towners.
  16. Any players placed by Eddie are to be grandfathered in as in-towners.
  17. Any game ending in a tie will be considered a loss. Teams may have the opportunity to finish or replay a tied game. Games will be replayed in full unless both coaches agree to simply finish (continue) the game.
    1. Regular season tiebreaker:
    2. Head-to-head record. All teams tied after Head to Head advance to second tie-breaker.
    3. Run Differential for season total (Runs scored (minus) Runs allowed for all games played).
  18. Games called after 5 innings due to darkness or weather will be a legal game including games that reach a scheduled curfew time for lights. Game is reverted back to the previous full inning for a final score.
  19. 10 run mercy rule after 7 innings.
  20. A game that is halted due to a technicality such as lights unexpectedly turning off, or before a scheduled curfew, will be a suspended game and will be completed at a future date. Any game halted because of what would be deemed as an emergency (pipe burst/road mainenance/evacuation/etc) will be considered a suspended game.
  21. we had 5 votes for YES, 5 votes for SCRAP during playoffs and 3 NO – with this being the vote we technically have 10 votes for YES during regular season and 8 votes for SCRAP it in playoffs – so that’s what we will do. YES for regular season and NO for playoffs. Thx for working this out. I will update the by-laws. Remember last batter starts as the runner in extra innings on second base. Extra innings is 8th inning of a 7 inning game and 10th inning of a 9 inning scheduled game.
  22. A protest must be announced before the next pitch (before umpires leave the field if it’s a game ending play). Only an MLB rule can be protested. (If it’s a Tristate rule the – Two coaches get together to discuss with umps). Tristate rules are on the website.
    Judgement calls cannot be protested.
    If there is a protest the game is stopped for 5 minutes and 5 minutes only. Anyone can google the protested rule on their phone and confer with the umpires so that the rule is enforced correctly. Again we should need no more than 5 minutes to get this done. The protest is then complete and finished.
    Game protests can be filed anytime for an illegal player and that protest must be announced to the umpires during the game but will be decided after the game is played by the commissioner and the Tristate league protest committee.

UMPIRES

  1. A staff of umpires shall be approved and assigned by the “Board of Directors” and “Director of Umpires”. If occasion arises when one umpire is officiating, he is to be paid one and one half times the rate.
  2. All umpires shall wear complete uniforms at all times.
  3. Said approved umpires shall be used at all games except in cases of emergency. In such a case the official shall be the one agreed upon by managers of the respective teams involved.
  4. If an umpire fails to appear within 15 minutes of scheduled game time, the managers shall then select an umpire.
  5. Umpires’ fees are set by contract and may vary depending upon number and umpires association.
  6. In a dispute regarding the conduct of a player on the field during the process of a game, a complaint will be forwarded to the “Board of Directors”. This complaint must be made in writing to the manager or umpires. Players report must be submitted also. The “Board of Directors” will call a meeting to act on the reports and dispose of the case after hearing all the facts.
  7. Coaches are reminded that open criticism of officials to the media is not appropriate. The Tri-State Legaue baseball committee perceives such comments as a detriment to the league.

PLAYERS UNIFORMS

  1. All players in the league will be required to wear a complete baseball uniform consisting of cap, shirt, pants, stockings, and shoes. All batters must wear a protective helmet with temple protector on pitchers side or both sides.
  • The umpire shall refuse the right to play to any player not properly equipped according to the above rule.
  • Only team members in uniform shall occupy the players’ bench. The only exceptions to this rule being the team manager, assistant manager and scorekeeper.
  1. It is required that base coaches wear complete uniforms.

SCHEDULES
A regular season schedule made up and adopted by official vote for each team to meet every other team on a home-and-away basis will be played as arranged. No team is allowed to book games during the playoffs. Weekend games are to be 9 innings, weekday games are to be 7 innings. Double-Headers will consist of two 7 inning games to decide a winner, unless darkness or rain intervene.

  1. Playoffs: Format to be decided upon before the start of the season including any designated times.
  2. Players must play a minimum of 5 regular season games to be eligible for Tri-State Playoffs.
  3. Teams will be seeded by best overall record. Ties will then be broken in accordance with the tie-breaker system.
  4. Top seed will have field choice based upon availability. Championship Series will alternate home field designations.
  5. All playoff games must complete 9 innings of play.
  6. Any game started innings will be suspended if the designated 9 innings are not completed, regardless of how many innings were played..
  7. Available ‘league’ fields must be used to complete playoff games.
  8. Rainout games can be moved to a playable field.
  9. Double-Headers will be played where necessary in playoffs.
  10. Teams forfeiting a playoff game will result in a one game loss.

POSTPONED GAMES/STAN MUSIAL
All postponed games must be played off before any of the playoffs start. The Board of Directors must approve any exception to this rule.

  1. Team managers should attempt to reschedule postponed games in a timely fashion as to complete the regular season on time. Games must be made up for State Tournament availability.
  2. Games may be postponed on account of inclement weather or poor playing conditions on the field. Games must be rescheduled within 48 hours. Teams given a 1-week notice shall have no excuses to not play the assumed scheduled game.
  3. The home team manager must notify the manager of the visiting team and the umpires if it is necessary to call the game off due to either of the aforementioned reasons. This must be done not later than (1 hour before game time).
  4. All-Star games shall consist of 7 or 9 innings.
  5. Tri-State league games (playoffs) may be postponed to accommodate teams participating in the Stan Musial State Tournament.
  6. Teams competing in Regional Tourney or World Series must be prepared to play in Tri-State playoffs without interruption.

A draft will be held to determine ‘picks’ for State Tournament.

GROUND RULES
The home club manager will give ground rules to the officials at all games. The officials will then relay the ground rules to the visiting manager or captain. Stable and legible foul markers shall be placed and displayed in all parks. This includes foul lines to said markers.
TRI-STATE ADOPTED POLICIES

  1. The Designated Hitter rule is as Major Baseball League rules allow.
  2. The Floating Extra Hitter (EH) rule allows 11 men to play – 10 at bat. The EH may be changed at any time. He may play a field position or sit on the bench.
  3. Note: If EH replaces pitcher – DH will still occupy the batting order as the new EH.
  4. All clubs must carry insurance on their players.
  5. The winning team is to call the local papers giving the results of the game: (Torrington Register-Citizen and Waterbury Republican-American)

F. End of Season awards will be voted on for MVP, Silver Slugger, and Cy Young for the Tri-State Baseball League for the given season. An all-star team, per position, will also be voted on.
G. Teams must have 9 players to begin a game. If a team has 9 players only and a player is ejected by the umpire that team forfeits their game. If a team has 9 players only and a player is injured on a play than that team will be allowed to finish with 8 players (automatic out in lineup).

H. Ohtani rule is allowed: Pitcher remains in game as the DH after being removed from the mound.
HALL OF FAME
“To permanently honor, document, and preserve contributions to the heritage of the Tri-State Baseball League” 

  1. Tri-State Board of Directors will be the HOF Nominating Committee
  2. Inductions
    1. Possibly setup by decade 68-79, 80-89, 90-99, 2000-present for first 4 years.
  3. Each additional year can honor select players/coaches from all generations.
  4. Award ceremony – during Championship Series
    1. Newspaper coverage/picture
    2. Plaques
  5. First-Pitch ceremony
  6. Credentials
    1. The individual must have gained prominence or recognition as a player, coach, or umpire for the Tri-State Baseball League.
    2. The individual must be ‘retired’ as a player (or 40 years old) and played in the Tri-State Baseball League for a minimum of 5 seasons.
    3. In the event of a serious illness or death an individual will be eligible immediately.
  7. Any sponsor, sportswriter, broadcaster, administrator or any other special category selected by the Board of Directors may be included if such individual has made a noteworthy contribution to the Tri-State Baseball League.
  8.  Covid precautions: A. Players must use their own bat and helmet
    B. No sharing of any equipment including catchers gear
    c. Pitchers must use their own team baseballs
    D. Masks are not mandated per state regulations but will be encouraged for those who would like to wear one.
    E. Social distancing is strongly encouraged both in the dugout, on the baseball diamond, and in the stands.
  9. Commemorate on Tri-State Baseball League Website.