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1.00 - Objective of the Game 1.02 - The objective of each team is to win by scoring more runs than the opponent. 1.03 - The winner of the game shall be that team which shall have scored, in accordance with these rules, the greater number of runs at the conclusion of a regulation game. 1.04 - The Playing Field (a) Baselines shall be sixty feet (60') in length. (b) The distance from the front side of the pitching slab to the point of home plate shall be forty-six feet (46'). (c) The distance from the point of home plate to the center of second base and from first base to third base shall be eighty-four feet ten inches (84' 10"). The distance from the point of home plate to the backstop is recommended to be twenty-five feet (25') (minimum of twenty feet (20')). (d) The batter's box shall be six feet (6') long and three feet (3') wide. (e) The catchers box shall be the foul lines extended nine feet (9'), with the points then joined. (f) The base runner's path on the first base line shall be three feet (3') outside of the foul line and shall begin thirty feet (30') from home plate and extend parallel to the foul line to first base. (g) Lighted fields shall have adequate lighting approved by the district or state director.
1.05 - Home plate shall be 17 inches long on the edge nearest the pitcher's mound and shall be 17 inches from this side to the back point. The two sides shall be 8 1/2 inches long before they angle to the back. Construction shall be of white rubber, with black beveled apron, and spikes may be permanent or removable. Construction shall provide maximum protection in design. 1.06 - Bases shall be of material of the league's own choice (cloth or rubber) but shall be of official size 14 inches by 14 inches by 2 1/4 inches maximum. Bases may be anchored by straps to spikes or by Hollywood type anchors. 1.07 - The pitcher's slab shall be of white rubber four inches (4") by eighteen inches (18") and shall be placed at an elevation of 6" above the level of home plate. It shall be set in the ground as specified below, so that the distance between the front edge of the pitcher's plate and home base (the back point of home plate) shall be 46 feet. Pitching Mound Specifications (a) Pitching Mound - A twelve foot (12') diamter circle, the center of which is 45 feet from the back point of home plate. (b) The front edge of the pitcher's plate shall be located twelve inches (12") behind the center of the pitching mound. (c) The distance between the front edge of the pitcher's plate and the back point of home plate shall be 46 feet. (d) A level area surrounding the pitcher's plate shall be six inches (6") in front of the rubber, eighteen inches (18") to each side of the rubber and twenty-four inches (24") behind the rubber. The total level area shall be four and one-half feet (4 1/2') by thirty-four (34") inches. (e) The degree of slope from a point six inches (6") in front of the pitcher's plate to a point six feet toward home plate shall be one inch (1") to one foot (1'). The slope shall be uniform.
1.08 - The league shall furnish players benches, one each for the home and visiting teams. Each bench should not be less than twenty-two feet from the base lines. Each bench should be roofed and should be enclosed at the back and ends. 1.09 - (a) The ball shall be a sphere formed by yarn wound around a small core of cork, rubber or similar material, covered with two strips of white horsehide or cowhide, tightly stitched together. A yellow leather baseball may be used. (b) The ball shall weigh not less than five ounces (5 oz.) nor more than five and one-fourth ounces (5 1/ 4 oz.) avoirdupois. The ball shall measure not less than nine inches (9") nor more than nine and one-fourth inches (9 1/4") in circumference. (LOCAL LEAGUE OPTION) A synthetic covered stitched baseball made of solid core cork and/or rubber weighing not less than five ounces (5 oz.) nor more than five and one-fourth ounces (5 1/4 oz.) avoirdupois is allowed. It shall measure not less than nine inches (9") nor more than nine and one-fourth inches (9 1/4") in circumference. A yellow leather baseball may be used. This ball must be stamped APPROVED for LOCAL LEAGUE PLAY ONLY - DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL, INC. (See Definitions, Rule 2:00). Other balls of different design, size and weight may be approved from time to time for practice or for minor league or T-ball play. These balls must be marked for Local Minor League Play or Practice Only. Specifications may be obtained from the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner. (c) Only baseballs bearing a mark or other certification which indicates that the ball meets Dixie Youth specifications shall be used in any regular season game. Leagues may use blemished baseballs provided they meet DYB specifications in (a) and (b) above and are stamped as officially approved for "Local League Play Only". Any games played using baseballs that do not bear the above approvals will not be official games and will not count in league standings. (d) An official DYB baseball meeting the specifications in (a) and (b) above and bearing the signature of the Commissioner shall be used in tournament games. Full manufacturing specifications are available from the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner. 1.10 (a) All bats will meet the following specifications:
Metal Bats
Wooden Bats
Composite Bats
(b) The batter using an illegal bat shall be called out and all runners shall return to the bases occupied by them at the time such batter took his position in the batter's box. The use of the illegal bat must be protested prior to the first pitch to the next batter. (c) Only bats manufactured and clearly marked approved for play in the Dixie Youth Baseball program shall be legal for league and tournament play. A violation of this rule 1.10 (c) shall carry the same penalty as noted in paragraph (b) above.
1.11 - (a) Players may wear any type clothing in local league play approved by the league. (NOTE: Clothing shall include shoes and a pitcher shall not wear a shirt with long white sleeves.) Socks with the colored stripe sewn or dyed into the material are recommended rather than stirrups which can come loose. (b) Players or other personnel on the field, including managers, coaches, umpires, bat boys, etc., shall not wear shoes with cleats (molded or screw-on) that contain any metal materials. 1.12 - The catcher may wear a catcher's mitt of any shape, size or weight consistent with protecting the hand. 1.13 - The first baseman may wear a glove or mitt not more than 12 inches long from top to bottom and not more than eight inches wide across the palm, measured from the base of the thumb crotch to the outer edge of the mitt. The glove may be of any weight. 1.14 - Each fielder, other than the first baseman and the catcher may wear a glove not more than 12 inches long nor more than 7 3/4 inches wide, measured from the base of the thumb crotch to the outer edge of the glove. The glove may be of any weight. 1.15 - (a) The pitcher's glove shall be uniform in color, including all stitching, lacing and webbing. The pitcher's glove may not be white or gray. (b) No pitcher shall attach to the glove any foreign material of a color different from the glove. Batters' Helmets 1.16 - (a) The batter's helmet shall be made of Ultra High Impact Plastic or High Impact Plastic Shell. The shell shall be made of one piece construction or two pieces if they snap into a single unit similar to the one piece construction type. The helmet shall have pieces for ears and full protection for the head and temple. The padding shall be of heavy rubber or similar material. Helmets may be made with or without chin straps. However, if a snap is provided on the helmet, a chin strap must be worn. Suspension type helmets if still in use will require chin straps. Models that are designed with the side or ear pieces placing pressure under the ear will not require the chin strap unless a snap is provided on the helmet. If a snap is provided on the helmet, or if the helmet was designed for and originally had snaps, it must have snaps and a chin strap must be worn. (b) A player shall not remove his helmet while at bat or while running the bases. (c) The batter's helmet shall be worn by any offensive player while on the playing field, such as a bat boy, on-deck batter, batter, base runner or player base coach. (d) An approved face guard shall be installed by the manufacturer or dealer on batters helmet. The face guard becomes a permanent part of the helmet in regards to all rules. Approved facial protective devices must provide full coverage which will include, but not be limited to, protection to the eyes, nose, mouth and teeth, jaws and cheek bones and forehead and temple areas.
(e) Each league shall provide protective helmets which must meet Dixie Youth specifications and standards. Use of helmet by the batter, on-deck batter, all base runners and coaches is mandatory. Use of helmet by an adult base coach is optional. NOTE: The helmets provided by each league must meet NOCSAE specifications and bear the NOCSAE stamp as well as an exterior warning label as noted above. WARNING!! Catcher's Equipment 1.17 - (a) Each catcher must wear a catcher's helmet which meets the following requirements: The catcher's helmet shall be made of Ultra High Impact Plastic or High Impact Plastic shell with a heavy rubber padding or similar material. The helmet must be of such construction so as to either be a part of the catcher's mask or to firmly attach to the mask. The mask must cover the top of the head, temple and ears. The hockey-style catcher's mask if manufactured to meet the above requirements is approved. All catcher's masks (including the hockey-style masks) must have a hard plastic throat protector as specificed in paragraph 1.17(d) attached to the mask at all times. (b) Catcher's helmets are not required to bear the NOCSAE seal of approval. Batter's helmets only must bear this seal. (c) The helmet must fit with a snug fit of the head and must be worn as intended by the manufacturer. (d) CATCHERS MUST WEAR a catcher's mask attached to a helmet as described in paragraphs (a)-(c) above. A hard plastic protector manufactured for the purpose of protecting the throat shall be securely attached to the mask even if the mask has an extension at the bottom. (Homemade devices made from other pieces of equipment may not be used for this purpose.) (e) MALE CATCHERS MUST wear a protective cup with supporter in all games. FEMALE CATCHERS MUST wear sufficient protective padding to prevent injury. (f) The catcher's equipment, other than these items, may be the choice of the local league as almost all equipment mentioned is of high quality and affords the protection needed. Dixie Youth Baseball urges that such equipment be purchased to fit the catcher in the way it was manufactured. Injuries may be caused by too loose or too tight adjustments.
(g) The softball mask shall not be used at any time in Dixie Youth Baseball play. (h) Any player warming up a pitcher shall wear a catcher's mask with helmet and throat protector even if the mask has an extension at the bottom. 1.18 - (a) The local league shall select all other equipment used in the Dixie Youth Baseball program such as gloves, hats, uniforms, shoes and umpire's equipment. (b) It is recommended that all players wear athletic supporters. (c) No metal cleats or shoes with removable female cleats are allowed. (d) The on-deck batter will use the on-deck batter's circle behind the batter that is at bat during a practice or regular game unless the on-deck circle is behind a protective screen. 1.19 - No player wearing a hard substance in its final form such as leather, rubber, plastic, plaster or fiberglass when worn on the hand, wrist, forearm or elbow shall be allowed to participate unless the substance is covered by a minium inch thick, high-density closed-cell polyurethane or similar material of the same thickness to protect injury. Written permission must be obtained from both a licensed medical physician and the player's parent or guardian and submitted to the league president during local league play and the tournament director during tournament play for approval. |