Recreational Division Rules
As of June 15, 2006
1. The Playing Field:
a. The base paths will be 45 feet all the way around.
b. From home plate to the pitchers mound, it will be 42 feet.
c. The Strike Zone will be (subject to adjustments) 20" wide x 30" in length 8
inches off of the ground.
d. The foul lines will be approximately 90'.
e. Center field fence will extend approximately 100-110'.
f. There will be an arc at 30’ from home plate that extends from foul line to foul line. A
ball going past this line is a FAIR BALL. Any ball that does not make it past this line
is considered FOUL.
2. Playing Equipment:
a. The official Wiffle® balls and yellow Wiffle® bats will be used. HFPD will provide
the equipment. No tape. Batting gloves are permitted for batting, but no gloves of
any kind for defense.
b. Teams are encouraged, but not required to have uniforms. Be as creative in your team
names and shirts to stand out some. Cleats are allowed, but not steel. Only plastic
cleats are permitted. No gloves allowed, only bare hands in field.
3. Pitching:
a. Pitching is Medium Speed. No missles, but you don’t have to serve up meatballs.
If your opponent deems pitches too fast, then drop the speed down a notch.
4. Base Running:
a. You can run the bases all you want after the ball is hit. If the pitcher gets the ball
in his hand on the mound before you get to 1st base, you are out. If you are trying
to move to another base, and you are hit with the ball or tagged by defense before
you get to the base, you are out. No leadoffs, but there is tagging up on a fly ball.
Of course you can’t leave the base until the ball has been caught.
b. No Sliding – There will be no sliding into any base. If someone slides they will be called
out automatically.
5. Batting:
a. Simple enough....Hit the ball and run. No Bunting. Ball must go over
the fair/foul line. Runners are not required to run on a Home Run.
6. Game Rules:
a. Games will be 5 innings long during Round Robin play and 6 innings during the
single elimination tournament. Extra innings: The last man out in the prior inning
starts at 2nd base.
b. 3 outs per inning, 4 balls equal a walk, 3 strikes for an out. If a foul ball is hit on
the 3rd strike and hits the strike zone, it is a strike out. As long as a 3rd strike foul
doesn't hit the zone, you have unlimited fouls. Some tournaments may start with
an 0-1 count.
c. 15 run rule is in effect after 3 innings and 10 run rule after 4 innings.
d. Ghost runners can be used only on a 3 man team, and only if the bases are loaded
and have no choice. but only advance as far as the batter. Ghost runners can not tag up
on a fly ball.
e. No infield fly rule
f. If a fielder throws the ball at the runner and it hits the runner off of the base, he is out. If
it misses, it is a live ball and the runner can go as long as he wants.
g. Games will start by a coin toss to decide home and away during round robin play. For the
single elimination bracket the home and away will be decided by the seedings.
h. Team will be a minimum of 3 and max of 5. All 5 may bat, but only 3 in the field.
Substitute at will, but only with players on your roster. In the case of an injury, that
person may be taken out of the game and can not return until next game. If he is taken out
during the game, his spot in the line up is removed for the remainder of the game. If it is a
3 man team, you can continue with 2 but each time his spot in the lineup comes, it is an
out.
i. To get a batter out at first, any fielder with possession of the ball in the pitchers mound
circle before the runner gets to 1st base and the batter is out. Or, you can have possession
of the ball at 1B before the runner gets to first as in baseball. So pitchers hand on the
mound, or the traditional 1B to get him out. Or hit the batter with the ball before he gets
to the base.