Oldtimer Rules – 2011

H.O.B.O. RULES 2011

1. Participants must be 35 years or older (born 1976 or earlier) in the year of competition. Proof of age is a driver’s license
with a photo.
2. Games will be 9 innings unless mutually agreed otherwise. No new inning is to start after 2 hours and 30 minutes from the starting time.

3. Pitching should be shared equally among a minimum of three pitchers per game. No pitcher will pitch more than 9 consecutive outs per game and no player should enter the game as a pitcher more than once unless mutually agreed upon by both teams.

4. A six run mercy rule applies per inning. The inning ends when the sixth run crosses the plate with one exception. If the batter hits a home run out of the park, then all runs will count. This rule does not apply to the last inning or extra innings.

5. Professional rules of baseball apply to stealing bases. Balks are only called if a runner is put out by an illegal move.

6. Body contact on the base paths is discouraged.

7. All players present shall be included in the batting order. Unlimited substitutions are permitted on defense.

8. When two outs or five runs have been registered, the catcher must be removed as a base runner and replaced with a substitute runner who shall be the last out, unless that runner is the pitcher in Rule 9.

9. In order to warm up, a new pitcher entering the game in the next inning may be replaced with a courtesy runner who shall be the last out, unless that runner is the catcher in Rule 8.

10. A courtesy runner may be requested for injury, health reasons or Rule 9 only, and must be the last out, unless that runner is the catcher or pitcher from Rules 8 and 9. A courtesy runner is not permitted to steal a base; if he attempts to do so, he will be forced to return to the base from which he tried to steal.

11. A player shall play in full uniform provided (sweater and hat) to be worn properly (sweater tucked in and hat bill facing forward), even when called to play for another team, or he shall not be permitted to play in the game.

12. Proper protective equipment is essential. Helmets must be worn at the plate, on the bases, and by all catchers. Helmets with ear flaps are mandatory.

13. If there are not enough players on one team for a given game, players may be borrowed from another team or called up from the reserve list in order to play a game. A team must field a minimum of 7 of its own players at the start of the game, or the game is forfeited.
For play-offs games, only players on the team roster can be used (exception: eligible players from the Registered Reserved Players’ list.

14. Intentional walks are illegal.

15. Any player, other than an umpire behind home plate, who umpires from behind the pitcher and all coaches at first and third base must wear a protective batter’s helmet with two earflaps.

16. Players will inform their team contact of days when they are not available to play, so that substitutes may be called should the team be short players.

17. All other rules are covered in Baseball Canada’s Official Rules of Baseball.

18. No steel spikes are allowed in house league games.

19. A player must participate in at least 40% of the scheduled games for that year in order to be eligible for play-offs