2012 TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES

Transcription

1 2012 TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES TOURNAMENT CREDENTIALS MEETING The first step in the tournament process for District Directors is the Credentials Meeting at which all tournament affidavits and credentials will be inspected and approved. This is a most important meeting and if not carried out correctly, many problems may result and teams or players may even be disqualified. The following guidelines are listed to assist in your preparation for this meeting: 1. Select a date, time and location that is most convenient for your leagues and notify them in writing at least seven (7) days in advance of the Tournament Credentials Meeting. Be certain that all teams within the district know the time, date and location of the Credentials Meeting. Please call each league president, if necessary, to make sure all leagues are aware that they must ATTEND this meeting to enter tournament play. If they fail to have their tournament affidavit, insurance and birth certificates inspected by the credentials committee, they cannot play. It may even be advisable to send a certified mail notice of this meeting. A combined or separate credentials meeting may be held for the Majors, O Zone, AAA, AA, and A age divisions. 2. You will need the following for this meeting: A. Tournament brackets for all area, sub district, district and state tournaments. Approved brackets are available from the Commissioner's Office or may be downloaded from the Dixie website at Please note that four and five team round robins are approved for use in place of the four and five team tournament brackets. B. Dixie Youth Rule Books to assure that all tournament teams have a copy before entering tournament play. Extra copies are available from the Commissioner's Office. C. Copies of player registration forms for at least the past three years. If a league has not submitted these forms, they are not eligible for tournament competition. Multi league teams must be checked to be sure players on tournament teams come from the proper league. 3. Review tournament rules to be sure every team is aware of any differences as compared to regular season rules. 4. Go through the protest procedure for tournament play. Make sure that all teams know the correct protest procedure. Any protest not properly presented will be rejected. 5. Appoint a Credentials Committee and explain their responsibilities. This committee will be composed of three persons who will inspect and approve all tournament affidavits for each age division. The same three names must appear on all affidavits for each tournament. 6. Have all members of the Credentials Committee read Exhibit A Tournament Credential Committee Guidelines before any tournament affidavits are inspected. If they have any questions, be sure these are cleared up before the inspection process gets underway. 7. DO NOT ACCEPT ANY TOURNAMENT AFFIDAVITS UNLESS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS STATED IN FULL AND PROPERLY RECORDED ON THE AFFIDAVIT. PLEASE CLEARLY PRINT ALL INFORMATION ON THE AFFIDAVIT FORM. 1

2 A. Players full name as it appears on the official proof of birth (John Henry Jones, Jr., not Johnny Jones). B. Complete physical address (Rt.1, Box 316, Georgetown, SC 35603, not just Georgetown, South Carolina.) C. Date of Birth (March 12, 2000, not 3/12/00. The name of the month may be abbreviated, such as Jan., Feb., etc. but do not use a number for the month). D. Regular season team (check against player registration forms that were submitted this year, and those of prior years to assure that the player has not changed leagues). Be sure that the player's name, address and date of birth as stated on the registration form and tournament affidavit are the same. E. Check to see that all players listed live within the geographical boundaries of the league or that a release has been legally granted for a legitimate reason. If not, the player is not eligible. PRE TOURNAMENT CREDENTIALS MEETING WITH COACHES A pre tournament credentials meeting should be held prior to each tournament at which the following matters should be thoroughly discussed: 1) Each team shall be given an official tournament bracket with the scheduled game times and fields for each tournament game. 2) Obtain a list of home, cell and work telephone numbers for all team managers. 3) Explain the responsibilities and authority of the tournament chairman and the tournament director. Give the team managers phone numbers for each of these individuals. 4) Explain who determines if a game can be played in the event of bad weather and makes decisions about the re scheduling of postponed or called games. No team will be required to play under unsafe conditions. 5) Explain the procedure for making up games in the event it becomes necessary to reschedule tournament games. All games should be played in the order shown on the official tournament bracket. NEVER CHANGE THE BRACKET AFTER IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED! Game time should only be changed in case of delays due to weather or facilities problems. 6) Explain the policy on admission to games. The tournament director should explain who will be entitled to passes and who will issue them. Dixie Youth officials and their families shall be admitted to all tournament games at no charge. The host tournament chairman shall issue any authorized local game passes. The tournament director should issue out of town passes. 7) Determine the home and visiting teams for each tournament game at the credentials meeting. The following is the suggested procedure for designating the home and visiting teams: a) Select a manager of each game in the first round of games to call the toss of a coin. The winner of the coin toss will select his or her choice of home or visiting team. b) After the first round of play designations have been determined, flip a coin for each remaining game in the tournament. If the coin lands on heads, the top of the bracket will be the home team. If the coin lands on tails, the bottom of the bracket will be the home team. Use of this procedure makes everyone 2

3 (fans, coaches and officials) aware of the home team for all scheduled tournament games. c) Designate which dugouts will be used by the home and visiting teams. 8) Review infield times and player introduction procedures. These are listed in another section of this booklet. 9) Pre Game Conference Hold pre game conferences the first day of the tournament to thoroughly review the ground rules to be used at the playing fields used in the tournament. After the first day, pre game conferences shall not be held unless special circumstances arise that would need to be discussed with the coaches. 10) Explain the procedure for assigning umpires. Advise the association or group of umpires to be used for tournament games. It is recommended that the chief umpire in charge of scheduling make this presentation if possible. 11) The correct procedure for filing a protest or appealing a protest is outlined in Exhibit B Protest and Appeal Procedures. You may want to copy Exhibit B to hand out to each manager. 12) Coaches Conduct: State in a firm but friendly manner what is expected from coaches. Explain what conduct is unacceptable and the consequences of not complying with these guidelines. 13) THE FOLLOWING RULES AND POLICIES SHOULD BE ENFORCED AT ALL TIMES: a) NO SMOKING OR TOBACCO IN ANY FORM shall be allowed on the field or in the dugouts at any time during a game. Managers and coaches shall not be allowed to leave the field during the game to use tobacco. b) No personal cell phones or other personal electronic communication equipment, excluding those carried by on duty medical or security personnel or required to be on call by their profession, are allowed on the playing field or in the dugouts during all local league and tournament games. c) A manager or coach is not to leave the dugout unless he has requested and been granted a time out to confer with a player or umpire on the field. Coaches may leave the dugout to serve as a base coach while his or her team is on offense provided at least one coach remains in the dugout with the players. d) Anything that can be done by a player is to be done by a player, such as warming up pitchers or other players. No adult, at any time, on or off the field, shall warm up a pitcher. A coach or manager will be allowed to observe as a pitcher is warming up before the game and, if he obtains permission from the umpire in chief, between innings during the game. e) ALL PLAYERS WARMING UP PITCHERS AT ANY TIME, ON OR OFF THE FIELD, ARE TO WEAR A CATCHER'S HELMET AND MASK. Coaches will NOT be allowed to warm up pitchers. These rules are part of tournament play. Please enforce these procedures at all levels of tournament play to ensure uniformity and consistency at all tournaments. Uniform enforcement of these guidelines will help avoid problems as teams advance to the next level of play. 14) At the completion of each tournament, be sure to notify the host chairman at the next level of tournament play of the identity of the winning team. Provide the necessary information to the winning team about the date, time and place of the next tournament. 3

4 EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST Before any team is allowed to enter any tournament play, be sure the following equipment is available: TEAMS 1) Official Dixie Youth Bats The official identification markings must be readable and identifiable. Any alteration of the markings or any mark placed on the bats by anyone other than the manufacturer, including a sporting goods store, is not to be considered legal and the bat is to be removed from the tournament. Bats with a diameter of 2 5/8 inches or less are allowed only in the O Zone Division. 2) At least six (6) batting helmets with chin straps and face masks. Chin straps must be worn at all times if there is a snap on the helmet. 3) At least two (2) catcher's helmets with masks and throat protectors. One will be needed for the catcher in the game and the other to warm up pitchers on the sidelines. 4) All male catchers must wear athletic supporters with protective cups. Instruct umpires to NEVER allow a male catcher to play without the protective cup. 5) The umpires shall inspect all equipment in each dugout immediately prior to each game in order to prevent any potential problems with respect to the use of illegal equipment. Any illegal equipment found in the dugouts at any time before or during a game should be removed by the umpires. TOURNAMENT HOST 1) Official Dixie Youth Category 1 Baseballs with the Commissioner's signature. 2) Flags for base umpires except of O Zone play. 3) Equipment to maintenance fields between games. 4) Rosin bags for pitchers. 5) Properly working scoreboards, PA systems and lighting systems. 1) Complete uniform. All are to be dressed the same. 2) Ball/Strike indicators. 3) Plate umpires protective equipment. UMPIRES CONDUCT AND DRESS CODE Every Dixie Youth Baseball tournament should be conducted in a responsible and creditable manner. All participants deserve uniform enforcement of the rules and fair and equitable treatment by all Dixie Youth officials and umpire crews. All rules as outlined in the current Dixie Youth Baseball Rule Book shall be enforced without exception. In addition, certain levels of conduct and sportsmanship are expected by all participants in tournament play. Dixie Youth Baseball desires to maintain a proper example of appropriate behavior among teams competing for a tournament championship. Conduct which is not conducive to fair play and sportsmanship shall not be tolerated. Appearance and dress of all participants will be just as important as conduct. All players shall be 4

5 required to be fully uniformed. Managers and coaches are to either be uniformed as the players or at a minimum wear identical shirts and pants. During tournament play, coaches should not be allowed to wear shorts, cutoffs or jeans. TOURNAMENT GAME PROCEDURES To this point in this booklet, we have placed the emphasis on Pre Tournament plans. There are at least two other items that are most important. These are the Official Scorekeeper and the Public Address Announcer. SCOREKEEPERS 1. Be in the Press Box at least thirty (30) minutes prior to each game time. 2. Maintain and have available for inspection all Tournament Affidavit forms at all times. 3. Total concentration is required on each play with final authority for hit/error. 4. When the official scorekeeper has knowledge of a potential illegal substitution of a player or use of an illegal pitcher, it should be reported to the manager of the violating team. However, after a violation occurs, no one should call attention to the violation except the opposing manager. 5. Assist the PA announcer in making prompt announcements of all line up changes. 6. Make certain both managers come to the Press Box following the game to sign pitching records. The scorekeeper should record this information carefully and maintain complete and accurate records. 7. Return affidavits to each manager when his team has been eliminated. PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS 1. Be in Press Box thirty (30) minutes prior to each game time. 2. Prior to each game, obtain full roster of each team including managers and coaches. Announce names normally used by players, not names from the Affidavits. Clarify correct pronunciation of difficult names. 3. Announce only pertinent information, usually the first three batters in each half inning, the batter as he comes to the plate and runs, hits, errors at end of each half inning. NO PLAY BY PLAY announcement or activity that may distract from actual play of the game. 4. DO NOT ANNOUNCE ERRORS MADE BY INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS. 5. Make prompt announcement of all line up changes. 6. REMEMBER, you are only there to provide pertinent information. You are not the focal point of the game. The players should always be the center of attention. Both the scorekeeper and the public address announcer are most important to the success of any tournament. Careful consideration should be given to the selection of the persons to work in each of these important positions. They can contribute greatly to a successful tournament. 5

6 PRE GAME PRACTICE AND WARM UP 1) No practice of any kind by any team, including the host, shall be allowed on the tournament playing field(s) on game days. Other nearby fields should be utilized for practice fields during tournament play. The Tournament Director is responsible for arranging practice fields to be made available to tournament teams who require overnight stays at tournament sites. 2) Each team may have up to five minutes of infield prior to each game. You may want to increase this to seven ten minutes for the first day only. PLAYER INTRODUCTION The tournament should be colorful and exciting for the players. This may be a once in a lifetime experience for many of these players and Dixie Youth Baseball wants it to be a fond memory for all participants. A proper team introduction program can add color to tournament games. It is recommended that the following procedures be used before every game in the tournament: 1) Always ask managers to list the player s names that they prefer to use on the official line up (i.e. Jimmy, instead of James). This is not always the name shown on the Tournament Team Affidavit. 2) Introduce all members of the team following this procedure: a) Introduce the visiting team, starting players, batting order and defensive position. As the starting players are announced they should run to their defensive position on the field. Outfielders should only go to the edge of the outfield grass in front of their normal position. b) After introducing the starting defensive players, introduce the remaining players on the roster. As their name is called they should take a position on the foul line between first or third base facing their dugout and the stands. The manager and two coaches are then introduced and should take their position facing the dugout and stands alongside the remaining roster players. c) Introduce the home team, all players, the team manager and coaches in the same manner as above. As the home team players take their defensive positions, they should acknowledge their counterpart on the visiting team in some manner (i.e. handshake, pat on back, etc.). d) When introductions have been completed, both teams shall remain in position for introduction of the umpires and the Protest Committee, and the invocation and the national anthem. e) Introduce the plate umpire as the umpire in chief first. The base umpires should run to their position as they are introduced. f) Introduce the members of the Protest Committee. g) Invocation/National Anthem The invocation and national anthem are to be used for the first game of each tournament session only. h) After National Anthem advise the visiting team to return to their dugout at which time the umpire in chief will begin the game. 6

7 PRE GAME SCHEDULE (Assuming a Game Time of 6:00 PM): 5:30 PM Both teams starting lineups and tournament affidavits shall be turned in to the scorekeeper. 5:45 PM PA announcer tells visiting team to take infield. (Visiting Team is not to enter field until advised by the PA announcer.) 5:50 PM PA announcer calls visiting team from the field if not finished and tells home team to take infield. (Home team is not to enter field until advised by the PA announcer even if the visiting team finishes early.) 5:55 PM PA announcer calls home team from field if not finished. PA announcer introduces the visiting team. (See introduction procedure in previous section). PA announcer introduces the home team. PA announcer introduces the umpires. 5:58 PM Invocation/National Anthem (With Players remaining on the field) 6:00 PM Umpire In Chief begins game. A key priority of the tournament is to keep the games on schedule. In the event of rain, it may become necessary to cancel infield practice. If you do not allow infield for the first game of the day, it is recommended that no infield be allowed for the remainder of the day's games. For the convenience of out of town fans and radio broadcasts, no game should start earlier than its regularly scheduled starting time even if any earlier game is completed early. ELIMINATION Before the first game in the tournament, all the teams are winners. After the second day some teams will be eliminated but they should still be considered winners. DO NOT LET A TEAM LEAVE A TOURNAMENT WITHOUT SOME REMARKS OF APPRECIATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT BEING MADE OVER THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM. The following is a suggested statement: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WITH THIS LOSS (name of team) HAS BEEN ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER PLAY IN THIS TOURNAMENT. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE HAD A GREAT SEASON AND THERE ARE NO REAL LOSERS IN DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL. WE HAVE ENJOYED HAVING (name of team) IN THIS TOURNAMENT. LET'S ALL GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION HERE. WE WISH THEM A SAFE TRIP HOME AND GREAT SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE PLAY IN BASEBALL AND, ESPECIALLY, AS THEY PURSUE EVEN GREATER ENDEAVORS IN LIFE". THE CHAMPION IS You have reached the point in your tournament where there is a winner. Have as much information as possible for the winner and announce this information over the public address system. A suggested format is as follows: 7

8 Congratulations to (Name of winning team), CHAMPIONS for (Name of tournament) for. Year (Name of champions) will play in the (Name of next tournament) at (Site of next tournament) on (Date and time of tournament). If known, give league name of team they will play. We wish this fine group of youngsters the best of luck and the greatest of success as they advance in Dixie Youth Tournament play. CONCLUSION At the conclusion of your tournament, take a well deserved break. You deserve it! But before you collapse, be sure you contact the Tournament Host at the next level of play and any other appropriate officials to let them know your tournament winner, giving them the name and phone number of the winning team manager. Also, if at all possible, District Directors should arrange to accompany the team to the next level of tournament play. In most cases, this league may not have ever advanced this far before. Your support and encouragement would be invaluable to them because you are probably more aware of what will be happening at the next level of play. At this point, you should become their biggest fan and be available for any help they may need to make things easier for them. 8

9 Exhibit A Tournament Credentials Committee Guidelines (1) Each league shall be entitled to enter either its local league champion or a team chosen from the entire league as its tournament team in each age division. (2) Tournament team affidavits must consist of twelve (12) players, a team manager and two coaches and each tournament team must begin each level of tournament play with a full roster of players and coaches. (3) Alternates are not recognized as part of a tournament team and their participation in any tournament team activity is not authorized by Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. (4) Only players who have played in a minimum of eleven (11) of their local league games shall be eligible for tournament competition, with the exception that the state director shall be empowered to rule a player eligible, for good reason, even though the player has not played in the nine (9) games. (5) All players on a majors or O Zone tournament team may be 12 years of age, if desired. The maximum age for players on minor league tournament teams shall be league age ten (10) for AAA division, eight (8) for AA division and six (6) for A division. Any player of league age ten (10) and under who was registered on a major league team during the regular season shall be eligible to participate on the AAA (9 10) tournament team. (6) Any player chosen for a major tournament team may only participate on that team and will not be eligible for participation on a minor tournament team. Under no circumstances can a player be listed on more than one Dixie Youth tournament team during the same year. (7) Only managers, assistant managers or coaches during the regular league season shall be eligible to manage or coach a tournament team, and they shall be registered on their regular season team player rosters as filed with the district and state directors. The state director shall be empowered to grant exceptions to this rule. (8) Sub district, district and state directors and members of the National Board of Directors shall not be eligible to manage or coach a tournament team. 9

10 Tournament Player Affidavit (1) Dixie Youth Baseball shall mail tournament affidavit forms to each league. These affidavit forms shall be completed for each tournament team and delivered to the District Director at the District Credentials Meeting prior to the first tournament game. Each tournament team manager shall have the original of this tournament affidavit, properly completed, at all tournament games. (2) Prior to the District Credentials Meeting, the president of each league shall check all birth records of players whose names appear on the tournament affidavit. The name of the players on the affidavit shall be exactly the same as the name on the birth record. (3) Credentials Committee In addition to the tournament affidavit each team manager shall have a birth record and medical release form for each player whose name appears on the affidavit. The affidavit, medical release form and the birth records shall be publicly inspected and approved by a credentials committee composed of three members, one of whom may be the tournament director, and this public inspection shall be at least one week (seven days) prior to the first sub district or district game. All teams shall be notified of the credentials meeting by the district director or the tournament director at least one week prior to the inspection. This requirement shall be for sub district and district play only. (4) Teams failing to be present at the district credentials meeting with the player affidavit, birth records and medical release form shall forfeit their right to compete in tournament play. Teams shall have a birth record and medical release form at this meeting for each player listed on the player affidavit. In the event a team does not have a birth record for a player at this meeting, the player for whom there is no birth record shall be ineligible to play in the sub district or district tournament. (5) The state or district director shall be empowered, however, to make exceptions to the seven day inspection rule for hardship cases. A player whose birth record is not accepted by the credentials committee at the inspection meeting shall have the opportunity of submitting another birth record to the committee on the evening prior to the first tournament game at a time and place set by the tournament director. Player affidavits may be corrected for spelling, typographical errors, nicknames, etc. at either of the two meetings of the credentials committee. Players whose birth records are not accepted by the credentials committee at either of the two meetings shall be ineligible for all games in the sub district and district tournaments. There shall be no appeal. A team using a player not approved by the credentials committee shall be disqualified from the tournament pursuant to Rule XI, Section (D), of Rules for Tournament Play. (6) A copy of the tournament team affidavit shall be mailed to the Commissioner s office immediately following approval by the credentials committee. This copy must be received by the DYB Commissioner before the first tournament game may begin. (7) Where separate district credentials meetings are held for each division s sub district tournament, the credentials committee shall inspect the player affidavits and birth records of all the tournament teams in the respective division at the same time. There shall be a credentials meeting for each division in the district. All credentials meetings within a district may be held at the same time. (8) The state director or tournament director shall set the date and time for the inspection of the tournament team affidavits and birth records for teams competing in state tournaments, and this time shall be at least three hours prior to the first game of the tournament. Teams not complying with this rule shall be subject to disqualification from tournament play. 10

11 (9) With the exception of the host team, the actual birth certificates may not be inspected at the Dixie Youth World Series. Instead, each state director may sign the player affidavit of his state s representative team in the Dixie Youth World Series signifying that he or his representative has personally inspected the birth records of the players and found them to be in order. The player affidavit and birth records of the host team shall be inspected by the National Board of Directors. No protest shall be allowed at the Dixie Youth World Series on the basis of eligibility because of age unless the protest is substantiated by actual evidence accepted by the Board of Directors as proof of an age violation. (10) Dixie Youth Baseball directs all tournament directors and credentials committee members to accept one of the following as proof of age: (a) Birth certificate issued by a government agency which has a raised or affixed seal and is accepted as legal proof of age. (b) Hospital certificate issued at birth. (c) Baptismal certificate issued within six years after birth which shows actual date of birth. NOTE: A photo static copy of one of the above certificates, which has a notarized statement on the document stating that it is an exact and true copy of the original, signed by the parent or legal guardian may be accepted. (d) Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc., Certification of Birth Record properly completed, inspected, signed and stamped by a Dixie Youth district, state or national director or the Commissioner. (11) Adopted children going by a name other than that which appears on the birth record shall furnish an affidavit of the adoption or name change and a copy of the affidavit shall be attached to the birth record. Players not legally adopted but using a name other than that which appears on the birth record shall be eligible provided a notarized statement of this fact is made before a probate judge or clerk of court or their equivalent and the statement is attached to the birth record with the signature and seal of the probate or clerk of court. (12) No protest shall be allowed after the inspection by the credentials committee without absolute proof of fraud. The burden of proof shall be upon the protesting party. In the event proof of fraud is found and accepted by the credentials committee or on a protest, Rule XI, Section (E), will apply. (13) Players who are unable to furnish an approved birth record shall be entitled to mail other documents of proof of age to the Commissioner, who shall be empowered to issue a certificate in lieu of an actual birth record. (14) Players, managers and coaches listed on a tournament team affidavit SHALL NOT participate on any other baseball teams nor participate as a team in any non Dixie Youth tournament during the time their team is participating in a Dixie Youth sanctioned tournament. Dual participation is not allowed during this period and all players, managers and coaches listed on a tournament team affidavit must cease participation on any other teams at the same time they are participating in a DYB tournament. EXCEPTION: Any player who is eligible to be a named a replacement player on a tournament team roster shall not be subject to this rule until he is approved as a replacement player on a tournament team roster. PENALTY: Any player, manager or coach who violates the above rule shall be removed from their DYB tournament team roster immediately. 11

12 Exhibit B PROTEST AND APPEAL PROCEDURES (THESE RULES COMPLETELY REPLACE THE REGULAR SEASON PROTEST RULES.) XI. Protests & Protest Appeals (A) Only the team manager or the acting team manager shall be entitled to file a protest relating to any rule or regulation which applies to the 7 8, 9 10 and age divisions during any tournament game or between games if permitted by rule. (B) Protests shall be made only on a misinterpretation of a rule published in the current edition of the Official Rules & Regulations of Dixie Youth Baseball Inc., including but not limited to, provisions for the ineligibility of a player or players, an illegal substitution, an illegal pitcher or failure to comply with the participation requirement. A protest which clearly requires an umpire s judgment shall not be accepted by the tournament director. (C) All protests of rule violations, except protests of an ineligible player, an illegal pitcher or failure to comply with the participation requirement, must be made to the umpire in chief immediately after the occurrence of the violation and before another pitched ball is thrown to a batter. The umpire in chief shall discuss any disputed ruling with any umpire involved in the play and/or may consult with umpires not involved in the play to determine if the ruling, in their opinion, was in accordance with Dixie Youth Baseball Inc. Rules and Regulations. (D) The umpire in chief shall explain the disputed rule to each team manager and specify whether the ruling decision will stand or be reversed. If either team manager does not agree with the umpire s explanation of the ruling, the umpire in chief shall refer the protest to the tournament director. NOTE: Either manager has the right to put his team in the dugout and refuse to continue play if the umpire in chief does not refer any protest to the tournament director. (E) AFTER THE COMPLETION OF A GAME, THERE SHALL BE NO PROTEST REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A PROTEST ON ELIGIBILITY AS PRESCRIBED BY TOURNAMENT RULE XI (H) OR THE FAILURE OF A TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING PROTEST APPEALS. NOTE: A game shall not be considered as complete until opposing managers have an opportunity to make a protest on a game ending play or failure to comply with the participation requirement. Fifteen minutes shall be considered sufficient time for the fulfillment of this rule. (F) When the official scorer or other officials have knowledge of a potential illegal substitution of a player or use of an illegal pitcher, they should advise the manager of the violating team. However, after the violation occurs, no one shall call attention to the violation except the opposing manager. (G) ILLEGAL PITCHER If an illegal pitcher enters the game, or becomes illegal after entering the game, this is a continuing violation and may be protested at any time during its continuation prior to the completion of the game. PENALTY: If protested during the game, the illegal pitcher shall be removed from the mound and the offended team shall have the choice of replaying the game from the point where the illegal pitcher entered the game to pitch or became illegal after entering the game or continue from the point where the illegal pitcher is 12

13 removed from the game. If, in the opinion of the tournament director, the violation was intentional, the tournament team manager shall be disqualified from further tournament play. (H) INELIGIBLE PLAYER All protests based on ineligibility of a player shall be filed with the tournament director before either of the teams involved in the game in question has played any portion of another game. EXCEPTIONS: (1) A protest of eligibility based on other than age or participation on another baseball tournament team while a player s DYB tournament team remains in tournament competition must be presented to the tournament director prior to the beginning of each level of tournament play. PENALTY: If, in the opinion of the tournament director, there is no WILLFUL VIOLATION of eligibility rules and, upon actual proof of violation, the tournament director shall disqualify the player from further tournament play. However, if, in the opinion of the tournament director, there is any WILLFUL VIOLATION of eligibility rules and upon actual proof of violation, the tournament director shall forfeit the last game played by the team and the team shall be disqualified from tournament play. (2) A protest of eligibility based on age or participation on another baseball tournament team while a player s DYB tournament team remains in tournament competition may be made at any time while the player remains in DYB tournament competition. PENALTY: The penalty shall be the immediate removal of the player from his/her DYB tournament team roster and disqualification from tournament play. (See Tournament Rule IV(C)). (I) INELIGIBLE MANAGER/COACH Any tournament team manager or coach who violates Tournament Rule IV(C) will be removed from his DYB tournament team immediately. 13

14 PROTEST APPEAL PROCEDURE If either of the team managers does not agree with the Tournament Director s decision, an appeal may be made to the State Director before the next pitch is thrown to a batter. (J) PROTEST APPEAL PROCEDURES (1) Appeals of protest decisions in AA, AAA, Majors or O Zone tournament games may be carried to the Tournament Director, the State Director and up to the Commissioner if so desired but play may not resume until a decision is accepted by both managers or the appeal process is exhausted. Failure to get a final decision through proper appeals before the next pitch is thrown to a batter or before a play is made on a runner will forfeit the right for any further appeal by either team manager. (2) As provided in Tournament Rule XI(D), the Umpire In Chief shall refer any protest to the Tournament Director who may interview the umpires or the team managers before making a decision. After the Tournament Director renders a decision, either manager can request an appeal to the State Director. (3) The Tournament Director ONLY shall be permitted to call the State Director. The State Director may interview the Tournament Director, the umpires or the team managers before making a decision. After the State Director renders his decision, either manager can request the State Director to appeal to the Commissioner. (4) The Commissioner of Dixie Youth Baseball shall be called ONLY by the State Director for a FINAL DECISION on any appeal of a State Director's decision. The Commissioner may reserve the right to speak with the Tournament Director, any umpire in the game or any team manager before making his decision. The Commissioner's decision will be communicated only to the State Director who will inform the Tournament Director. (5) After a ruling by the Commissioner of Dixie Youth Baseball, no further appeals can be made and play must continue immediately. (6) No appeal shall be accepted by any Tournament Director or State Director or by the Commissioner in tournament competition on the grounds of a violation of local league rules during regular season play and this shall include population or boundary violations. (7) There shall be no appeal of any protest occurring during an A (T Ball) Division tournament beyond the District Director unless otherwise provided in an individual state s constitution and bylaws. (8) Appeals will be allowed only if presented exactly according to the above procedures. Team managers may only request an appeal. Managers cannot present appeals directly to these officials. All officials will be available to receive protest appeals during the tournament season. 14