2007 London Wiffleball Rules

All rules used in Major League Baseball's League will adhered to with the following exceptions:

1. Sportsmanship - All teams engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct will be removed from the tournament IMMEDIATELY at the discretion of the commissioners!

2. Umpiring - All calls are final!! (All close plays are outs giving fielders advantage ruling)

3. Equipment - All bats used in league play must be regulation, yellow WIFFLE bat.  They may not be altered in any way, however they may have plastic tape on the handle.  Aluminum WIFFLE bats are not allowed.  Balls will be WIFFLE baseball size.  No steel cleats will be worn on the playing field. (Plastic cleats are allowed.)

4. Rosters - An official game will be four-on-four.  All teams must have no less than three players and no more than six players on their rosters.  Each team shall have 3 or less players on the field to compete.   No roster changes without the commissioners approval.

5. Players in a game - Teams unable to field two players from their original roster, at any time, for any reason, will forfeit any games until able to field at least two players from the original roster. "Yes, you can play with only 3 players at anytime without any penalty".

6. Substitutions - Substitutions may be made, you can rotate or shuffle players defensively throughout the game, ie.. (5 or 6 player rosters).  But you cannot change the starting batting order.  If a player suffers a tournament-ending injury, the last player out may re-enter the game.  One (DH) may be used in your lineup. This person can bat for anyone on your team.  (Example your DH could bat for your pitcher for the entire game.)  Also you can bat 3, 4, 5, or 6 players on your roster at any given time but you must stay with the same lineup throughout each game.  No subbing players in and out of any current lineup during a game. (The commish will make all final decisions on Injury substitutions.)

7. Pitching - (Underhand Style) All pitches must be slow and have an arc on them. No sidearm pitching will be allowed.  The batter may ask the pitcher to slow the pitches down. Balks are legal.  The pitcher must have one foot on the rubber when the ball has been released.  The legal arc range for strikes falls between 3ft and 10ft.  The strike zone is the orange wood plate behind home plate.  Balls meeting arc criteria that hit the orange plate will be called a strike.  No sidearm pitching is allowed. "Flat Pitching" is illegal and will not be tolerated..."  Pitchers doing this will be asked only 3 times per game and the umpire has the right to change that teams pitcher with one of its other players.

8. At bats - There will be no balls or walks.  Batters may strike out swinging or by called 3rd strike.  Batters may choose not to swing at any pitch.  Hit batters will not advance.

9. Intentional Walks - Their are NO intentional walks.

10. Pitcher's Hand - All force plays on the lead runner may be made to the pitcher, who may be anywhere in the pitcher's circle (Designated as "Pitchers Poison")  The runner may also be put out by any legal play at a base.  For example, a ground ball to third, fielded and thrown to the pitcher standing within the pitcher's circle, would result in a force play at any base.  The force play is assumed to be the lead runner unless a clearly audible change is called by the pitcher.

11. The infield fly rule - Remains in effect.  The infield is defined as the area between straight lines drawn directly from home plate to 1st to 2nd to 3rd and back to home.  

12. Stealing or Leading Off - Base runners may not lead off from any base.  Nor, may they steal at any time.  Runners may leave their base only after the batter makes contact with the ball.

13. Pegging - Fielders may throw the ball at runners ONLY from 3rd to home.  Runners struck below the neck will be out.  Unnecessary force will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and is possible grounds for dismissal from the tournament.

14. Runner/ ball contact - Base runners hit with a batted ball within fair territory will be called out.

15. Home Runs - All fair balls hit over the designated homerun fence will be homeruns!

16. Regulation Game - A regulation game will consist of five innings.

17. Mercy Rule - If at the end of the home team's third inning a team leads by 15 runs or more, the game will be over. (Their are no Run Rules in the Double Elimination Tournament Games)

18. Slow Play - Wind or Slow play may cause games to run long.  The commissioner may, at his discretion, shorten the games by informing the captains that the game being played will end at the end of any inning after the third.

19.  Defense - On the field you must have a pitcher and you can field a catcher if desired.  Your other 3 fielders can play any position on the playing field.

20.  No Sliding - Their will be no sliding into any base.  If someone slides they will be called OUT automatically.

Wiffleball Field Regulations:

Home to 1st Base 50 feet

Home to 2nd Base 68 feet

Home to 3rd Base 45 Feet

Pitchers Mound 22ft away from home plate.

Pitcher Poison 5ft circle radius.

Dead Ball area 7ft line in front of home plate.