General Rules

1. 1.a

   Each player must meet the criteria of the "Approved Player Combination” chart shown below. All players must affiliate with MSBL/MABL. For National/American cross-over games, American rules apply.

   Father Designation	Son Designation
   Father	Son/Step Son/Son-in-law
   Grandfather	Grandson
   Uncle (50 yrs+)	Nephew (limit: 2 / team)
   Son (50 yrs+)	Uncle (49 yrs-)

2. 1.b

   Fathers and Sons must each pitch 4 complete innings (12 outs) of each 8 or 9 inning game; 3 complete innings (9 outs) of each 7 inning game; and 2 complete innings (6 outs) of each legal 5/6 inning game.

3. 1.c

   All leagues are encouraged to use official Rawlings MSBL baseballs: RMSBL or RMSBL-N. Each team should bring a minimum of 3 balls to each game. Only balls provided by the local league will be permitted.

4. 1.d

   Wood and metal bats are allowed and both will be permitted for all tournaments. The maximum bat differential established by the National organization is a minus 3 for any type of metal or aluminum bat. If a player uses a bat exceeding this differential and a protest is made, the offending batter will be declared an out.

5. 1.e

   Metal cleats are permitted.

 Eligibility

1. 2.a

   A person on scholarship to play baseball, or playing baseball at any level while attending college is considered a "college player”. (This includes a person who is attending college and is playing "fall ball”, is playing on a "JV” squad, or is trying out for a college team). "Ex-Pro” means anyone who has ever played professional baseball from level A and up. A "player” is a person who has 4 plate appearances or pitches 1 inning (3 outs) in round robin play. (This may affect the eligibility of an "impact” player and their related father/son(s) in the playoffs. An "impact” player is a recruited dominant player. Obvious injury may negate this requirement). "Daughter” and "Niece”, etc. can be substituted for "Son” and "Nephew”.

2. 2.b

   Waiver Consideration: College player waivers will be granted on the player’s baseball history (position, previous level of play (High School/Legion/other/etc), baseball awards, prior MSBL tournament divisions, team roster size, prior team won-loss record in Father/Son Tournament, etc. Include this information with waiver request, or request will be denied.

3. 2.c

   "College players” may play in the American or National Divisions without a waiver. College players may not play in the Central Division without a waiver. To obtain a waiver for a college player to play in the Central Division, the manager must obtain approval from Father/Son commissioner, Val Lewis (vallewis@surewest.net), prior to the Tournament.

   1. a

      Penalty: Forfeiture.

4. 2.d

   College players may only pitch in the National Division without a waiver. To obtain a waiver for a college player to pitch in the American Division, the manager must obtain approval from Father/Son commissioner, Val Lewis (vallewis@surewest.net), prior to the Tournament. (See definition of "college player” below).

   1. a.

      Penalty: Forfeiture.

5. 2.e

   "Ex-Pro” players under 60 yrs may only play/pitch in the American or National Divisions. "Ex-Pro” players under 50 yrs may only pitch in the National Division.

   1. a.

      Penalty: Forfeiture.

6. 2.f

   Sons must be 16 years of age prior to the first day of the tournament. Non-roster persons may not play in the tournament.

   1. a.

      Penalty: Disqualification from playoffs.

7. 2.g

   Uncles or Sons 50 years of age or older qualify to play as "Fathers”. Uncles 49 years and under must play as "Sons”. All players who played as "Fathers” in 2005 or later may continue to play as "Fathers”. Uncles and Nephews do not qualify as "related” fathers/sons under the exception rule explained below. "Players” who have a son and father "playing” in the tournament will select to play either as a "father” or as a "son” according to the tournament fee schedule.

 Offensive Batting and Batting Orders

1. 3.a

   15 players must complete an at-bat in every scheduled 9 inning game, and 12 players in a scheduled 7 inning game.

   1. a.

      Exception: For two competing teams, with one or both teams consisting of fewer than 15 available players, the batting requirement will be equal to the size of the smallest available roster at the start of the game.

   2. b.

      Penalty: Forfeiture if not corrected after Managers/Umpire confer just prior to the start of 7th inning
      
      Note: If a team pitches the first 4 innings of a scheduled 9 inning game with just "fathers" or with just "sons", and then switch to the other designation for the next 4 innings (or to the remainder of the game), the game cannot be declared a forfeit due to a shortened game. If the game does go 9 innings, the ninth inning may be pitched by either "fathers" or "sons".

2. 3.b

   No more than 2 sons may bat consecutively. Ten minimum batting order slots required. Batters must use bats with a wood or composite hitting surface only.

3. 3.c

   The tournament will use the "Shared Position” to enter two players in any offensive batting order position. Offensive substitution is unlimited for players sharing the same spot in the batting order once they are placed there (i.e., a batter and a runner for that batter may occupy the same position in the offensive lineup; neither player may appear in any other offensive lineup slot. Shared position must be Father/Father or Son/Son). A shared position in the offensive batting order may be initiated at any time, at the manager’s discretion. Managers must notify opposing manager when players in shared-batting order positions are being switched. There are no courtesy runners. Use shared lineup position. A player batting in a "shared” slot may vacate and substitute for an injured player who does not have a "shared” spot, without penalty of an out.

4. 3.d

   Pinch runners replace batters in the batting order. Sons may not run or pinch run for fathers

5. 3.e

   An out will be assessed if an injured father is unable to bat in his designated batting position, and there is no available father to bat in his place, resulting in 3 sons batting consecutively.

   1. a.

      Exception: A father batting in a "shared” slot may vacate that spot and substitute for an injured father batter who does not have a "shared” spot, without penalty of an out.

 Defense

1. 4.a

   There must be a minimum of 4 fathers on defense at all times.

   1. a.

      Exception: There may be fewer than 4 fathers on defense if the defense is made up of "related” fathers and sons as shown on the chart above (first two categories only). If the "related” father/son combinations add up to 8 players, the ninth player must be a father.

High School Division

 General Rules

1. 1.a

   Each player must meet the criteria of the "Approved Player Combination” chart shown below. High Schools in a local community can combine players to fill out a team. There must be a minimum of 6 fathers on each team (no maximum requirement), and each father (excluding the coaches) must be related to one of the high school players as shown above. It is not a requirement for each high school player to have a related "Father Designated Player” on the team.

   Father Designation	Son Designation
   Father	High School Player (age: 16+)
   Grandfather
   Uncle (limit: 2 / team)
   High School Coaches(limit: 2 / team. age: 35+)

2. 1.b

   Fathers and Sons must each pitch 4 complete innings (12 outs) of each 8 or 9 inning game; 3 complete innings (9 outs) of each 7 inning game; and 2 complete innings (6 outs) of each legal 5/6 inning game.

 Eligibility

1. 2.a

   "Ex-Pro” fathers under 60 yrs may only play/pitch in the American or National Divisions. "Ex-Pro” fathers under 50 yrs may only pitch in the National Division. "Ex-Pro" fathers can play in any Division.

   1. a.

      Penalty: Forfeiture.

2. 2.b

   Sons must be 16 years of age prior to the first day of the tournament. Non-roster persons may not play in the tournament.

   1. a.

      Penalty: Disqualification from playoffs.

 Offensive Batting and Batting Orders

1. 3.a

   15 players must complete an at-bat in every scheduled 9 inning game, and 12 players in a scheduled 7 inning game.

   1. a.

      Exception: For two competing teams, with one or both teams consisting of fewer than 15 available players, the batting requirement will be equal to the size of the smallest available roster at the start of the game.

   2. b.

      Penalty: Forfeiture if not corrected after Managers/Umpire confer just prior to the start of 7th inning
      
      Note: If a team pitches the first 4 innings of a scheduled 9 inning game with just "fathers" or with just "sons", and then switch to the other designation for the next 4 innings (or to the remainder of the game), the game cannot be declared a forfeit due to a shortened game. If the game does go 9 innings, the ninth inning may be pitched by either "fathers" or "sons".

2. 3.b

   No more than 2 sons may bat consecutively. Ten minimum batting order slots required. Batters must use bats with a wood or composite hitting surface only.

3. 3.c

   The tournament will use the "Shared Position” to enter two players in any offensive batting order position. Offensive substitution is unlimited for players sharing the same spot in the batting order once they are placed there (i.e., a batter and a runner for that batter may occupy the same position in the offensive lineup; neither player may appear in any other offensive lineup slot. Shared position must be Father/Father or Son/Son). A shared position in the offensive batting order may be initiated at any time, at the manager’s discretion. Managers must notify opposing manager when players in shared-batting order positions are being switched. There are no courtesy runners. Use shared lineup position. A player batting in a "shared” slot may vacate and substitute for an injured player who does not have a "shared” spot, without penalty of an out.

4. 3.d

   Pinch runners replace batters in the batting order. Sons may not run or pinch run for fathers.

5. 3.e

   An out will be assessed if an injured father is unable to bat in his designated batting position, and there is no available father to bat in his place, resulting in 3 sons batting consecutively.

   1. a.

      Exception: A father batting in a "shared” slot may vacate that spot and substitute for an injured father batter who does not have a "shared” spot, without penalty of an out.

 Defense

1. 4.a

   There must be a minimum of 4 fathers on defense at all times.