Important Dates and Deadlines 2023 Season
The official American Legion Baseball rules are allowed to be changed every two years. It was a rule change year in 2022. The official American Legion Baseball rules as adopted by the National Americanism Commission for 2022 apply to the Department of New Hampshire with the following additions: Changes from the 2022 rules will be in bold blue text..
1. Each team MUST have a Red Cross-approved First Aid Kit in the dugout at all tryouts, practices, and games.The penalty shall be a $100.00 fine for each violation if a team is in need of a first aid kit and they do not have one and this event is reported to the Chairman, Umpire in Chief or one of the committee members.
2. No one will be allowed in the dugout unless in uniform and this includes the scorekeeper. REMINDER - Per ALB Rule, all teams must have a legion baseball patch on their jerseys on either left shoulder or left breast for all regular season games and tournament games. All coaches must also have a patch on any game pullover.
3. The Department Baseball Committee must approve a team sponsorship prior to a team participating in the New Hampshire American Legion Baseball program.
a. The Department of New Hampshire American Legion Baseball Program will be structured by "Plan B" recruiting only and all teams must be sponsored by an active legion post located in NH.
b. No Firm or Company whose advertisement reflects the sale or use of alcoholic beverages, or tobacco products shall be permitted to display such advertising on team uniforms.
4. Dual Rostered Players: There is no national rule for the number of players a team may dual roster. It is up to the individual state to adopt its own policy.
This NH rule is as follows and was amended and adopted on 3/12/23.
Teams may dual roster up to five (5) players as long the remaining team(s) rosters do not fall below eleven (11) rostered players.
So, teams who dual roster 5 players cannot carry less than a total of 16 players on their rosters (prep, junior, senior).
5A. Form 76 Transfer Rule: There are no exceptions to the Form 76 transfer rule for either the prep, junior or senior program. The rule as listed in the American Legion Rule Book will be strictly enforced.
5B. Form 77 Team Declaration Form: According to the national rule book, a Form 77 is only good for one year. Once it is signed by a player, then it is good until December 31st of that year. A legion program is allowed to make their own rule if is it stricter than the national rule. Therefore the NH rule for a Form 77 will be as follows. Once a player chooses a team from his school or domicile, he signs a Form 77 as a new player to that junior or senior team. That player is restricted to that team for his entire playing eligibility on that junior or senior team. If a player is released or cut by that team, then that player will be allowed to try-out for another team that is nearest his parent's domicile.
6a. Player Eligibility: Players born in 2005 or 2004, must play in the Senior Legion Baseball program. Players (age 12 and under) born in 2011 and after are not eligible to play American Legion Baseball. Players born in 2003 or before are no longer eligible to play American Legion Baseball. See 2023 Eligibility Chart.
6b. New - Player Recruiting Total: (ALB Rule 3 and 4) Combined total enrollment of high schools cannot exceed 7,500 for 10th, 11th and 12th grades.
6c. Players Per Team: In cases of a season ending injury, a player may be replaced on the National Form #1 prior to the end of regular season play with the department baseball chairman approval and with proper supporting medical doctor's note and documents.
6d. Tryouts - Formal Roster and Cuts: This rule was voted upon by our baseball committee and vote was unanimous. It was added to our rules on 9/21/23. The rule is as follows: Tryouts, Formal Rosters and Cuts - Once a team has tryouts and they have rostered the amount of players they plan to roster up to 18, then a list shall be created of those players who were cut* with their names, addresses, phone number, email address and birth date. This list shall be forwarded to the baseball Chairman. The Chairman shall forward this list to the next closest team so that team will be made aware of these players. This process shall continue until each player finds a team or decides that they do not want to participate in Legion baseball.
*Note: Every player that is cut from a legion team roster, that is, the roster that is entered onto the official Form 1 roster on-line shall be on that cut list. Players cannot be held on a team to be eligible for Tournament Rosters and not be allowed to try out for another legion baseball team for official legion baseball district play.
7. There shall be two (2) umpires hired for all District games. If only (1) umpire is available, the Game may be played. (NOTE: Refer to 9.03 of the Official Baseball Rules):
a. Umpires hired for District games shall be members of the NH American Legion Baseball Umpires Association.
b. For Senior games, the minimum fee of $90.00 shall be paid to each umpire for each game assigned. For Junior games, the minimum fee of $80.00 shall be paid to each umpire for each game assigned. For Prep games, the minimum fee of$70.00 shall be paid to each umpire for each game assigned.
c. Non-members of the NHALBUA can be hired for non-district games. The parties involved determine fees for these umpires.
d. If an Umpire gets to a game and the game is cancelled by a rain-out before the first pitch, the Umpire will be paid a fee of $25.00. Umpires are to be paid in full by the forfeiting team for games forfeited less than two hours prior to schedule start time. If a team forfeits a game more than two hours before that game starts, the forfeiting team will pay umpires $50.00 each. If the game is forfeited and the umpires have already arrived at game site, they will be paid the full umpire amount by the forfeiting team. Umpires will also receive a $25 fee to re-start a suspended game and $10 per inning thereafter not to exceed fee of minimum amount for each program.
8. Umpires have the authority to eject players, coaches, or managers from a game for malicious, flagrant, or un-sportsmanlike conduct. Umpire has to call one of the three supervisors of umpires the day or night, it occurs. Supervisors of Umpires will notify the team, if the participant ejected will or will not coach or play the next District Game. If the team is not notified, the player, coach, or manager may participate in the next District Game.
GAME RULES NH PROGRAMS 9. Pitching Rules: Adopted for the 2022 (Minor changes made in wording) Regular Season and All Tournament Play. Please see link on the front-page of our website.
10. The Designated Hitter Rule: The DH Rule is allowed in NH American Legion Baseball. Refer to Rule 6.10 of the Official Baseball Rules. If you use the designated hitter, it must be for the pitcher only for the junior and senior program.
11. 10-Run Rule: All regular season games, playoff games and department tournament games for the Prep, Junior and Senior Program will utilize a 10-Run Rule after five (5) innings, unless the home team is ahead by 10 runs or more after 4-1/2 innings. There is no 10-Run Rule in a prep game which is five (5) innings.
12A. Re-Entry Rule Juniors & Seniors: The NH Legion Baseball Program will utilize the re-entry rule for the regular season only.The rule as stated: Any of the starting players may be withdrawn and re-enter once, including a player who was the designated hitter, provided such player occupies the same batting position whenever he is in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may NOT re-enter.
12B. Courtesy Runners Rule - Courtesy Runners NOT ALLOWED for the junior and senior programs.
13. RULE 4:05 COMMENT: Coaches Box Understanding: It has been common practice for many years for some coaches to put one foot outside the coach's box or stand astride or otherwise be slightly outside the coaching box lines. Until a batted ball passes a coach, a coach is not permitted to position himself closer to home plate than the coach's box nor closer to fair territory than the coach's box. Otherwise, a coach shall not be considered out of the box unless the opposing manager complains, in which case the umpire shall strictly enforce the rule and require all coaches (on both teams) to remain in the coach's box at all times.
14. Lightening Safety: There is a nation rule for lightning safety (Rule 1-O). Please see our NH rules for game suspensions with regards to this rule.
Suspended Game Rules
A regular season game that has officially started and is halted due to weather or darkness will be considered suspended before it becomes a legal game.
A legal game is a game that game has to go 4.5 innings if the home team is ahead or 5 complete innings if away team is ahead, the home team would get last at bat to try and win.
If a game does become legal and in subsequent innings the game is halted due to weather or darkness, the following criteria will be used:
1. If the game is halted and the inning is complete and another inning has not started, the game considered over. If the score stands tied, that game would continue as a suspended game.
2. If a new inning has started and the away team scores no runs and has recorded three outs and then game is halted, if home team is ahead, the game stands as complete. If the game is tied and the away team scores a run or runs to go ahead in that 1/2 inning, then the game is halted, that game is suspended at that point and has to be completed.
The rules not specified in State Rules will be covered by National Rules or the Official Baseball Rule Book as published by the Sporting News.
REGULAR SEASON GAME RULES PREP PROGRAM 1. Prep Pitching Rule: The prep program will follow the Pitch Smart Pitching Rule listed in the ALB Rule Book.
2. Bat Rule: The prep program will follow the ALB bat rule that is listed in the ALB Rule Book.
3. Batting Line-up: During the regular season a prep team will be allowed to: Bat nine players with a Designated Hitter following MLB Rules, Bat ten players using an EH, Bat all their players who are in attendance for that particular game. Once a type of batting order is chosen at the beginning of a game, that choice cannot change. In all the above cases, a batting order cannot change.
4. Game Length: When playing a double header involving the same two teams, the first game will be 7 innings and the second game will be 5 innings. If a team plays two different teams in the same day, both those games will be 7 innings.
5. Positioning of Players: The prep program will allow free defensive substitutions during a game. Once a pitcher is removed during a game, he can go to another position but cannot return to pitch. We would also advise that a pitcher would not play the position of catcher the day he also pitches.
Rule Revisions: Once our prep tournament starts, it will follow all NH, ALB and MLB rules as written. No exceptions to those rules will be allowed.
EQUIPMENT RULES 15. Bat Rule: The senior, junior and prep program will follow the ALB bat rule that is listed in the ALB Rule Book. This rule was changed by a unanimous baseball committee vote on September 11, 2023.
16. Baseball Rules: Approved baseballs must have a legion certification stamp on it. Link to approved legion brand baseballs.
17. Coaching Helmet Rule: Coaches must wear a helmet to be on the field. A hard helmet is required; "Skullies" are allowed to be worn by an adult base coach. Baseball hat inserts are NOT permitted. If a coach comes out to his coaching position without a helmet (as if to begin an inning), the umpire should direct the coach to put on a helmet immediately. If the coach does not immediately move to comply with the umpire's direction, the individual is to be ejected from the game. If a player is utilized as a base coach, that player must wear a helmet that contains ear flaps. A player cannot wear a "skullie" - hard helmet with no ear flaps" while coaching any base.
18. Field Conditions: Although there is no rule for conditions of playing fields, the respect of our legion baseball program as well as all the teams playing in our program should come into play for each and every game. All NH teams should make a great effort for maintaining a respectable field for playing our games. Fields should be mowed, raked and lined for every one on our legion games. Please make an attempt this year to take this into consideration. Thanks, The Baseball Committee.
19. Home Team Commitments - Umpires and Baseballs - Which ever team hosts two games of a three game regular season series, that team will assume the responsibility of paying for umpires for both games and also providing baseballs for both games. If these two teams want to make adjustments to this rule, the discussion to do so MUST TAKE PLACE when the games are scheduled. If teams decide to make a different arrangement for umpire payments (and baseballs) for these two games, the away team MUST BRING A FORM OF PAYMENT TO THAT GAME. If teams are just playing a home and away two game regular season schedule but they are playing both games at one location, each team must have one home game and be responsible for providing baseballs for that game and also pay for the umpires for that game.
II
PROTESTS1. Protests of official baseball rule interpretations during actual game conditions must be filed with the chief umpire before the next legal pitched ball is thrown from the pitching mound or an out made.
2. A written protest (using the Protest Form) must be sent within 24 hours to the Protest Committee Chairman, District Director, and Department Baseball Chairman.
3. The Protest Committee Chairman will send the written decision to the Team manager with copies to the District Director and Department Baseball Chairman.
4. Player eligibility protests will be filed in writing, be specific and include positive written proof of the circumstances and presented to the DISTRICT DIRECTOR with a copy to the DEPARTMENT BASEBALL CHAIRMAN. The DISTRICT DIRECTOR will resolve the protest allowing an appeal of his decision to the DEPARTMENT BASEBALL CHAIRMAN.
5. Any player found to be ineligible shall be disqualified. Any and all games said player participated in shall be forfeited.
6. Any appeal or rule interpretations to National Headquarters, the National Director, or the National Appeals Board must be routed through the Department Baseball Chairman. Any individual or team, either directly or indirectly, that contacts such higher authority without the permission of the DEPARTMENT BASEBALL CHAIRMAN SHALL BE SUSPENDED from participation in the New Hampshire American Legion Baseball Program for a period of time as determined by the DEPARTMENT BASEBALL COMMITTEE.
III
FORFEITS AND MAKE-UP GAMES1. District Games will take precedent over non-district games in rescheduling of un-played games. A player that is on the Form#1 and not on the lineup up card is eligible to play that game or any makeup game.
2. Teams must submit a copy of their season baseball schedule (District and Non-District) to the District Director prior to their first scheduled game.
3. District games not played as scheduled due to inclement weather or other reasons, must be rescheduled within 24 hours after the game is called. The Chairman must be notified immediately if a game is cancelled or suspended. This game must be made up on the first open common weekday date of both teams. In the final two weeks of the season, this game must be scheduled on the first open date period, weekend or weekday. If the two teams cannot agree on a rescheduled date within the 24 hours, the Chairman will set the rescheduled date and his decision is final. If the game is not played on the rescheduled date, barring more inclement weather or other reasons, the Chairman will continue to reschedule this game until it is played.
Expenses incurred to play the rescheduled game will be borne by the home team.4. If a team forfeits more than two games in the same season, that teams Baseball Franchise (team in question) status will be brought forward to the Baseball Committee. A penalty of a one year suspension could be voted upon. If a year suspension is voted, this team will be put on probation for the following year. If this team requests reinstatement after that suspended season, they will have to fill out a new team form and address the committee in person with their plans to successfully re-instate that team.
5. In the judgment of the State Chairman, Vice Chairman and Umpire in Chief, if a team does not finish its scheduled District games, all games played by that team will be discounted in the final standings of the District in which the team played. Consideration will be taken into account on how the eliminated games would affect seedings for State Tournament.
IV
NH LEGION EVENTS 2023 - SENIOR, JUNIOR AND PREP STATE TOURNAMENTS and LEGION BASEBALL SHOWCASE1. The New Hampshire State Tournaments (both Junior and Senior) will follow an 8 team straight double-elimination 15 game format. The Prep State Tournament will follow a four team straight double-elimaination 7 game format.
2. The DEPARTMENT BASEBALL COMMITTEE shall select the site and dates for both State Tournaments. The 2023 Senior Tournament will be hosted by The Nashua Friends Of American Legion Baseball. The site will be Holman Stadium, Nashua, NH from Friday July 21st to Tuesday July 25th with rain dates scheduled for July 26th and July 27th. The 2023 Junior Tournament will be held at Gill Stadium - Manchester, NH from Friday July 28th to Sunday August 1st. Rain dates scheduled for August 2nd and August 3rd. It will be hosted by the Department of NH Baseball Committee. The 2023 Prep Tournament will be held at Robbie Mills Park - Laconia, NH from Monday August 7th and Friday August 10th. It will be hosted by the Department of NH Baseball Committee. The fourth annual NH American Legion Baseball Showcase will be held on Tuesday July 18th at Holman Stadium - Nashua, NH. It will be hosted by the Department of NH Baseball Committee.
3. Umpires for the State Tournament will be selected by the Umpire in Chief with approval by the Department Chairman and will be members of the NHALBUA.
4. All prep, Junior and Senior tournament games will be scheduled seven (7) innings. Tournament games interrupted, for whatever reason, will be played to conclusion and retain their place in the tournament schedule.
5. All Prep, Junior and Senior State Tournament games will utilize a 10 Run Rule after 5 innings, unless the home team is ahead by 10 runs or more after 4 1/2 innings.
6. No team will be required to play more than two (2) games in any one-calendar day (State and National Tournament only). Playing day starts at 8:00 A.M..(See National Rule 9J(l),(2),(3).
7.The pitching rule adopted by the American Legion Baseball Program for 2022/2023 shall be in affect for both the prep, junior and senior tournaments.
8. The department senior champion must be determined by Thursday July 29th, 2023. The department junior champion must be determined by Wednesday August 2nd, 2023.
9. For seeding purposes only, teams whose records are the same in the final district standing and are tied for first, second or third place will be determined by:
a. Won and lost record against the team or teams tied with.
b. Won and lost record against the other three teams qualifying for the State Tournament. In a season where there is less than 9 teams in a particular district, winning percentage will be used as a determining factor with this tie-breaker.
c. Least number of runs allowed against team or teams tied within head to head competition.
d. If still tied, a flip will determine seeding.
e. The first and second place seeded teams will have the option of choosing to play as the home or visiting team in their first game of the State Tournament. From Game 5 through Game 15, a coin flip will be used to determine the home team.10. If two or more teams finish in a tie for fourth place, the above tiebreak system will be used until the fourth tiebreak. There will not be a coin flip; there will be play-off game to decide the fourth seed outcome. If 3 teams are tied, after tiebreak's a-c above, a coin flip will decide a bye in game one, and the team receiving the bye will play the winner of the playoff game to decide fourth place.
11. During a State Tournament, any player, coach, or manager suspended from a game by an umpire for un-sportsmanlike conduct must report to the Protest Committee to be reinstated, the Committee will review the request and will make a recommendation to the Department Baseball Chairman. The Department Baseball Chairman's decision is final.
12. Any PLAYER, COACH, or MANAGER ejected by an umpire must leave the ballpark.
13. Any player, coach, or manager who shows any disrespect to the Flag of our country by unnecessary moving, talking, or not removing of hat during the code of sportsmanship and our National Anthem will be warned and a second offense means suspension for the rest of the tournament. This is a National Rule that applies to all National Tournaments.
V
TEAM ENTRY AND CERTIFICATION1. Deadline for team entry into NH American Legion Baseball program is no later than November 1st of the previous year. REQUESTS TO CHANGE BASE SCHOOL for the 2023 season will be no later than February 15, 2023.
2. It is each team's responsibility to see that the National FORM #1 has been filled out on-line. It is MANDATORY that the hard copy FORM #2's have been filled out for each player trying out for your team prior to or at the first team meeting or try-out. A COPY of the FORM 2 for each player that makes your team must be in the hands of the District Director prior to the first District game or not later than June 22, 2023, whichever occurs first. (If a player is dual-rostered, each team must have a FORM #2 in it's possession for that player and also turn in to the proper Director for both the Senior and Junior team that player is playing for).
A copy of each teams full season schedule must also be submitted to the director along with the Form #'2.
REMEMBER, once your Form 1 (Roster) has been filled out and submitted online and and it is approved and forwarded by your district chairman or director, it cannot be changed. It becomes an official document once it is forwarded to the National Legion office.
a. If one team does not comply with this rule prior to their first District Game, the penalty will be a forfeit and the game may not be played.
b. If both teams do not comply with this rule, the Chairman must be Notified within 24 hours and he will reschedule the game.3. Each new first year player's (Prep, Junior or Senior player) birth certificate will accompany the hard copy Form #2. No player may participate in the program until a proper birth certificate has been submitted and accepted by the responsible Department Baseball Committee official. NOTE: Refer to National Rule Book for explanation as to what is proper record of birth to be submitted. (Refer to National Rule 2, E.)
4. The use of the National Form #6 will be mandatory for all players who are participating for another baseball program during our legion baseball season. These forms shall be submitted with each teams other paperwork. This form is available online on our website under the link called Legion Baseball Forms.
5. Proper Certificates of Insurance must be purchased and filled out on-line (Accident and Liability Required), AND THESE CERTIFICATES SHALL BE EFFECTIVE BY THE 1ST DAY OF TRYOUTS.
VI
DISTRICTS1a. Prep, Junior and Senior District games will be scheduled seven (7) inning games. (See prep program exceptions above under game rules).
1b. Doubleheaders: Due to travel expenses and our short season time constraints, doubleheaders will now be allowed under the following rules:Juniors and Seniors: Teams are allowed to schedule doubleheaders consisting of two (7) seven-inning games. Teams are allowed to schedule the same team if you are playing a home and away series with that team or two different teams on the same day. See the prep program rule for double headers under game rules.
2a. Regularly scheduled Senior District games must be completed on or before Saturday, July 15th, 2023
2b. Regularly scheduled Junior District games must be completed on or before Saturday, July 22rd, 2023.
2c. Regularly scheduled Prep District games must be completed on or before Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023.
2d. All teams district schedules shall be completed and emailed to the Chairman for submission to the annual baseball committee meeting held on the first Sunday of every March. Changes to this schedule can be made up until the first allowable day to start our regular season. After that day the only changes that will be allowed will be due to weather or with approval of the Chairman.3. The home team must furnish an approved league baseball for all District games. Approved baseballs must have a legion certification stamp on it. Link to approved legion brand baseballs.
4. The visiting teams will be accorded the courtesy of 1/2 hour delay in the start of a game because of travel and unforeseen delays (i.e., mechanical breakdown, accidents, etc.).
5. The home team must afford the visiting team 30 minutes batting practice starting 1 hour before the scheduled game time. Please be courteous to a visiting team and allow the same batting practice venue (field or cage) that you utilize as a the home team if that visiting team arrives on time.
6. If either team fails to field nine (9) players at the start of the game or during the game, the game will be forfeited and the District Director notified immediately.
7. The Department Baseball Committee will arrange the playoff schedule in the event there are ties for fourth place in the final standing. Finances for tie breaking games will be shared by the teams involved.
VII
TEAM REGISTRATION AGREEMENT1. Every Post that sponsors a Baseball Team shall be required to register their team on-line, enter all their coaches on-line so they can be put through background check procedures and awareness tests, pay their fees and buy their insurance, (all on-line) before they can participate in the Department of New Hampshire American Legion Baseball Program.
2. By completing their team registration agreement on-line, a Post agrees that they will abide by, and comply with, the Rules in place and established by the American Legion.
3. The Department Baseball Chairman will have the authority, with the right of appeal to the Department Baseball Committee, to suspend a registered team for just cause. A Post may not participate further in the Department of New Hampshire American Legion Baseball program when their registration agreement is suspended. Upon appeal to the Department Baseball Committee a simple majority vote of the Baseball Committee is required to suspend or reinstate their registration agreement.
4. Noncompliance of the rules in place, any act that can be classified as un-sportsmanlike, questionable behavior, lack of proper leadership or a situation deemed detrimental to the purpose of American Legion Baseball will be just cause for the suspension of that teams registration agreement.
5. The Department Baseball Committee shall have the authority to impose fines and or require reimbursement of funds for damages incurred by a New Hampshire American Legion Baseball team. Such fines and/or reimbursements must be made prior to the reinstatement of that registration agreement.
6. The deadline for new team entry into the New Hampshire American Legion Baseball Program for the 2024 season is NOVEMBER 1, 2023 unless agreed upon by baseball committee approval.
IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES 2023
On-Line team registration begins each JANUARY 1st with a deadline of FEBRUARY 15th for all team to register..
All teams have to pay their fees and purchase their insurance on-line by MAY 15, 2023.
All coaches and staff must complete their background checks and Pure Baseball Adult Awareness training before May 15th of each year. The chairman has to submit all approved teams by this date. Other staff and coaches can be added after this date.
Teams intending to give a player a release must do so prior to JUNE 22, 2023.
Players wishing to cross the State Line must have written permission from both DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN prior to JUNE 22, 2023. NATIONAL FORMS ALB#76 & 77 must be filled out in their entirety.
The deadline for team entry into the New Hampshire American Legion Baseball Program for the 2024 season is NOVEMBER 1, 2023 unless agreed upon by baseball committee approval.
THE NATIONAL FORM #2 complete with a proper original birth certificate for each new first year player (Prep, Junior and Senior program), must be in the hands of the District Director for the senior program an the Chairman for the junior and prep program prior to the first District Game or not later than JUNE 22nd 2023, whichever occurs the earliest. The NH deadline for you to have your roster completed online is JUNE 22nd 2023. NO EXCEPTIONS BY OUR NATIONAL RULE. The national deadline for our Chairman to approve and submit all NH legions teams is JUNE 30th, 2023.
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