NBBA Rules - RULE 1...Players, Field, Playing Equipment

RULE 1 PLAYERS, FIELD, PLAYING EQUIPMENT

Section 1: Positions, Equipment, and Players

Article 1...In Beep Baseball, each of the two teams is permitted six turns at bat during which it attempts to score runs by having its batters hit the beeping ball into fair territory and reach a buzzing (activated) base before the ball is legally fielded by the defense. The team in the field attempts to end the turn at bat of the opponent by causing three of its batters to be put out. Each of the two teams consists of at least six batters/fielders throughout the game (except as noted elsewhere in these rules), at least one but no more than two of whom must be designated Captain. The captain and the coach represent the team in all communication with the umpires and other game or tournament officials. The captain’s duties can include: providing the head umpire with the name, shirt number, position, and batting order of each starting player; and informing all players of his team as to special ground rules as announced by the head umpire. Each team must also furnish its own pitchers and catchers on offense and at least one, but not more than two, spotters on defense. It shall be a forfeit if a team cannot provide these support personnel.

Article 2...A Player is designated on the official line-up sheet by his fielding position, name, and shirt number.

Article 3...All Players in a team’s line-up shall be visually impaired. EXCEPTION: [a] Each team is allowed to have normally sighted persons on their official player roster, and when they are blindfolded, they are eligible to play as fielder/batter; HOWEVER, no more than two fully sighted persons may participate as fielder/batter on any team at one time during any one game, and ONLY if no visually impaired player is available to play; [b] Pitcher and catcher should be normally sighted or have good visual acuity with corrective eyewear.

Article 4...at the time of the pitch, all defensive players, including the spotters, shall have both feet in fair territory, and shall be at lest forty feet from home plate.

Article 5...An active player may change to a different fielding position at any time without notifying the head umpire.

Article 6...Uniforms are recommended for all players.

[a] Uniforms of all team members should be the same color and style. Caps are recommended and shoes are required equipment (no track spikes are allowed). Metal cleats are prohibited. For individual players, sleeve lengths may vary. However, sleeves of each individual player shall be approximately the same length and shall not be ragged, frayed, nor slit. A uniform shall not have any dangerous buttons, pins, or ornaments. Each player shall be numbered on the back of the shirt with a plain number of a solid color contrasting with the color of the shirt. The number shall be at least eight inches high and no players on the same team shall wear identical numbers;

[b] It is mandatory for each batter and fielder to wear a blindfold. The on-deck batter shall have the blindfold in place and properly adjusted before entering the on-deck circle or area, and shall leave it in place until being put out, striking out, or scoring, unless permission to lower it is given by the umpire. Each fielder is required to have the blindfold in place and properly adjusted before assuming initial position on the field. If the head umpire has given permission to enter and leave the field with blindfolds down, fielder must face away from home plate and adjust blindfold before turning to face home plate after reaching initial position on the field and prior to the first pitch, legal or illegal, to the next batter. Fielders shall leave blindfold in place until the batting team has been retired and defense has left the field, unless otherwise instructed by the head umpire. The USABA and Sioux Falls blindfolds will be recognized as the minimum standard blindfold. Homemade equipment must meet these standards and be accepted by the head umpire and both team captains and coaches before being used; coach or capital should request this approval prior to the start of each game. Each blindfold shall have firm elastic bands that do not droop and shall be worn in such a manner as to completely prohibit any possible use of vision. [Note: These blindfolds are designed to be worn with the upper elastic band over the top of the ear and the lower band below the ear to insure a firm, close fit at all points of contact with the face]. The umpire has the right to inspect the mask of any player at any time; if the umpire determines that the mask is not being correctly worn he may issue a team warning to that team that the next player found to be wearing a mask improperly or wearing a mask that does not meet minimum specifications may be ejected from the game;

[c] Protective equipment of the type approved for use in baseball or softball is allowed and encouraged for any player on any team;

[d] Loose equipment of either team may not be on or near the field;

[e] All splints, casts, and braces must be padded. No protective equipment shall have exposed metal or any other hard material. Prostheses may be worn. Any equipment which has exposed metal or other hard surface must be examined by the head umpire prior to the game to evaluate the potential for danger. Any equipment, including prostheses, judged by the head umpire to be potentially dangerous is illegal and will not be allowed;

[f] Prior to the start of the game, the coach and/or captain(s) of each team shall be responsible for verifying to the head umpire that all that team’s players are equipped in compliance with these rules. Any questions regarding legality of a player’s equipment shall be determined by the head umpire and/or tournament offices;\

[g] Non-traditional playing equipment must be reviewed by the National Board of Directors for Beep Baseball before it will be permitted;

[h] Jewelry is prohibited with the exception of medical alert bracelets or necklaces. If a player must wear a medical alert bracelet/necklace, it should be taped to the body so as to remain visible but not present a possible hazard.

Section 2: The Field

Article 1...The Playing Field shall be a right angle having sides of at least 100 feet, with their point of origin being the rear point of home plate. All lines of the playing field shall be marked with a material that is not injurious to the eyes or skin. Distance from the rear point of home plate to the nearest obstruction on fair ground should be at least 180 feet down the foul lines and through the center of the field. Foul lines shall be marked to extend from the rear point of home plate toward first and third base marks for a distance of at least 100 feet. It is recommended that these lines extend at least thirty [30] feet beyond the ninety foot mark. A line ten feet in length shall be drawn at a right angle from the 100 foot mark (hereafter referred to as the spot) of each of the foul lines. The near edge of first and third base shall be placed at the end of these ten foot lines. The distance between first and third bases shall be no less than 141'3" and no more than 141'6" measured spot-to-spot, and not less than 141'4" or 141'6" measured from the near edge of either base, or its wind-resistance device, to the near edge of the other base, or its wind-resistance device.

Article 2...An additional Foul Line shall be marked at a poing beginning 40 feet down the first base line from the rear point of home plate and extending across the field to a point 40 feet down the third base line from the rear point of home plate. This foul line shall also be forty feet from the rear point of home plate through the center of the field. The distance between the 40 foot marks on each baseline shall be no less than 56'3" and no more than 56'6".

Article 3...A Pitcher’s Mark shall be placed on the field of play a distance of 21'5" from the rear point of home plate. The pitcher’s mark shall be no longer than 30" in length and shall be center between the first and third base foul lines.

Article 4...A Batter’s Box, if used, shall be drawn on both sides of home plate. The boxes shall be 4 feet deep measured from a point 6" away from the 8 ½" edge of home plate; and 8 feet long measuring 4 feet from the back point of the 8 ½" edge of home plate toward the pitcher’s mark and 4 feet from the same point toward the catcher.

Section 3: Equipment

Article 1...First and Third base shall meet the following requirements:

Height- 48" minimum, 54" maximum
Diameter- 8" minimum, 10" maximum
Shape- A cylinder, square, or cone from top to bottom. (Exception: see I, Wind-resistance devices)
Weight- Five pounds maximum
Covering- Vinyl (1st choice), Canvas (2^nd choice)
Sound Device Location; Centered no less than 34" and no more than 40" above ground level.
Sound Frequency (Pitch)- Variable
Sound Level (Loudness); Medium on an adjustable device.
Wind-Resistance Devices- Magnets, Velcro, or any other means accepted by the NBBA to hold base in an upright position.

Article 2...Home Plate (base) shall be a five-sided slab of whitened material. It shall be a 12" square with two of the corners filled in so that one edge is 17" long, two are 12", and two are 8 ½". It shall be set in/on the ground so that the two 12" edges coincide with the base lines extending from the rear point of home plate to first and third base spots with the 17" edge facing the pitcher’s mark.

Article 3...The Ball shall be a “softball” weighing approximately 16 ounces, 16 inches in circumference, with a hollow core containing a sound emitting device and a rechargeable power supply. The ball shall be spherical in shape, white, of solid construction, and shall fly and roll true. The ball shall be designed in such a way that the sound emitting device can be switched on and off. The NBBA Board of Directors, or its appointed representative, shall be the sole judge if any ball design is acceptable for use in NBBA sanctioned games or tournaments.

Article 4...The Bat shall meet minimum ASA, USSSA, National Federation of NCAA slow-pitch softball standards. There shall be no devices, attachments or wrappings that cause the handle to become flush with the know. Only bats may be used for loosening up (including weighted bats for this purpose) at any location. Devices designed to remain part of the bat, such as batting donuts and wind resistant devices, are legal for warming up only. It is mandatory that the knobs on aluminum or magnesium bats be securely fastened. The aluminum or magnesium bats must have a sound deadening material inside. Aluminum or magnesium bats must have a safety grip of cork, non-slip tape, or composition material. The grip must extend a minimum of 10" but not more than 18" from the handle end of the bat. Slippery tape or similar material shall be prohibited. A wooden bat may be roughened or wound with tape or twine not more than 18" from the handle end of the bat. No foreign substance may be added to the bat beyond 18" from the end of the handle. Each bat shall be:

Diameter at thickest part- 2 1/4" or less
Length- 36" or less
Weight- 38 ounces or less

Bats that do not meet these specifications are illegal.

Article 5...Leather gloves or mitts may be worn by any fielder. There is no distinction between a glove and a mitt. The glove/mitt worn by all fields shall conform to the following specifications:

A. Height- (measured from the bottom edge or heel straight up across the center of the palm to a line even with the highest point of the glove/mitt): 14"

B. Width of palm (measured from the bottom edge of the webbing farthest from the thumb in a horizontal line to the outside of the little finger edge of the glove/mitt): 8"

C. Webbing- (measured across the top end along any line parallel to the top): 5 3/4"

Section 4: Defective Field and Player Equipment, Non-Regulation Facility, Malfunctioning Equipment

Article 1...Defective Equipment must be replaced or repaired immediately.

Article 2...Any game started on a Non-regulation Facility by mutual agreement of the opposing coaches and team captains shall not be protested for this reason.

Article 3...A ball which ceases to beep in the proper manner after it is hit and before it is fielded, shall be considered to have malfunctioned. A base which is noticeable late coming on or which is not properly placed so that the speaker is facing home plate, or which falls over or is blown over, or which fails to sound or ceases to sound prior to the end of the play shall be considered to have malfunctioned. In the case of Malfunctioning Equipment, this is a “delayed decision” and the Head Umpire shall allow the team at the disadvantage to attempt to complete the play before calling a replay. If the team at the disadvantage can successfully complete the play, the Head Umpire may allow the play to stand. EXAMPLE: Legally fielding a malfunctioning ball prior to runner legally touching base; or legally touching malfunctioning base prior to ball being legally fielded. If the ball ceases to beep and does not pass the 40 foot foul line, it is a foul ball. A foul ball which ceases to beep in the proper manner will be called a strike unless it is the fourth strike, in which case the batter will resume with ball and strike count as it was prior to the foul ball, the fourth strike must be a clean miss or a called strike.

A. A ball will be replaced at the request of a player at the completion of an at-bat or inning, or at any time by the umpire in the case of an obvious malfunction.