BUTLER COUNTY HORSESHOE PITCHING LEAGUE
PITCHING RULES:
1. All teams shall pitch using the Butler County
League Pitching Rules.
2. There will be a league limit of 10 Teams.
3. Each Team will be limited to 25 pitchers, 6 of those 25 pitchers may
reside outside of Butler County.
4. A pitching roster must be submitted to the League Secretary and to
each Team Captain before the season starts. Any additions to the roster
must be given verbally to the Team Captain on the night of the match
prior to the match beginning and to the League Secretary at the next
monthly meeting.
4A. Before a person can be place on a team roster the team must have the
person’s permission.
4B. All players on a team roster after 7:00 PM on week one are
officially a team member.
4C. Any new pitchers added to the team roster may pitch immediately in
the first half.
4D. Any pitcher removed from a team roster in the first half must wait
two league matches before they can pitch for a new team or the same
team.
4E. No roster additions after 7:00 PM Tuesday of the first week of the
second half.
5. The pitching roster must identify out of county pitchers and those
eligible to pitch at 30 feet.
5A. If you are a male over 70 years of age, under 16 years of age or a
female, you are eligible to pitch at 30 feet.
6. Appling for Handicap Status: If a player would like to apply for a
handicap status to be able to pitch from 30 feet, the criteria listed in
6A and 6B must be met:
6A. Have a Doctors note stating that they are Handicapped.
6B. Attend a League meeting to clarify to all captains available the
reason they should be permitted to pitch from 30 feet. After the pitcher
states his or her reason(s) they must leave the meeting.
6C. All Captains will discuss and vote to permit handicap status. 2 / 3
vote is required to pass.
6D. The Pitcher in question will be notified following the meeting by
their Captain if handicap status has been approved or declined.
6E. A review will be conducted on each player with a handicap status to
determine if they should maintain this status. The review will occur
every 9 weeks or when a Captain has a concern with the handicap status
of a pitcher. Handicap Status may be overturned by a 50% vote of the
captains.
7. No pitcher is permitted to pitch more than 3 games per match.
8. Games shall consist of 22 pitches. If a game ends in a tie score,
both ends get another pitch until the tie is broken.
9. Pitchers starting a new round of games are entitled to 10 warm up
pitches. Substitutes during the round are entitled to 10 warm up
pitches.
10. The pitcher starting his warm up pitches must pitch at least one
game before being replaced, unless becoming ill, injured or an emergency
occurs.
11. Both pitchers can pitch from the same side of the pit if desired.
12. When not pitching you are to stand behind your opponent, out of site
and not causing a distraction.
13. A match will be 18 games. All matches are to be played Tuesday
evenings. Courts should be uncovered by the home team and ready for
practice no later than 6:00 PM. Matches to start promptly at 7:00 PM.
14. A 15 minute wait time will be allowed for late pitchers from teams
with insufficient pitchers for the last games of the match. If a team
does not have sufficient pitchers the remaining games will be forfeited.
If neither team has sufficient pitchers the games will be forfeited by
both teams.
15. Each team must furnish a scorekeeper. The home team will furnish
match results and averages to visiting team. Home team is to notify
secretary of match results. Teams may place a representative with the
other team scorekeeper.
16. The regular season shall consist of each team playing the other
teams twice, once at home and once away.
17. Each team must have 2 courts with clay fill, and pitching platforms
to accommodate 30 foot pitchers, that are flat, level, straight with a
non slop surface and adequate lighting.
18. Each court must have a foul line for 40 feet pitchers and 30 feet
pitchers. The foul line must be at least 1 inch thick and in a color
that can be clearly visible.
17A. The foul line for 40 feet pitchers will be marked at 37 feet to the
front of the line. The pitcher may step on the line but cannot cross the
front of the line.
17B. The foul line for 30 feet pitchers will be marked at 27 feet to the
front of the line. The pitcher may step on the line but cannot cross the
front of the line.
17C. If it is observed that a pitcher from the other team is stepping
over the foul line you must notify your Captain or Co-Captain
(discreetly). The Captain or Co-Captain will discuss the observation
with the other teams Captain or Co-Captain (discreetly). Both Captains
will observe the pitcher in question (discreetly).
17C1. If it is determined that the pitcher is stepping over the front of
the foul line, the pitcher will be notified immediately and receive a
Warning pertaining to the foul step.
17C2. Once a pitcher has received a Warning, both teams will have a team
representative watch the player in question for further step fouls. A
step foul will be called immediately. Any step fouls for the remaining
of their pitches for the evening will result in a dead shoe.
17C3. The horseshoe with the foul step will be removed from the pit once
it comes to a complete stop.
17C4. The foul horseshoe can still affect the horseshoes in the pit.
17C5. If a step foul is not handled in the above process mentioned in
17C and/or was not handled in a discreet manner, there will be no step
fouls called on the player in question for the remaining of their
pitches that evening.
*Discreetly – Quietly, not to bring it to the attention of the player in
question. After the two teams agree that there is a step foul, the
person in question is hearing of the step foul from their captain /
co-captain for the first time.
19. The visiting team will place their pitchers first and the home team
will place their pitchers second.
20. If rain cancels a match or games, the match or games must be made up
at the earliest convenient time agreed upon by the captains involved. If
an agreement cannot be reached, the match or games will be made up the
following Monday, unless rain-out or Holiday.
21. The last match of the regular season and playoff matches, if rained
out must be made up the following night, if match or games are not made
up at that time, the President will be notified and a decision will be
made between the President and the two team captains.
22. Any team not showing up for any scheduled match will forfeit all
games.
23. At the end of the regular season there will be playoff matches
between the first 8 teams. All playoff matches will consist of 17 games.
24. Regular Season Awards:
24A. The first place team will receive a large plaque with all the team
pitchers listed.
24B. The second and third place teams will get a smaller plaque with
name plate of standings.
25. The first round of the playoffs will consist of the following:
25A. First place team will play the fifth place team at the courts of
the 1st place team.
25B. Second place team will play the sixth place team at the courts of
the 2nd place team.
25C. Third place team will play the seventh place team at the courts of
the 3rd place team.
25D. Fourth place team will play the eighth place team at the courts of
the 4th place team.
26. The second round of the playoffs will consist of the following:
26A. The highest ranked team will play the lowest ranked team at the
courts of the highest ranked team.
26B. The second highest ranked team will play the second lowest ranked
team at the courts of the second highest ranked team.
27. The winners of the second round of playoffs will play each other at
the annual picnic for the Championship. The highest ranked team will
have home court advantage.
27A. The Championship Game will begin at 12:00 Noon. All 3 pits will be
used during the Championship Match.
27B. If rained out at the picnic the match will be made up the next
evening at 7:00 PM at the courts of the home team.
28. Post Season Awards:
28A. The winner of the Championship match will get a large plaque with
all the team pitchers listed.
28B. The runner-up of the Championship match will get a smaller plaque
with name plate of standing.
28C. The 4th through 8th place teams will get a name plate of standings.
29. Butler County League, Pitching Teams and Sponsors are not
responsible for injuries of a pitcher or spectator.
30. The Pitching Rules may be changed by the membership at the end of
the season. Pitching Rules cannot be revised during the season.
These Rules were approved by the League Membership on 12-17-03
Revised on 12-30-04 and Approved on 1-06-2005.
Revised on 1-6-05 and Approved on 2-3-05
Revised on 4-4-06 and Approved on 4-4-06
Revised on 5-1-06 and Approved on 5-3-06
Revised on 2-7-08 and Approved on 2-7-08
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