DACSL League Conventions
What follows are some conventions for the operation of the Donegal Area Church Softball League (DACSL). These items are not addressed in our league bylaws but they contain procedural information useful to the league managers.
1. By tradition, at the start of each new season the top team in each division from the previous year moves up one division and the bottom team moves down one division. Some flexibility is allowed. We typically make final decisions on division alignments at the second league meeting.
2. Game time limits. Our 50-minute time limit rule applies only to evening games on unlit fields. No time limits will apply in games on Sundays or under the lights. (2007) The 50-minute rule works as follows. The home plate umpire is the official timekeeper. He starts the clock when the game begins. No new inning may start after the 50-minute mark. Once an inning has started it is completed even if the game goes past one hour. (2002)
The tie game rule is an exception to the 50-minute time limit designed to reduce the number of tie games. If a game ends in a tie, then (a) for 6:15 games on unlighted fields, play continues until the tie is resolved, except that no new inning will begin after 7:15 pm, or (b) for 7:00 games on unlighted fields, play continues until the tie is resolved, or the umpire calls the game for darkness.
The league also has a darkness rule as follows. A game will be considered regulation if four complete innings have been played (or 3 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead) before the game is called off for darkness. If the game is called off sometime other than at the end of a complete inning, the final score will be the score at the end of the last complete inning, with the following exception. If the home team has scored an equal number or more runs than the visiting team in the incomplete inning then the final score is the score at the end of the incomplete inning. The ASA rule for a game called off due to rain, lightning, or other factors beyond the control of the participants specifies that five or more complete innings (or 4 1/2 innings if the home team is winning) must be played for the game to be regulation. The ASA rule specifically mentions darkness as one possible factor. Thus, our rule represents a modification of the ASA rule from five (or 4 1/2) innings to four (or 3 1/2), but only for darkness. We still require five complete innings (or 4 1/2) for games called off for reasons other than darkness to be regulation. (2005)
3. If a game is called off before completion on account of darkness or weather, the umpire returns the $15 umpire fee to the home team. In the event of a tie game, the umpire keeps the payment and the league pays the umpire for the rematch. (Note to managers: when you are replaying a game that was called off before completion, pay the umpire and give him your two best used softballs. When you are replaying a tie game, use your two best used softballs but do not pay the umpire.)
4. In the event of a forfeit, the forfeiting team is responsible, by our bylaws, to pay the umpire for the game, even if they are the visiting team. If the manager of the forfeiting team is present on game night he should pay the umpire. Otherwise, the league will pay the umpire and collect the amount from the forfeiting team. (2007)
5. When an umpire takes a "lone" game, the league will pay him $5 in addition to the usual umpire fee paid by the home team. If he works without a base umpire, the league will pay $8. (2007)
6. Procedure for rescheduling a game. (1) Manager contacts league president with date and time of game, (2) manager contacts opposing team and umpire informing them of request to reschedule, (3) president confirms the request with all parties, (4) president reschedules the game after consulting with both teams about availability. Note the time frame (seven days advance notice) specified in the bylaws. Each team is allowed a maximum of three rescheduled games per season (excluding emergency situations such as funerals). (2007)
7. Teams may use players who meet the church attendance requirement at a church different from the sponsoring church(es) so long as the other church does not also have a team playing in the league. (2004)
8. The league president (or his representative) is responsible for calling off games in advance due to weather or field conditions. He will usually try to make such decisions at least one hour before game time. Our time-honored league convention is, if you haven't been notified otherwise, your game is to be played as scheduled. Once the teams gather at a field for a game, the home plate umpire decides, based on the conditions encountered there, whether or not the game can be played. When an umpire calls off games on a field due to weather, the home team manager is responsible for notifying the managers in the other games on that field that night. If the umpire and the visiting team manager have cell phones, they are encouraged to help out.
9. The league president is responsible for rescheduling all games. In doing so, he consults a matrix that shows him all of the scheduled games and "no-play" dates for each team. Managers are encouraged to keep their lists of "no-play" dates current and updated as the season progresses.
10. Lists of rescheduled games are distributed to the league via the email list server. Each team must have a subscriber to the list. Check for emails at least every third day, preferably more often.
11. The league web site is at www.dacsl.net. It has links to Chuck Jackson's schedule page and other information pages.
last update: 4Mar08
