West Middlesex Little League By-Laws
(Revised and approved on 1-9-2024)
lncase managers cannot agree on the fitness of the playing field, the Vice President of the league shall make the decision as to the fitness of the playing field before the game starts. Home and visitor managers, along with the Vice President, shall reschedule a game canceled on the first date open to both teams. Date of replaying all canceled games must be determined on the same day as the cancellation. If not done, then the board decides. In this instance, the President will make a decision of the fitness of the field that the Vice President is manager of that game or the coach.
Games played on VFW 1 are to start at 6 PM. Also 6 PM for games played on VFW 2, except for the night games. All day games start at 6 PM unless otherwise agreed upon.
The home team is responsible for getting the field ready for play, with the help of the visiting team when extreme conditions warrant extra work. Home team also gets and returns batting helmets when specialized helmets are needed. Umpires are responsible for umpire's equipment.
The 6 PM home team shall have the field for practice from 5:10-5:30 PM. The visiting team shall have the field for practice from 5:30-5:50 PM. The home team is responsible for taking the field for play. During the night games, the home team shall have the field for practice from 7:10-7:30 PM. The visiting team shall have the field for practice from 7:30-7:50 PM.
The home team is to have the entire field for practice before and after the game unless there is a scheduled game or if the field condition does not allow.
The home team is the official scorer.
Batting helmets and bats are not to be thrown, kicked, or used to stand or sit on. PENALTY: ONE warning per team and automatic ejection at the discretion of the umpire in charge. The ejected player will not remain in the playing area, which includes the dugout. All managers and umpires shall enforce the rule.
The Home and visiting team shall enter one new ball into each game. Applies only when a WM team plays a WM team.
Last team on schedule is the home team.
First half champion is to be determined before the second half starts. (When Applicable)
In the event of a tie in either half of play, the winner to be determined by a one game playoff with the home team determined by a coin toss. A flip of the coin will determine which team draws a bye in case of a 3-way tie. Games will be played with no rest days between games and will be played on the first day, following the conclusion of the half. Each half must have a distinct winner. (When Applicable)
At the conclusion of the season, a playoff of three games will ensue between teams that won their respective halves. These games will be played with one day of rest between them. In case of rain, a playoff will ensue on consecutive games on consecutive nights. These playoff games will be played the following week starting on Monday after the conclusion of the regular season final games. In the event of a tie for the second half, the championship playoffs will be delayed until the next full week or until all pitchers have full eligibility to pitch. (When Applicable)
In the event of a tie for any position in league standing, a flip of a coin will be held at the end of the season to determine league standing. (For Draft Reasoning)
Regular season games a manager or coach is allowed to warm up the pitchers during the game.
Home team will take up a collection at the end of the 4th inning. Money will then be turned over to the concession stand.
No use of tobacco or alcohol in any form during the game on the field or in the dugout areas. Penalty: 1st time will be ejection from the game. 2nd time will be a suspension for 1 week. 3rd time will be automatic termination of the violator. All West Middlesex Little League Fields are alcohol & tobacco free.
Winning team is responsible for game publicity, inserting write ups in the newspaper along with updating our WM Little League Facebook page & any other social media we use.
A manager wishing to discipline a player may withhold player from game participation for disciplinary action. Manager must inform the opposing manager and the umpire in charge of the game of players to be disciplined prior to the start of the game.
All-Stars will be voted on by one manager of each team in our league. Only 10 players will be selected by vote with the number of votes needed determined by how many teams are in our league. The remaining 2-4 players will be chosen by the All-Star manager. Manager will have the choice to carry 10-14 players based on rule limitations by Little League Inc. Managers will declare picks immediately following All-Star selection.
Every catcher must wear a jock and cup in order to participate in a game or practice. All other players must wear athletic supporters.
There will be no profanity by managers, coaches, umpires, or players during games. The penalty will be the same as rule #16. Spectators will be warned for the first offense. 2nd offense asked to leave the premises.
Any player, coach, or manager ejected from the game for any reason, will sit out of the next scheduled game and must have a letter submitted to the President of the league by the team manager and the umpire in chief within 24 hours.
(When Applicable - All-Star manager will be first half winner and have the first choice. 2nd place manager will have the 2nd choice and the 3rd place manager will have what is left.) The team with the best record by June 1st of the season will be 1st choice manager. He shall pick any manager of #1 or #2 coach for each division respectively. When all managers and 1st coaches are exhausted or declined, the choice goes to 2nd coach to manage an All-Star team.
The regular season Little League record shall determine position for next year's draft, with the exception of the league championship team from the previous year must pick last.
In the event of an open team, any coach who has been on the roster as 1st or 2nd coach for 4 consecutive years will be given first chance on managing that team. If the coach does not want the team, a seniority roster of the league will be used for selecting managers of teams who have openings. Managers must be approved by the Board of Directors by secret ballot.
Each year, all managers and coaches must be approved by the Board of Directors by secret ballot.
All teams must have a representative at each meeting. The representative is a manager or his number 1 or number 2 coach. If there is no representative for 2 consecutive meetings, the manager will be given a 2- game suspension for 1st offense with the dismissal for the 2nd offense.
Except when the roster of a little league team falls below 10, a league may adopt a local rule prohibiting replacement from the minor league during the last 2 weeks of the regular season schedule.
A membership card of the league must be purchased each year to acquire voting privileges for that year. Membership entitles the person to vote, run for office, or participate in meetings. Any member who misses 2 or more consecutive meetings must attend 2 consecutive meetings before again being eligible for any of the privileges. Purchase of a membership card doesn't give a member seniority automatically. A member must be active in the league to get seniority.
At the end of each season, managers may turn in names of individuals other than coaches named on their roster for a person they feel shall be worthy for consideration for seniority for their work with a team or in the league. Attending a minimum of 60% of all activities. All names turned in must be approved by the Board of Directors before being given seniority.
Umpires excluding the umpire in chief must umpire at least 10 games prior to receiving league seniority.
If a team must be dropped, the team with the manager who has the least amount of seniority within the league will be the team dropped. Also, the sponsor with the least amount of seniority will be the sponsorship that will be eliminated. In case a team does not have a manager returning, that team will be automatically dropped over any team that has a manager in place, overriding any seniority list.
In the event of establishing a new team, the managers of each team can protect 3 players on their roster. All other players that were previously on a little league team must be selected first in the supplemental draft before the regular draft begins. Now the new team manager will select 3 draft picks of the existing players. After he makes those selections, he will then pick first in the supplemental draft & also first in the regular draft after all the existing players were selected.
Catchers must have full gear on while in the bullpen during pregame and warmups if they are in the catchers position.
Face mask helmets are required for first year players and 9-10 years old players. If you are a returning 11 or 12 year old, face mask on batting helmets are optional.
All players, coaches & managers in Tball, Minor League, and Little League are not allowed to chew gum or sunflower seeds while playing or practicing on all WM Little League fields.
37. West Middlesex Little League 12 Year Old Draft Rule Adopted March 11, 2009
All candidates who are league age 12 must be drafted to a Little League Major Division Team.
Exceptions can only be made with written approval from the district administrator, and only if approved at the local league level by the Board of Directors, and the parent of the candidate.
The total number of 12 year olds in the draft are the number of teams required to draft one. For example: (5) 12's trying out, (5) teams in your league, each team must draft a player of age 12. Anytime during the draft selection process, a team with no selections or these selections are all declared options, these teams are exempt from this selection process.
If the number of 12 year olds trying out is not the same as teams eligible to draft them, it will be predetermined before the draft which teams may have to select one or more 12's, based on reverse draft order.
Any team which selects a 12 year old that isn't required to exempts another team from drafting a 12. That team is determined by the draft order.
If a team has to pick a 12 year old during the draft selection process, and if brothers are trying out, a team may take (declare) the brother option while also taking their roster to 1 player above league teams total with approval from Little League Inc.
Pre-draft options declared
Brother option- 3rd round or before
Coach option- 4th round or before
Manager option- 5th round or before
If there are brother options during the draft selection (not pre-draft) the brother option if declared must be taken in the prior round.
38. These By-Laws must be voted on and approved prior to each season and changed if necessary.